The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-10-24
CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT
RE-ENACTED BY SIOUX

III - fl Asn u ~ 49,
great summer festival of the ogaialla
Sioux Indians. one of the chief features
Of which is a realistic reproduction of
the Custer massacre. has just taken
place at Pine Ridge. The statement
that Red Cloud, the most famous of
the Ogalalla Sioux chiefs, is dead, has
often been printed. but the aged war
rior was there in the flesh participating
in the celebration of his people which
has now been conventionalized as a sort
Of Fourth Of July. ,.t. .
CID Red Cloud is totally blind and
very feeble, and his mind is wavering,
but his people carried him reverently
to the camp grounds, about three miles
from the Pine Ridge agency, and paid
him all the Difference that he has
earned by many years of wise couns
and courageous leadership.
His son, Jack Red Cloud, acted as
herald for the numerous functions. On
the breast OF the young man were two
silver medals fully Ave inches in diam
eter. One of them had been given to
his father and the other to his uncle,
and he wore them proudly with his
war bonnet Of eagle feathers and his
clothing of heavily beaded buckskin.
The medals were dated 1871 and bore
the portrait of General Grant, and his
famous saying: Let there be peace"
During his son. loud oratory and the
throbbing of the tomtoms and tho
rhythmic yelping of the war dance, the
wornout old veteran. Red Cloud, lay
under a leafy shelter, his muttering lips
showing plainly he was recalling the
events of his own life.
Eastman in the Cast.
No matter how much culture had
been acquired by the individual MEM
bers Of the tribe, or how much they had
assimilated OF the white mans ways,
the old Indian ceremonies brought forth
the Indians love OF his own people.
Every fullblood entered into the cere-
monies with complete abandon.
DR.. Charles A. Eastman is a gradu-
ate of Beloit. Knox and Amherst. He
is n of the best educated Indians in
history. He has travelled about the
world and addressed many audiences,
always appearing in dress and manner
exactly as any other cultured gentle
man. His Yankee wife and their six
children were at their home in Am
herst while DIR. Eastman was at Pine
Ridge among his people. 1t was with
evident pride that the distinguished
scholar donned the eagle feathers and
took the most prominent part, that OF
Chief Crazy Horse, i'm the realistic re-
production of the great Custer battle.
To see him with his erect bearing, his
towering head dress. and his flashing
eyes, n would scarcely imagine that
this was a man accustomed to address,
ing metropolitan audiences in polished
accents
There were others, too, who had been
away in school at Carlisle, who laid
aside their acquired culture, forgot for
the moment the white mans ethical
theorizing, and threw themselves heart
and soul into the spirit Of the festival,
even including the feast of dog flesh.
Re-enaots Battle Scene.
Beside DR.. Eastman playing the part
OF Chief Crazy Horse. there was also
the famous warrior No Flesh going
the actual conflict over thirty years
ago 1t was he who killed the color
bearer OF Clusters command and cap
tured the flag. His old yes kindled
n his scanned and aged features
glowed as he re-enacted the events Of
his youthful days.
Old Chief Blue Horse was among his
people, but evoked less attention thar
Red Cloud, for the reason hat he al
way preached peace N took pride
in the statement that he had never
fought the WHITES. His son. who served
as a scout under Generals Crook. Nc
Kenzie, Sheridan and Miles, was also
present. His, name. is Standing Soldier.
Stands First was another brave and
ancient warrior who rejoiced in the fes-
tival and renewed his youth. Other
prominent Sioux who were participants
were Red Bear and Afraid of Bear, Lit
tie Crow, Bear-Lays-Down, and Clowns
Horse.
E. S. Curtis took advantage Of the
opportunity to collect materials for his
work on the North American Indian,
the first two volumes of which will ap-
pear in January. The difficulty of OBJ
tanning data and photographs for this
great chronological and historical rec.
ord is almost beyond belief. Five mora
years will be consumed in complst.
ing 1t.