The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-12-21
Jlljijk ITUlRT5 5OTDAHGE.
Described by Major Burns in a Lee
ture at MOrgantoWn.
THE BATTLE OF LITTLE BIG HORN
And Wounded Knee Creek-Comman-
dant of Cadets Tells OF Some of
His Exp eriences and Impressions
in the Indian Wars OF the West.

and their friends, Major J. NJ.
Burns delivered his second lecture
on his, personal recollections of
the Sioux Indians at the Armory
last evening. The lecture was
one Of the most interesting, en-
tertaining, and instructive ever
given by a member of the Univer
sity faculty. The audience listen
ed with rapt attention to every
word, and when the speaker had
finished, he received many express
ions of appreciation and thanks.
Major Burns began his lecture
with brief account of the west
ward movement Of civilization af-
ter the Civil war, the crowding of
the Indians from their hunting
grounds, the destruction of the
buffalo and other game which it
made necessary for the govern
ment to establish the Indian
agencies" and the corrupt prac-
tees Of the small politicians select
ed as agents. These things led up
to the Sioux wars, the battle of
the Little Big Horn, Wounded
Knee Creek, the capture of Sitting
Bull, Big Foot, and other noted
chiefs.
His descriptions of the battle Of
Big Horn and the killing of Gen
erals Custer and Reno, the "ghost
dance" which led to the second big
outbreak and other incidents were
of the deepest interest because the
information given was first hand.
Every word Of the lecture would
make interesting reading, but lack
of space makes it impossible to
publish the whole lecture. The
description OF the "sundance" Civ
en- by Major Burns is as follows:
THE definition of a Sundance
as given by the Century Diction-
airy is as fOlloWs:-
"A barbarous religious ceremony
practiced in honor of the sun by
certain tribes Of tie North Amer
lean Indians, as the Sioux and
Blackfeet. An essential feature
IS the self torture of youths who
are candidates for admission to
the full standing of warriors; the
candidates pass thongs through
the flesh or skin of their breasts,
and strain against thongs which
haye been attached to a pole, I'M
til released by the tearing Of the
flesh. Dancers charging at SUN
rise upon sun-pole, ETC., are
other features. Ordinarily each
tribe or reservation has its own
celebration of the Sundance"
This definition is partially correct,
That they inAict barbarous self
torture is eminently correct. It is
a religious festival sacred to the
great Spirit in fulillment of vows
made in time of danger as well as
for the admission of candidates to
the full standing of warriors. 1t
IS religious ceremony, a religious
worship, Great preparations are
made for these ceremonies. 1t
was my fortune to witness the last
Sundance held by the Sioux ma.
ton. 1t was at Standing Rock in
the summer Of 1881, after they
had been whipped into submission.
Sitting Bull and all the great
chiefs had surrendered and come
to the reservation with the full
determination of living in peace
with their pale faced brethren.
And as a tribute to the Great
Spirit for his goodness to them
they determined to hold this Sum
dance. A large enclosure probably
two acres of ground was formed bv
branches of trees. A line was
drawn from the center of the en-
closure toward the West and near
the West end another was drawn
N nth and South forming a cross.
A the angie of these lines an altar
was built facing the East, and was
decorated with robes and pieces of
fancy bead work, and on the ton
WIS large bufalo's head with the
pipe of peace; at the East end of
The line orJ -, Tho oo,4o. - + -