Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-11-01
CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT
%RE-ENACTED BY SIOUX

Chamberlain, S. D., oct. 23.-The
great summer festival of the Ogaialla
Sioux Indians, one Of the chief features.
OF which is a realistic reproduction or
the Custer massacre. has just taken
place at Pine Ridge. The statement
that Red Cloud, the most famous of
the Ogalalia 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.
Old 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 counsel
and courageous leadership.
His son Jack Red loud, acted aa
herald for the numerous functions. on
the breast OF the young man were tWd
silver medals fully five inches i'm diam.
eter. one of them had been given tc
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 HE
famous saying: Let there be peace"
During his sons loud oratory thu
~thTobbing of the tomtoms and the
rhythmic yelping OF the war dance, the
WORKOUT old veteran, Red Cloud, lay
under "a leafy shelter. his muttering lips
showing plainly ne was recalling thS
events of Eis own life.
Eastman in the Cast.
30 matter how much culture had
been acquired by the individual mem.
beers Of the tribe, or how much they had
assimilated or 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 Bcloit, Knox n Amherst. He
IS one 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.
hcrst while Or. Eastman was at Pine
Ridge among his people. 1t was with
evident pride hat the distinguished
scholar donned The eagle feathers and
took the most prominent part, that Of
Chief Crazy Horse, In 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 We're others, too. who had been
away in school al Carlisle, who laid
aside their acquired culture, forgot for
the moment the white mans ethical
81 1--.t
and soul into the spirit of the festival.
even including the feast Of dog flesh.
Re-enacts Battle Scene.
Beside DR.. Eastman playing the part
OF Chief Crazy Horse. there was also
the famous warrior No Flesh going
through the same part that he took in
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 eyes kindled
and his scanned and aged features
glowed as he re-enacted the events of
his youthful days.
Old Chief Blu Horse was among his
people, but evoked less attention thar
Red Cloud, for the reason that he al
ways preached peace and took pride
I'm the statement that he had never
fought the whites. His son, who served
as a scout under Generals Crook, Nc
KenZie, Sheridan ana Miles. was also
present. His name is Standing Soldier
Stands First was another brave and
ancient warrior who r~ejoiced i'm the fes.
tival and renewed his youth. Other
prominent Sioux who were participants
were Red Bear and Afraid OF Bear, Lit.
tie Crow, Hcar-Lays-DoWn, and Clowns
Horse.
f.. s. Curtis took advantage of the
opportunity to collect materials for his
work IN tho North Arnaripan Indian
the first two volumes of which will ap.
pcar in January. The difficulty OF oh.
tanning data n photographs for this
great chronological and historical rec.
ord is almost beyond belief. Five more
years will be consumed in complet.