The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-31

Cloud was decidedly downcast by the
constant reports OF depredations com.
mitted by the hostiles. and lost no op.
portunity to counsel peace and use his
, influence to end the trouble before the
troops and Indians met in bloody con.
flict. Red Cloud and his intimate
friend Big Road, leader of one Of the
powerful bands which participated in
the Custer massacre were together al.
most constantly during this period, and
were frequently at the agency up to
the day of the battle of Wounded Knee,
December 30, 1890.
| For some weeks previous and up to
that day there were several thousand
so-called friendly" Indians encamped
about the agency. But the news Of the
battle, so distorted as to make 1t ap-
pear that Colonel ]. W. Forsyth had
disarmed Big Foot's followers, stood
them in a row and shot them down like
rats in trap, caused the agency to
become alarmed, and they at once
stampeded to the adjacent hills, and
made every preparation for battle.
Red Clouds dwelling, a fine frame
| building, stands short distance north
west of the agency building on the bot.
tom lands along White Clay creek, and
1t was there that the larger portion of
the stampeded Indians gathered, pre-
sumably for the purpose of coaxing
Red Cloud to stampede with them and
assist in avenging the death of Big
| nf 10 N 10
opened fire on the agency, thinking no
doubt that in the excitement of the
moment the war spirit of the good
chieftain would be aroused sufficiently
to induce him to go with them.
After exchanging shots with the
troops and Indian police for time the
Indians retreated, taking Red Cloud
with them, he afterward insisting that
they forced him to accompany them.
The next day word was received at the
agency that the stampeding Indians
were attacking and attempting to sack
and burn the Drexel mission, located
some four miles north of the agency
and the Seventh cavalry, Colonel For.
syth commanding, was hastily sent out
|
of the mission, that the cavalry mar
rowly escaped a repetition of the fate
of Custer and his troops. The main
position of the hostile camp was some
distance ahead and hundreds of war.
riors were discerned running to and
fro but only small proportion of the
Indians showed fight, and for some
| hA
The regular Indian method of fight
ing was adopted, the reds quietly
sneaking to the tops of elevations and
occasionally firing at the troopers
while they themselves were steadily
retreating toward their village and
slowly drawing the troops to what the
Indians supposed would be their doom
A trap had been set for the soldiers
and before they were aware of their
danger they were surrounded on al
most all sides by high elevations. In
stantly the tops of the hills became
fairly black with the forms of what
was evidently the entire force of the
hostiles and they prepared to close in
on the troops. Colonel Forsyth is un
|
experienced Indian fighters in the
army, and he saw the trap into which
the troops had been drawn in time tc
avert serious consequences. Hurryine
a messenger to the agency, the Ninth
cavalry was summoned to the scene
and the Indians were soon forced tc
retreat before the combined forces Of
the Seventh and Ninth.
Although Red Cloud claimed he was
a prisoner in the hostile camp at the
time, there were many old squawmer
and others at Pine Ridge who stoutly
maintained that no one but old Red
Cloud himself could have directed the
Indian forces with the skill and cum
ming displayed on that occasion. II
was generally understood that to hin
belonged the glory, from an Indian
standpoint, of the skillful management
of the hostile forces on that day, anC
no one spoke more highly of that great
generalship than the army officers ant
soldiers who participated in the fight
A few years ago, feeling the end ap
preaching, Red Cloud dictated and SEN
a farewell letter to Buffalo Bill whom
he addressed by the Indian name o.
Pe-Ha-Has-Ka. He said:
Tell my friend, Pe-Ha-Has-Ka, tha
it is Red Cloud that talks to him by
one of my people who knows white
man pen sign. Will talk what I say
to him with 10y tongue and send BY
paper. Old Ogallala chief, last chic
soldier of Sioux, talks from heart tt
the White Eagle of Great Fathers war
riors. I want tell him old chief soor
go to Manitou hunting ground-neve,
see Pa-Ha-Has-Ka more. / say WI
light-men smoke pipe-shake hands
bury hatchet-live same tepee. Ny
people follow white mans road. You
always good after fight to red brother
| speak to you to be always friend my
people. You good; you show my yount
men heap big village, heap things
, never see.
"Old Indian, more old than you, hope
tell Great Father Washington anC
Great Fathers head man take care my
people. All want to be good. l lik,