New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-07-09

/fNe 6XE4$S4GZI1. I1s%'.
- Es1lIxl!l
endeavoring to gather up stories from va
the condition of affairs existing IN those
through that thrice heat furnace might k
J The stories of the great Sioux war in
Minnesota in 1862 never grow old. They
are always new tomany and never dull to
anybody. Although forty years, near
ly half of century, have passed since
that eventful episode, yet to manyit seems
but few months since barbarism rode
rampant over agreal part Of the state and
civilization gashed and bleeding, was
prone on the prairies with none to bind
up the wounds. Allover the state are sur
vivors of that terrible contest who remem-
Der it's Incidents and relate them as if the
crack OF the rifle and the din of the war
whoop yet rang in their ears. The story
is always of interest to them.
There are two sides to this as to every
other story. The version of the white peo-
pie ought to be we'll enough known. But
the Indian side. strangely enough, has not
been recorded The soldiers of the Uuion
read no stories of the great Rebellion with
more interest than the narrative of the ex-
Confederates, and we never got the full
and true story of the war until they began
to write. So we can never fully under
stand the Sioux war of 1862 until the In
dians tell the story. Recently, as nobody
else had ever been or seemed likely ever
to be willing to take the trouble to do it
the Pioneer Press determined to ascertain
and publish the Indians side of the story.
It was known that the work would be diff.
ficult, and even those best acquainted with
Indian character and with the old hostiles
said it could not be done-the Indians
could not be induced to talk. But by
assiduous and persistent effort breach
was opened in the wall of silence that
has SO long hidden The other side of the
story and the end has justified the means
and the pains.
Perhaps the most notable survivor of
the old Sioux hostiles is Mr.. Jerome Big
Eagle now residing near Granite Falls, in
this state. His true Christian name, how
evel, is Elijah. His Indian name is
"Wamde-tonka," which literally means
Great War Eagle, but he is commonly
called Big Eagle. The Sioux for the the
common bald eagle is "hu-ya" and
"wamde" means war eagle, "tonka''
meaning great or big. He was subchief
and may be termed one of the Sioux gen.
erals, since he had band or division CT
his own. A representative of the Pioneer
Press, who for some time has been en-
gagged in the work referred to, recently
interviewed Mr.. Big Eagle at Flandrau.
S. D., where he was temporarily on visit
upon the subject of the war of 1862. He
cannot speak English, and Rev. John
Eastman of Flandrau, an educated and
intelligent gentleman, and Mrs. Nucay
Huggan, kindly acted as Interpreters dur
ing the talk" which lasted severa
hours. ..x ....- -.
Mr.. Big Eagle was first informed tina
his statements were wanted solely in or
der that a correct knowledge of the mil
itary movements of the Indians during
the war might be learned. It was sug
gested to him that no harm therefron
could come to him or any Of his people
that neither the var banner nor th
"bloody shirt" waved any longer i
Minnesota; that it was well known tina
liz was AAdA LII N40 !" 1l
| but that he was now and had been fo
many years quiet, industrious Christia
citizen, respected BY all who knew hin
and he was assured that he would be col
/ rectly reported. He readily eonsente
1 to tell his story, and gave full permissio
Ito use his name. Other Indiads inter
viewed on the same subject gave certai
information, but requested their name
not to be printed. Big Eagles story
here given substantially as related I
The reporter BY two intelligent interpr'
tiers or at least as it was understood.
The old man is very frank and unf
4 served. He did otseem to wish to avoi
FOR evade an answer to a single quessio
He is Of more than ordinary 1ntelligenc