Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-12
CROWS WHO HELPED CROOK
Pensions Awarded Two Indian Heroes
of the Rosebud.
EXPLOITS IN BATTLE RECALLED
How Latter-Day Stories Dincr from
History ChronicIed on the Spot
indian Allies of Little
Value.

Among the few Indians duartered on the
pension roll Of the United states are Coyote
Looks-Up and Bull Snake. two members Of
the Crow tribe who are said TO have rem
dered valuable service to General Crook III
the campaign against the Sioux in the
summer Of 1876. The exploit which brought
the pension reward from congress at its
last session Is detailed by The Washington
Star in part as follows:
with Crook were many Crows and Sho.
shones, the latter under Chief Washakie,
one Of the greatest friends the white man
ever had among the Indians. The Indians
under Crazy Horse had been greatly en-
couraged by their victory over Reynolds.
and swept down on Crook, intending to
make a defeat overwhelming. The first
warning that Crook had Of the assault was
when the Crows swept into the camp cry
ing:
THE Sioux, The Sioux
on the heels Of the Crows and Shoshones
came the e~xultant Sioux, 5000 of them, ac-
curding to the estimate of historians. Crook
sent his Crows and Shoshones to circle the
right and left so they could fall on the
flanks of the Indians. The infantry and
part OF the Second cavalry went forward
as skirmishers around the bluffs Of the
Rosebud. Mills made a gallant charge
against the Indians on the left. The saw
ages gave way and fled to higher ground,
where they opened fire. Again Mills
charged and cleared the upper ground of
Sioux. who retired, though fighting desper-
ately.
when Crows Helped Henry.
A similar charge had been made on the
other side by Guy V. Henry, afterward
brigadier general. The Crows and sho-
shones delivered their attack on the Indians
roar. ana but for this diversion the Sioux
would in all probability have overwhelmed
the white soldiers, whom they greatly
outnumbered. Many of the Indians who
had been fighting Mills left to hurl them
selves upon Henry, who became the center
of a fearful struggle. Cool as an iceberg,
Henry rode up and down his thin line of
men, who had all d~ismounted. He re-
pulsed charge after charge of the Sioux,
and. at one time, ordered a counter charge
and rescued an impcriled company. At
last the brave officer was shot in the face,
a rifle bullet striking him under the left
eye. passing through the upper part OF
the mouth and coming out below the right
eye. His face was covered with blood and
his mouth was filled with 1t. At last he
fell from his horse in the very act of
leading u charge. His fall greatly dis
heartened his troops and encouraged the
Sioux, who at that moment delivered a
terrific charge. The Indians swept over
the body of Henry, and it was a miracle
that he was not trampled to death by the
flying hoofs.
The soldiers were borne back and would
have been overwhelmed, but at the right
moment Chief Washable and his Cheyennes
49, =,
Snake and Coyote-Looks-Up, came to the
rescue. For several minutes a desperat,
fight was waged over Henry's unconsciou,
form, but finally the Sioux were driver
back and Henry was picked up and born,
TO safety, afterward recovering and TAX
ing part in many other desperate battles
The heroic services of the Indians whc
took part in the battle Of the Rosebud
have been overlooked until this late day
Bull Snake received a terrible wound II
the hip during the progress of the engage
ment. the bone being shattered and leay-
Ing the leg deformed. The writer say
? him last fall at the annual fair of Croy
Indians. He was In the parade Of oil
Indians and across his arm rested III
very rifle that he bore so effectively Fl
the fight on the Rosebud.
Coyote. Look5-Up took part in the sam
parade and was an awe-inspiring sight
his face being blacked and his headdres
consisted of a part of a buffalo skull
y Coyote-Looks-Up Is cratic at times. I
this regard a good story is told OF him b
; old-timers on the reservation. It seem
! that during the Sioux troubles Coyote
T. Looks-Up and a small band of Crows me
= some of their hereditary enemies who wer
on the warpath, and a fight ensued /
: which the Crows were victors, killing ever
; one OF the Sioux.
COyOte-LOOEs-Up's Coup.
), No sooner was the battle over than III
victorious party deserted a company {
4 United States soldiers galloping towar
= them. The Crows, not Knowing whf
treaty arrangements were in effect an
what punishment might be visited upo
I, them for killing the Sioux, fled before IL
soldiers had discovered ttem-all but ii
erratic Coyote-Looks-Up. who was on ii
scene of conflict when the soldiers arrive,
One of the soldiers, who could talk a litt
Crow. asked who had killed the Sioux.
NJ did it, said Coyote-Looks-U
proudly slspping his chest.
Now II happened that the soldiers wei
out looking for this very band OF marauC
ing Sioux, and having a disagreeable tas
taken off their hands in this manner. tbs
were delighted. They did not questIo
Coyote-Tsooks-Up's statement, but shov
cred presents upon him and praised him
= the skies as a great warrior. One Of the.
oven gave him a SNOWY medal. Whe
Coyote-Looks-Up returned to camp an
told about the way the soldiers had treate
y him and showed his gifts for bravery, n
" foolishness of the Crows who had fled ma
well be imagined. Today C~oyote-Looks-I-
" II you will visit the Crow reservation, wi
take you to his tepee and proudly show yo
the medal he gained for killing such a larl
- war party Of Sioux.
A Different Story.
The foregoing story OF Indian herois
sounds well thirty-two years after Il
event. Doubtless the two Crows singl,
out for government favor earned the r
ward by valorous action on the RosebI
: battlefield. Their fighting qualities we
: exceptional, and were displayed by fe
u other Indian allies. The history OF tn
campaign as written by the late Colon
y" John F. Finerty, war correspondent,
" the field and an active participant in Il
'e battle in the division OF Colonel Mil
states distinctly that General Crook att
rs buted the unsatisfactory conclusion OF Z
IG I 81