The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-07-15

far from the Sioux countty-four or
five hundred miles, and they were
not expecting en- attack of any kind.
They believed the Sioux to be 10 Mon
fana hunting buffalo. Instead. 1000
fighting Sioux, in light marching or
der, without women. children or bag
gage. were on the trail of the Omahas
and Poncas.
The allies finished their hunt, cured
the meats and were preparing to re
turn to their homes. The hunting
had been good and every pony wat
loaded down with jerked buffalo meat
for food and buffalo hides for the
purpose of making clothing, tepees and
blankets. The hunters were armed
with bows and arrows, muskets and
long rifles.
One morning, at dawn. the Sioux
made an attack upon the big camp OF
allies. The camp was stretched out
for several miles along the river and
the Sioux attack WAS made simultane-
Gus at all points. The fight lasted two
hours and hundreds fell on either side.
Then the Sioux withdrew just ont of
range and made preparations TO rent W
the battle. The Omahas brought ia all
their outlying families and prepared
for a second attack, which they knew
was coming. The Sioux buried their
dead in the interval, but the Omahas
could not do so, as they had lost the
engagement and Indian rules of battle
demanded that they leave the dead on
the ground.
No further attack was made that day
and at midnight the allies quietly
struck camp and started for the Mis-
souri,, where lived their friends and
fellow tribesmen. The flight con
tinued until after daylight, during
which they.were not molested. They
then stopped to have breakfast and
to rest a little while.
After two hours rest, camp was
broken and the flight continued. But
as soon as the line was stretched to
its full length. the Sioux came on
catching the allies out of battle for
nation. The Omahas and Poncas
were surrounded and hundI eds of men,
women and children were killed.
Finally the Omahas broke through the
Sioux lines and escaped. But the
sioux reformed and overtaking the
fleeing Indians, launched another bit
ter attack in which it was estimated
| 900 Indians were killed.
That night the Omabas camped
nsar the present town of West Point,
Neb., and it was here that the at
tack was made the next morning.
| Chief Logan Of the Omahas, led n
charge against the Sioux in an effort
to break through the lines, but be
was shot and killed and thereafter
the retreat was a rout, the Sioux
hanging on the flank of the fleeing
Oamhss like wolves. Lone Foot had
taken command after Logan's death
and there was nothing the Omahas and
Poncas could do but run.
The massacre continued until noon,
when the Sioux withdrew. Three
thousand Omahas and Poncas were
dead, and their bodies clearly defined
the lice Of retreat Of the allies. 1t
was FIVE years before the Omahas and
Poncas found heart to revisit the
battle field. In the meantime DR..
Bowman had passed that way and
seeing so many thousand skeletons
had learned of the great battle.
The burial party of the Omahas
worked for weeks, gathering the bones
of their tribesmen. Then they dug
one great hole and with Indian cere
monies lasting seven days, they buried
all in one huge grave. Later. they
picked up several hundred more skele-
tons and buried these in a smaller
grave. When the town of Stratton
was founded, curiously enough the
town cemetery was located upon the
very hill where the Omahas had bur
led their dead. Often to this day,
when the sexton is digging a grave, he
nnearths the bones of an Indian killed
in the great battle.
Cpon the advent of the whites in
Nebraska, they heard from the Indians
the stories of the great battle, but as
time passed those who took part passed
away ard the location of the battle
ground was lost. Through the notes
and data left by Or. Bowman. this
has Just been rediscovered and the
history is to be placed in the Nebras
ka State Mnseum.