Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-12-28
Lost Bird" Finds Her Indian
Mot her

Cheyenne Agency, s. D., Dec 14--Aft-
or the battle Of Wounded Knee between
troops of the Seventh cavalry and a par
~ of Sioux Indians, ON December 20,
1870, the soldiers found upon the battle
field an Indian babe. The child was "
ing on the body of dead squaw and was
protected by the clothing of the latter.
To this feet was due its survival during
the terrible blizzard following the battle
The members of the burying party
were, of course, greatly surprised To find
that the babe was still alive. That it
had not persisted was looked upon as
something in the nature of a miracle, es-
peclally, by the superstitious Sioux 1t
was taken to Pine Ridge agency and
placed in the keeping Of knd-hearted
Indian woman, who nursed it back to
health and strength
The child was afterwards adopted by
Adjt.-Gcn. Colby ~ the Nebraska Ma
uonal guard, and himself and wife, who
conferred upon the child of the battle
field the name of Lost Bird. have raised
her, She is now budding into girhood
and is said to be very bright and intelli-
gent, having taken advantage TO the full
est extent of the excellent opportunities
afforded her by her kind foster-parents.
the secretary of the interior, when APP
plication was made to him, favored the
placing of the name of Lost Bird" on
the rolls of the Sioux nation, and the
matter was referred to the proper au-
thorities at Cheyenne River agency, this
state, where it was known that Lost
Bird mother had resided prior to De
cember. 1890
The investigation which followed has
Just revealed the fact that the mother of
Lost Bird is still alive and resides ut
her old home in the Cherry Greek dis
trict on the Cheyenne River reservation.
Her name is Crane Pretty Voice. She
70 10 IN inf inn 1tN - I,r..
to abandon her little baby on the Wound
ed Knee battlefield.
Her husabnd belonged to Big Foot's
band of Sioux, and when that fiery war
rlor, al the commencement of the ghost
dance and Messiah troubles. decided to
cast his lot with the ghost dancers, her
husband was among those Of Big Foot's
band who decided TO follow him.
The band numbered several hundred
including squaws and children, and they
became SO threatening that troops were
sent to maintain a guard over them.
They eyaded the watchful eyes of the
military authorities and escaped to the
Pine Ridge reservation.
\ battalion Of the Seventh United
states cavalry, under command Of Mai
y. NJ. Whiteside, was sent from Pine
Ridge agency TO intercept them. After a
search lasting about thirty-six hours they
were located and captured. While at
a conflict, which has passed into history
rs the battle OF Wounded Knee-one OF
the blOodiest in border annals. so far
as numbers engaged were concerned
was precipitatcd.
Crane Pretty Voice says she was in
wagon and was endeayoring to escap,
from the storm Of bullets just after the
commencement of the battle when her
babe, IN the intense excitement of the
moment, slipped from her arms TO the
frozen ground. Believing that there was
not the slightest doubt about the baby
having been killed by the severe fall. the.
ponies hitched to the wagon were not
halted, but the frenzied refugees CON
tnued their fight from the scene of the
battle.
The Indian woman upon whose dead
body the child was afterwards found
must have passed that way, and, 0bserv-
ing that the child was alive, picked it up
and carried it with her. Perhaps this
friendly act resulted in her own death.