The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1909-11-12
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still living.
Sitting Bull had 5000 fighting men
with him when he met the Seventh cavalry under the
Yellowhared Chief rode into the vallev If death
with less than three following troopers It is
the custom of the whites to speak every battle with
the reds in which the pale loss was severe as
massacre. The Custer affair was massacre but it
was one of the few fights in which the whites were
defeated which rightly could be so called
Red Clouds name is suggestive of the warrior and
IN the years that are gone he made its significance
ribe. With his braves he swept settlements and
gave battle to the sodiery, rarely giving to
odds that might be against him.
Red Cloud was Sioux of the pure blood There
were always of the tribe who said Sitting Bull
had trace of white in him, the fullblood this
yellow But this was only the Indian way of looking
at it and Sitting Bull probably showed towards
face to foe. matter what may the opinion Of
him painsman general.
In his old Red Cloud is said to be an object of
pity, but it was different story in the earlier days.
when his arm was strong and his heart was vengefu
Almost Immediately after the civil Red Cloud met
In battle the heldtried heroes Of that conflict they
found in him foe worthy of their skill steel.
Mineral wealth had been discovered in Montana and
the rush of prospectors and settlers made necessary
for the to begin the erection of military
posts along the trail leading the praries to the
mines On the trail to the Powder river built
Phil Kearney. While the troops ordered to the new
post the march overland a scout came riding
in to the column if he had death at his heels COL
Fetterman was in command, and after hurried talk
with the scout the two rode forward leaving the
at halt. Officer and scout skirted patch of timber
and to the banks of small prairie
which the view was unbroken for miles, To the front
and about 600 yards distant they a solitary Sioux
warrior standing the plain with his spear thrust into
The ground at his side. while from the the weap-
on's handle futtered bit of colored cloth. needed
but little frontier knowledge to make Interpretation of
that signal 1t the Sioux sign warning
there must be trespassing the lands which
they held dominion.
Warning Is spurned.
Red Cloud, the chief, had ordered the warrior to
display what at notice and menace, and
later he took terrible because his warning
had been spurned.
COL Fetterman rode back to his command knowing
we'll what the signal Of the planted spear meant but
soldier like fully determined to disregard its conveyed
threat. He pushed ahead with his men, throwing out
scouts to feel the way. The Indian sentinel had van
ished he had left his spear with pennant cloth
stand a forbidding sign. Not another Sioux
the march to the new post but the
that Red Cloud not far off and hiding his time
few hours after the occupation of the fort detail
of soldiers sent out with small train cut
and to bring in needed timber. Two hours later
courier rode in and had barely time tell story
before he sank into Inconsistencies from the pain of
wounds. The timber detail surrounded by Sioux
and in imminent danger of DEATH
In the fort were many women and children, the
wives and and daughters of the officers and en-
listed men, COL Fetterman knew that he must leave a
strong guard for the protection of the post
attack the timber party might be but diversion to
away the troops, and SO, taking but so with
him. the commanding officer rode out to the rescue Of
the surrounded soldiers. Not Of the gallant
band rode back.
That Fetterman and his men exacted heavy price
their lives without saying, but how many of
savage followers of Red Cloud fell that day
man knew will ever know unless the chief
in the hour of his dotage may day babbe the tale
To the memory Of Fetterman fort bearing his
in the Wilderness but the remembrance of the
memorial is passing away. News of the killing of
the troops that had to the aid of their fellows only
die sent to the nearest garrison by courier who
made his way through the hostile country with peril
besettng hoof stroke the path He eluded Red
only by matching cunning against cunning, and
the white craft the red.
Relief reached the post but by this time the whole
Sioux nation had declared for and the northwest
was afame, did the fires of conflict kndled by Red
Cloud die out for than of years, the last
flicker of the flame lighting the battle field of The
Mission" near Pine Ridge, s. d. in the year 1891.
Red Cloud, at the agency the of the last
fight saw the wounded brought in from the field. He
the beginning of the great and he the
witness of it's end.