The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-09-04
Am UNPLEASANT ST0RY--THE M1SF0RTWMES
OF DULL KNIFE AND HIS COURAGEOUS BAND

ABOUT TWO months, the indian
were treated we'll, and they ha,
somewhat recovered from the try
ing experiences of their long jour
ney, when one morning the cool
discovered there was a cup to-
many. He knew what it meant, Blu
failed to report it until three day
had passed. The authorities looked
for the missing person. and founc
it to be Bull Hump, who had gon,
to the Sioux agency to be with hi.
wife. Again the Indians were
counted and then imprisoned. A
few days later Bull Hump was
brought back.
The officers then tried to pur-
suade the Indians to return to In
dian Territory. Dull Knife, speak.
ing for his people refused, saying
" Wewill not go there to live. That
is not a healthful country, and il
we should stay there we would all
die. We do not wish to go back
there. and we will not CO.
The officers persisted in their eff
forts to overcome the chiefs oppo-
sition, but failed, Dull Knife re
spending: "No, I am here on my
own ground, and I will never go
back. You may kill me here; but
you cannot make me go back"
Captain Vessels, the command
ing officer, finding the Indians OBJ
durate, decided to starve them into
submission. Three of the leading
men were taken from the barracks
to be confined separately. One of
these escaped and running to the
barracks reported that Wild Hog
was captured, and was to be hand
cuffed.
"Then," said the young men,
1--WE must fight" and they became
and-reticent.
They were then deprived of food
and water, and fuel, although it
was midwinter, and excessively
cold. They scraped the snow from
the window lodges, and the little
children tried to get by the sentries
to gather snow, or get water but
we're always prevented from doing
so. Still Dull Knife refused to go
1--WE will not CO." said he. "The
only way to get us there is to come
here with clubs and knock us on
he head, and drag us out and take
is down there dead. We have no
hing to defend ourselves with, and
f you want to you can come here
With clubs and kill us like dogs"
Driven to desperation by the
it being the second week in
January, of 1870, with the mercury
It zero; by lack of food and water
little Shields one of the warriors
aid to the young men: Nov,
up and put ON your best
clothing, we will all die together"
little Shields had heard them tell
ng n another: "They have tax
n away our horses and our arms
md everything we have, and they
lave kept us without food water or
uel, for seven days. They are
tarving us to death. We will not
70 back south to die there. 1t is
,etter to die here fighting than to
lie like like dogs" They put OH
heir war paint, their finest cloth
ng, and their fancy moccasins, as
vas their custom when going to
var.
They had five guns hidden under
he floor, and a few revolvers.
These had been taken to pieces and
civen to the women and children
keep until needed. The children
wore the small parts of the arms
UGH as hammers triggers, springs,
crews, ETC., as ornaments, tied
bout their neck braided intheir
lair or about their wrists like
bracelets. These parts were col
ected and the arms put together.
The officers noticing the grow
ng uneasiness of their prisoners
placed a chain guard about the
,arracks. That is, every sentry's
,eat overlapped that of the one
lext to him.
Toward sunset the young men ar
aged in their best, kissed one an
'ther, and then at dusk stationed
themselves at the windows, where
hey piled up saddles and other ar
high enough to enable them
o easily step out. They intended
o shoot the guards. Little Shields
ired first then broke out the win
.ow sash. The others did likewise.