The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-06-15

Iah hNNh hAAANA - Il
the Indians and only by constant bat |
Ting with the Indians could the work |
proceed at all. No one questioned |
certain rights of the Indians but this |
vast empire, peopled by few savage
nomadic tribes, was needed for mil |
lions of civilized people and the In
dian had TO go.
THE principal offender at this time
was Chief Tall Bull, a brave and wary |
savage who continued to perpetrate |
many outrages and elude the traps |
sent after him. In the spring OF 1863
General Il. A. Carr, with part of the
9Th Cavalry and large body OF Paw
nee Indians to act as scouts, was sent
out to destroy Tall Bull and his tribe.
Col. w. F. Cody, buffalo Bib was
chief scout of the expedition, and my
acquaintance with Col Cody dated
from. this time He is one Of the fin
est gentlemen that 1t ever has been
my pleasure to meet.
He rendered great service to the
little army toiling after Tall Bull and
without him that skillful savage
might have slipped away and begun
another campaign of murder and tor
ture. Col Cody could read Indian
signs where others could see nothing
and cared little for field glasses, in
variably depending upon his naked
eve, sharp from life in the open.
THE Pawnee Indians OF the exped-
ition were under Col. North They
we're supposedly loyal to the govern
ment and inveterate enemies of the
Sioux. Like all Indians, they were
treaeherous, cruel and deceitful, al
though poets have sung otherwise.
The Indian always lacked the steady
courage of the white race.
After several days march across
the brown sun-baked plains, 1t was
evident from many signs that we
were getting close to Tall Bull and
his people Accordingly the troops
went into camp and Cody was sent
forward TO locate the Indians. Soon
after we were on the march again
and proceeding cautiously when Cody
came galloping up and reported Tall
Bulls camp about twelve miles ahead.
. We now advanced and took position
near the camp and prepared to
charge. When all was ready, Gen
eral Carr gave the command to the
bugler to sound the charge" but the
man was so excited that he was I'M
able to produce note. An officer
grabbed the bugle and blew the
charge himself The whole command
dashed into Tall Bulls village and the
fight began Tall Bulls men made
for their horses and attempted coun
ter charge others fired from their
tepees; the attack had been com
plete surprise.
Our Pawnee allies were every.
where, hacking and shooting, and as
usual with Indians with the prospect
OF sure thing, they fought well and
they fed well their ancient grudge
against the Sioux that day.
AT the beginning of the fight a
large number of small Indian child
rem poured out in panic stricken
flight from Tall Bulls camp Each
it, The fight was soon over and the
whole of Tall Bulls band dispersed,
killed or captured. After the fight
went carefully over the whole battle
ground The village looked as though
a cyclone had passed over 1t and II
was evident that many of the Sioux
had met death in a very unlovely
fashion at the hands Of the Pawnees.
Swift as the attack had been and in
spite of the vigilance OF the soldiers
the Pawnees committed some OF
those outrages peculiar to all lndi'
ans in warfare, and the squaws with
puurnaac ufnra 10 autyfhfuu Ynrca
than the men.
This fight which broke Tall Bulls
power forever is called the Battle OF
Summit Springs.
That night the Pawnees gave a
great war dance nearly naked and
waving the scalps taken that day,
They howled and danced around the
camp fire, they sang of their prowess
and worked themselves up to a fren-
~ To us il was a nauseating spec.
tacle. The soldiers were plainly ner-
vous and stayed together with their
arms within reach As the night
wore on the dance took on a menac-
ing tone and General Carr and Col.
North ordered 1t stopped, the Paw
nees sullenly complying.
Buffalo Bill killed Tall Bull and
captured his horse This horse after
ward became famous for its great
speed
The battle of Summit Springs and
the killing of Tall Bull have been fea-
lures of the Buffalo Bill show
Not long after the fight at Sum
nit Springs Lieut., Mason and Wag
oner Bottsford of the 5th cavalry be
came involved in quarrel over the
horse captured from Tall Bull Ma
son approached Bottsford in threat
ening manner and the latter shot and
killed him. Bottsford escaped TO
Cheyenne and two companies OF cav
airy were sent to arrest him. Tn,
. authorities refused to give him NJ
and a clash seemed imminent. but the
, civil law prevailed and Bottsford wat
acquitted.
Buffalo Bill at this time was made
j. a Justice Of the peace. One day
! couple came to be married. Bill lea
Il them into his Office. told them to joil
hands and began thus. Your like thi
e gal all right?' Yes You like thi
Teller all rightg Yes Well, yo
G are married,
D. In 1870 left the army, came cas-
and engaged In the theatrical bus
y ness. In 1876 while playing in Nortl
: field. Mimi. | saw the attempt by IN
m .,I N,..uWar lrnfhara a rn