The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-09-11

and neither had as interesting history as had
he. Two Guns is old enough to go back to the
old buffalo days and may have participated in
the inter-tribal wars. But he never seems to
have achieved any particular distinction either
as a warrior or a councillor and it is note
worthy that in the book '"The Sun Gods Chill
dren," by James Willard Schultz and Jessie
Louise Donaldson, published recently by the
HOughton Mifflin company, which tells Of many
of the outstanding Blackfeet chiefs and war
riors, Two Guns is not mentioned. I'm
posing in appearance though he may be, he is
more tourist Indian" than a really great
chief The career of Iron Tail also dates from
the old days, and it is known that as young
warrior he took part in the Custer battle and
other fights Of that period. But he never rose
to any particular prominence among his peo-
pie, and If he is known among the whites at
all, it is because Of his connection with Buffalo
Bill and other entrepneurs. So it is no more un-
fair to call Iron Tail "show Indian" than it
is to designate Two Guns as tourist Indian"
Vastly different is the case Of Two Moons
Ish / ego mis- 81, chief Of the Northern Chey-l
ennes. He was the son of Carries the Otter,
also Cheyenne chief. Carries the Otter was
killed July %, 1857, on the Solomon river in
Kansas in fight between the Cheyennes and
the old First cavalry, led by Col. E. V. Sumner.
This fight is notable in frontier history as being
the only occasion in which large body Of cav
airy charged the Indians with drawn sabres and
put them to rout. Incidentally, In that fight
Lieut.. J. E. Stuart, destined for fame as "Jeb"
Stuart, the dashing Confederate cavalryman,
was wounded.
Two Moons rose to position of Importance
among the Cheyennes because of his feats as
warrior. He many times wounded In
battle, both with Indians Of other tribes and
the whites. Once Pawnee arrow tore it's way
through his flesh; on another occasion he was
shot by a Crow in the Yellowstone country:
In fight with American soldiers in Utah he
was shot through the thigh But he also counted
many coups on both red men and white The
opening OF the Indian war In 1876 found him
the chief of band Of Cheyennes in the Powder
river country and when the Sioux were Joined
by their allies, the Cheyennes, Two Moons had
conspicuous part in the Battle Of the Rose
bud when Crazy Horse of the Ogallalas defeated
General Crook.
week later Two Moons and his band were
encamped on the Little Big Horn when Custer
and the Seventh cavalry made their fatal at
tack on the big Indian village strung along that
stream. Two Moons account Of the battle
which was taken down by Hamln Garland and
which appeared in the old McClure's magazine
for September, 1898, is one of the most graphic
and at the same time one of the most impor-
tant (from the Indians viewpoint) narratives
of that famous engagement ever written In
telling Of his interview with Two Moons Gar
land writes: "There was something placid and
powerful in the lines of the chiefs broad brow
and his gestures were dramatic and noble in
sweep. His extended arm, his musing eyes,
his deep voice combined to express a meditative
solemnty profoundly impressive. There was
no anger In his voice, and no reminiscent fer
ocity. All that strong and fine and dis
tinctive in the Cheyenne character came out in
the old mans talk. He seemed the leader and
thoughtful man he really was-patient under
injustice. courteous even to his enemies"
Two Moons not only participated in the Crook
and Custer battles but also in another IA
nous battle-the attack by General Mackenzie
on Dull Knifes village that bitter winter night
of 1876 when the power of the Cheyennes was
broken. The next spring Two Moons realized
that the game up and he led his people to
Fort Keogh, Mont, to surrender to Gen. Nell
son A. Miles. In 1879 he served as a scout
under Lieut. w. P. Clark, in the effort to catch
the Cheyenne chief, Little Wolf, after his epic
dash from Oklahoma towards freedom in the
north. After the close Of the Indian wars, Two
Moons was looked upon as head chief of the
Northern Cheyennes and he was jealous in lead.
ing them Gin the white mans road" even after
blindness handicapped him in the later years
Of his life. When he died few years ago at