The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-04-30
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1896.
BIG FIRES CAREER.
A Young Indian Writes Up the Dead
Century plant.

Peter Big Fire, the century Indian,
died on April 14th, at his home near
Granite Falls. The Tribune of that
city, in its issue for last week, contains
an account of his life written by He
hot no ia, or Edward Skyman, as his
name has been Americanized, a young
Indian, who has been educated in the
English schools near or in Granite
Falls. From this account it appears
that Big Fire was the eldest son of
Running Walker, Chief of the Wah-
peton Band of Sioux Indians, and
hence was prince among his band,
with the right of accession to Chief
after his father died, right which he
never usurped. He was blind several
years prior to his death.
Following the advice of his father
for gaining livelihood Big Fire, with
his band, early commenced the career
of killing, numbering and torturing
the Ojibways, who we're deadly enc
mics of the Wahpeton Sioux. Fol-
lowing these victories he would give
great feasts in honor of them and of
the work done by his followers.
Young Skyman continues the nara
tive:
When civilization finally reached
his people he was among the first who
embraced the ways and customs of the
whites; among the first who learned
to read and write in the Sioux langu-
age; among the first who accepted the
doctrine Of the Christian religion and
among the first who undertook to
christianize the savage and blood
thirsty tribe of his people.
During those dark days of the out
break of 1862, Big Fire was not idle.
Many advised cessation of hostilities
on the part of the hostile Indians but
they only did it to say that they raised
their voice against the dreadful mas
sacre. Words without actions are
dead. Big-fire protested against the
horrible slaughter by which the hos
tile Indians attacked the white settlers
in the neighborhood of the upper and
lower agencies. He not only advised
but took immediate measures to de-
fend the helpless missionaries. Along
with the other loyal Indians he took
care of them, lest they might be MUIR
dered by the merciless savages.
When the ministers and their families
were taken out of their homes, he was
along with his gun and ammunition
ready for any service of defense.
When they hid the Missionaries on
a small island near Minnesota Falls,
and kept them there for three days,
he was there to protect the little ones
from the injury and torture that, had
it been otherwise, would have been so
brutally inflicted upon their innocent
heads. When they took the Mission
aries out at the end of three days to
give them a fair chance to escape,
Bigfre was there still, faithful SER
want of defense for his white brethren
who then needed human help in this
awful calamity.
When, shortly after the safe depar-
ture he saw several hostile Indians in
tending to follow the trail of the Mis-
sionaries, he was there to divert
their attention to other matters, and
even lead or rather went with them
until he knew they had crossed the
trail, then suddenly he pretended he
was famed and unable to proceed any
farther, SO he returned feeling salts
fed that the raiding party would
never crafty their brutal desire for
plumber. And this last act in defense
of his white brethren, though ex-
planned fully at the trial before Mil
itary Commission that was hearing
the case, was the condemning evidence
against him and he was imprisoned
along with his people for two years,
or until President Lincoln released
him upon the representation of the
facts, that ought to have cleared him
in the first place. He attributed his
deliverence to Him who ruleth over
all.
He professed his faith and became
member of the Presbyterian Church
soon after he was in prison at Daven-
port.
He became ruling Elder of the
church to which he belonged soon
after the war, and consequently, he