The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-22
IT WAS LITTLE CROW.
THE BAD INDIAN KILLED BY YOUNG
CHAUNCEY LAMPSON.
A Leader of the Sioux Whose Mis-
Ingratitude The Governments
Struggles With the Hostiles Du-
ring the War.

Il.
The Sioux or Dakota tribe of Indians
has been, for a. considerable time, the
most powerful confederation of aborig
ines on the American continent. They
could place today several thousand
warriors in the fed, and they have
given our government much trouble
during the past generation. 1t was the
Sioux who We're the most actively en-
gagged in war with us. after the dis
covery Of gold in California in 1S49
caused such a stream of emigration
across the continent; they were the
leaders in the destruction of Custer and
his command; it was they who perpe
trated the terrible massacres of 1862 in
Minnesota and who came so near bring
ing on general war in 1901.
Among the famous leaders of the
Sioux was Little Crow. who. at the be-
ginning of the outbreak of 1862, was
living in a. comfortable brick house
near one of the agencies. which had
been erected by our government as an
induIcement for him to help in the
civilization of his turbulent people. He
was counted upon as one of the stanch-
est friends of the whites and indeed
had lost caste with many of his own
people because of his support of their
measures.
Yet on the fatal day in August when
the fierce bucks ran to his house and
aWoke him from sleep to ask his advice
as to what should be done, Little Crow,
instead of counSeling peace, told them
that, inaSInuch as trouble must inevi-
tably occur between the whites and his
people, it might as well begin then as
at any time. He proposed that they
should go to the agency and kill the
traders and volunteered to net as their
leader. Having thus identified himself
with the hostiles, he became one of the
most bitter and unrelenting of them all.
He possessed considerable ability, and
he threw himself heart and soul into
the fight. He was the leader in several
of the most decisive defeats received
by attachments of troops; was in COM
mand in the attacks on New Ulm, Fort
Ridgely and the agencies, struck many
hard blows, and though he personally
did not wish to torture prisoners was
too weak to prevent his men from do
ing so.
1t always takes a civilized govern
ment a. considerable while to shake it
self into shape when such crisis
comes. The civil war being then under
way, quite number of armed men
were in Minnesota because of the call
of President Lincoln for volunteers. BY
and by Colonel Sibley was able to reach
the Indians, with the consequence that
they were badly beaten. Not only did
the majority surrender, but the leaders
were caught and tried and thirty-eight
were hanged at Mankato in February,
1853
Little Crow, however, fed northward
with a large body of warriors and took
refuge in the neighborhood of Devils
lake. where, the following year. he re-
newed his crimes and outrages. He
was so defiant that he notified Colonel
Sibley where he was, adding that soon
he intended to arrive with his men at
the Yellow Medicine agency.
The authorities became so incensed
against the Sioux because of their
atrocities that they organized scouts to
hunt them down and offered a reward
for every one that was killed. Such
was the state of affairs when, on Fri
day afternoon, July 8, 1863, Chauncey
Lampson, a boy, and his father, were
walking along the road several miles
north of Hutchinson, one of the towns
that had suffered severely from the
massacre. Each had a gun over his
shoulder, and they were walking side
by side, talking in low tones, when the
son suddenly touched the arm of his
father and pointed to a little clearing,
opening into the woods ahead. The
two halted at sight of a couple of In
dams picking berries Their backs were
toward the whites, who softly stepped
behind the trees and held a whispered
consultation as to what was best to do.
There was no doubt that the Indians
were hostiles. and had they seen the
others first would have shot them. Mr..
Lampson and his boy decided to an
ticipate them. Taking advantage of
the shelter afforded by a poplar sur
rounded with underground, the father
crept near enough to secure a good
aim. when he fired at one of the In
dams. The savage threw up his arms
with yell and fell to the ground badly
wounded. Not knowing how many
Indians might be near, Mn. Lampson
began a cautious retreat. but was
obliged to expose himself in doing so.
The wounded Indian had partly risen
and aimed at him. AT the same in
slant Chauncev. the son. drew a bead
on the wounded Indian. while the I'M
wounded one leveled his gun ait the
boy. Rather singufarly, all three fired
at the same moment
Mr.. LamDson received a flesh wound
in the shoulder. the ball of the I'M
harmed warrior grtazed the BOYS
cheek. whilst the missile of the youth
Instantly killed the wounded Indian
Then, fearing a charge from a war
parity. Chauncey dashed off for help.
AS it grew dark the father started
for home bv circuitous route and
safely reached there after midnight.
The body of the slain Indian was car
ried to Hutchinson. where, to the
reror=-hroent ord rolief Of all it was
identified as that of the famous chief,
LITTLE Crow -Detroit Free PraSs