The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-25
Continued From Page One.

white man that ever lived except
George Washington and Washington
is to them a mythical character.
Sitting Bull, undoubtedly is the most
unidue character among northwest
Indians, although Red Cloud, a man
who should have a monogram, was the
greatest Sioux warrior Of modern
times. Red Cloud is what all Indians
would call a great man; Sitting Bull
is what they call a holy man. With
Indians wisdom and craftsmanship is
allied with holiness, while great men
are associated with valor and proWess.
Red Cloud certainly fought General
Crook to a standstill. Old Indians
claim that Sitting Bull in the back
ground, engineered the battle and this
statement is confirmed by former
United States Typographical Surveyor
M~cGillicuddy now in California who
writes me that he was there: n he
saw. Sitting Bull there apparently
engineering the battle. Sitting Bull
tried to be a man behind the curtain
whom nobody saw or realized except
the few whom he was directing, When
one to study him he seems to
be one Of natures most unique charac-
tiers. I have q picture made in old
earth colorS by an old Indian, repre-
senting Sitting Bull just behind the
tents during the Custer battle. He is
standing behind a sacred fire, near the
medicine bowl, while old women are
dancing around him n the fire, the
mystic dance which was supposed to
bring occult persons to aid the Indians
in the conflict. 1t was supposed also
to give vision and power of prophecy
to Sitting Ball.
We must, not forget Rain -In-The-
Face. Though a william, he is an ad-
mirable one. He was a man of large
ability. He could harangue men to
action better than any other Indian,
although Running Antelope was the
most finished orator. To push Rain
In-The-Face aside with a sheer Is not
In keeping with his true character.
Though a william, he is what the
French would call 'un villaine adlr-
rabble." He was part Grow.
Observation-Disclosures family and the
family of Curley were related by mar
riage. From the Powder river, on,
Curley was undoubtedly playing
double. In a certain interview he tells
about going away secretly to a k
supper with his uncle Rain -In-The-
Face. OF course blood is. thicker than
water, and the Crow Scout, Curley,
though loyal to the United States
government could hardly be expected
to refrain from conversing with his
uncle Rain In The Face, i he was
eating with him.
place in the memory Of old Indians. for
three reasons. First, his escape from
the prison at Fort Lincoln was mar
yelous. Second, it was the harangue
Of n-The-Face that led the
warriors to attack Reno after Custer
and his men were slain. Sitting u
and the old women were performing
the mystical dance behind the tents
as the Indians claim lbut not as whl5e
men claim and Sitting Bulrs oracle
said: '.Stop, you have done enough;
do not kill any more men. You have
not attacked anybody. You have saw
ed the women and children from mas
sacre. Do not attack Reno. Appeal
to the Great Father, and to the honest
people down east for Justice" Al
part: "You can kill Reno and all his
men who have come here to massacre
us and our wives and children and to
destroy our homes. Do not let one OF
them escape alive. Attack Reno at
once and make an N of this matter
and win more glory to yourself
THE purpose Of Rain-1n-The.tace
was evidently to supplant the infiu-
encs of Sitting Bull by winning a sec
ono. victory when the oracle or Sittlns
Bull forbade attack. The fight against
Reno was desperate. The valor OF
those defending Reno's camp can
never be appreciated by any One who
has not heard the Indians talk OF THIS
matter anon themselves. It is mar
Vicious how Reno and his men scaped
destruction. T believe every man VINO
fought in the Reno camp deserves
praise equal to that which is given to
any American soldier. According to
the Indian account, Bentine, the tall
man with the white hair; was the
charmed man who saved the camp.
They tell how he never laid down De-