Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-06-20

directly to the battle fought two weeks
later by the ghost dancers at Wounded
Knee-the battle which the monument
commentaries.
While the troops were preparing to
return to the fort, carrying the dead
body of Sitting Bull with them, an In
dian riding at full speed emerged from
the woods into which they had gone
when the soldiers appeared. Straight
toward the assembled soldiers rode the
red man, until he halted on small
knoll about eighty yards away.
Dressed Cor rather undressed) in full
war paraphernalia, eagle war bonnet,
war paint, war lance, etc., and war
shirt which Sitting Bull had anointed,
the warrior stood like statue on the
knoll, while every soldier and Indian
police in the troop fired point blank at
him, again and again. For five min
utes he sat on his horse, immovable,
drawing the fire Of the ninety men,
most Of whom were crack shots.
Then the firing ceased and every SOL
dier in the troop applauded the Won
derful nerve of this warrior. He had
been testing the efficacy Of the "med-
icine" of Sitting Bull. Apparently sat
isfied, he turned his back on the SOL
diers and rode again at full speed for
the timber, never once looking back.
Two weeks later this same Indian
started the fight at Wounded Knee by
Draining Capt. Wallace in the presence
Of his entire company. II any Of the
many bullets fired that day at the In
dian had taken effect, Wounded Knee
would probably not have been fought
But believing themselves to be proof
against the white mems bullets and
sure Of victory (for had not their
great leader, Sitting Bull, who made
the medicine which protected this In
dams life, promised them so?) these
half-crazed fanatics went to the con-
ference at Wounded Knee creek two
weeks later, determined to exterminate
the white soldiers there, wipe out the
soldiers at the fort and then sweep the
Western plains and prairies free Of
white settlers, in order that the buffalo
might return to his old haunts.
And this was the frame Of mind in
which the Indians were on the 2Sth Of
December, 1890, when they camped on
Wounded Knee creek, waiting for the
conference the following day. During
that day the scouts Little Bat" and
Lone STAR had been among the band
which was commanded by Big Foot
and ascertained the true state of af-
fairs. -
The following morning Lone Star
went to Gen. Forsythe, in command Of
the troops, and reported that the In
dams would probably resist unless an
overwhelming force of soldiers was
brought up. Forsythe did not agree
with the scout and continued to ad-
vance.
But Captain Wallace, who believed
the report Of the scout, together with
Little Bat and Lone Star, rode ahead
Of the troops, in order to pacify the
Indians.
The three men drew close to the
group Of savages which had advanced
to meet them, and then Lone Star re-
cognized the daring warrior who had
tried his medicine two weeks before
that day. He, together with several
other Indians, left the main body and
advanced toward Capt. Wallace.
Suddenly, from within the crowd,
arose the shrill death song Of the
Sioux. Both the scouts now saw the
danger in which all three stood, but
Capt. Wallace did not understand and
before he could be warned, held out
his hand to greet the advancing
braves.
From their positions, neither Of the
scouts could fire and Captain Wallace
walked toward his death oblivious OF
the terrible fate awaiting him.
The singing Indian grasped Capt.
Wallace's outstretched hand, and sud-
denly drawing his other hand from be-
meath his blanket, struck the brave
captain a terrible blow with a toma-
hawk, killing him instantly.
But the medicine shirt failed to pro-
tect the Indian from the bullet which
left the pistol of Lone Star moment
later, and the savage fell dead with q
bullet through his heart.
The two scouts backed away, firing
as they went, and in turn received the
fire of the entire band. Both escaped
without scratch. But not so with the
Indians. A. number were killed by the
scouts before the soldiers got into ac-
ton. The Indians broke for cover and
succeeded In reaching a ravine from
whence the soldiers could not drive
them.
Gen. Forsythe wrote an order for re-
endorsements and handed. 1t to Lone
Star, who rode the fourteen miles to
the agency in thirty-five minutes. In
one hour and twenty EIGHT minutes
the e-enforcements dashed up, the
soldiers. having left too hurriedly to
place saddles on their horses.
But they brought the gatling guns
with them. They were new to the In
dams, who did not understand the rap
i'd fire. Three Of these guns were
placed in position to rake the ravine,
and the slaughter begun. The saw
ages could not escape and later In the
day the ravine was found to be actual
ly choked with dead Indians, more
than 200 lying within space Of few