indian heroes & great chieftains-第4章

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Spotted　Tail；　who　was　practically　forced　against　his　will　and

judgment　to　take　up　arms　once　more。



At　this　juncture　came　the　sudden　and　bloody　uprising　in　the

east　among　the　Minnesota　Sioux；　and　Sitting　Bull's　campaign　in　the

north　had　begun　in　earnest；　while　to　the　south　the　Southern

Cheyennes；　Comanches；　and　Kiowas　were　all　upon　the　warpath。　

Spotted　Tail　at　about　this　time　seems　to　have　conceived　the　idea　of

uniting　all　the　Rocky　Mountain　Indians　in　a　great　confederacy。　　He

once　said：　〃Our　cause　is　as　a　child's　cause；　in　comparison　with　the

power　of　the　white　man；　unless　we　can　stop　quarreling　among

ourselves　and　unite　our　energies　for　the　common　good。〃　　But　old…

time　antagonisms　were　too　strong；　and　he　was　probably　held　back

also　by　his　consciousness　of　the　fact　that　the　Indians　called　him

〃the　white　man's　friend〃；　while　the　military　still　had　some　faith

in　him　which　he　did　not　care　to　lose。　　He　was　undoubtedly　one　of

the　brainiest　and　most　brilliant　Sioux　who　ever　lived；　and　while　he

could　not　help　being　to　a　large　extent　in　sympathy　with　the　feeling

of　his　race　against　the　invader；　yet　he　alone　foresaw　the

inevitable　outcome；　and　the　problem　as　it　presented　itself　to　him

was　simply　this：　〃What　is　the　best　policy　to　pursue　in　the　existing

situation？〃



Here　is　his　speech　as　it　has　been　given　to　me；　delivered　at

the　great　council　on　the　Powder　River；　just　before　the　attack　on

Fort　Phil　Kearny。　　We　can　imagine　that　he　threw　all　his　wonderful

tact　and　personal　magnetism　into　this　last　effort　at　conciliation。



〃'Hay；　hay；　hay！　　Alas；　alas！'　　Thus　speaks　the　old　man；　when

he　knows　that　his　former　vigor　and　freedom　is　gone　from　him

forever。　　So　we　may　exclaim　to…day；　Alas！　　There　is　a　time

appointed　to　all　things。　　Think　for　a　moment　how　many　multitudes　of

the　animal　tribes　we　ourselves　have　destroyed！　　Look　upon　the　snow

that　appears　to…day　　to…morrow　it　is　water！　　Listen　to　the　dirge

of　the　dry　leaves；　that　were　green　and　vigorous　but　a　few　moons

before！　　We　are　a　part　of　this　life　and　it　seems　that　our　time　is

come。



〃Yet　note　how　the　decay　of　one　nation　invigorates　another。　

This　strange　white　man　　consider　him；　his　gifts　are　manifold！　

His　tireless　brain；　his　busy　hand　do　wonders　for　his　race。　　Those

things　which　we　despise　he　holds　as　treasures；　yet　he　is　so　great

and　so　flourishing　that　there　must　be　some　virtue　and　truth　in　his

philosophy。　　I　wish　to　say　to　you；　my　friends：　Be　not　moved　alone

by　heated　arguments　and　thoughts　of　revenge！　　These　are　for　the

young。　　We　are　young　no　longer；　let　us　think　well；　and　give　counsel

as　old　men！〃



These　words　were　greeted　with　an　ominous　silence。　　Not　even

the　customary　〃How！〃　of　assent　followed　the　speech；　and　Sitting

Bull　immediately　got　up　and　replied　in　the　celebrated　harangue

which　will　be　introduced　under　his　own　name　in　another　chapter。　

The　situation　was　critical　for　Spotted　Tail　　the　only　man　present

to　advocate　submission　to　the　stronger　race　whose　ultimate

supremacy　he　recognized　as　certain。　　The　decision　to　attack　Fort

Phil　Kearny　was　unanimous　without　him；　and　in　order　to　hold　his

position　among　his　tribesmen　he　joined　in　the　charge。　　Several

bullets　passed　through　his　war　bonnet；　and　he　was　slightly　wounded。



When　the　commission　of　1867…1868　was　sent　out　to　negotiate

with　the　Sioux；　Spotted　Tail　was　ready　to　meet　them；　and　eager　to

obtain　for　his　people　the　very　best　terms　that　he　could。　　He　often

puzzled　and　embarrassed　them　by　his　remarkable　speeches；　the

pointed　questions　that　he　put；　and　his　telling　allusions　to　former

negotiations。　　Meanwhile　Red　Cloud　would　not　come　into　the　council

until　after　several　deputations　of　Indians　had　been　sent　to　him；

and　Sitting　Bull　did　not　come　at　all。



The　famous　treaty　was　signed；　and　from　this　time　on　Spotted

Tail　never　again　took　up　arms　against　the　whites。　　On　the　contrary；

it　was　mainly　attributed　to　his　influence　that　the　hostiles　were

subdued　much　sooner　than　might　have　been　expected。　　He　came　into

the　reservation　with　his　band；　urged　his　young　men　to　enlist　as

government　scouts；　and　assisted　materially　in　all　negotiations。　

The　hostile　chiefs　no　longer　influenced　his　action；　and　as　soon　as

they　had　all　been　brought　under　military　control；　General　Crook

named　Spotted　Tail　head　chief　of　the　Sioux；　thus　humiliating　Red

Cloud　and　arousing　jealousy　and　ill…feeling　among　the　Ogallalas。　

In　order　to　avoid　trouble；　he　prudently　separated　himself　from　the

other　bands；　and　moved　to　the　new　agency　on　Beaver　Creek　（Fort

Sheridan；　Nebraska）；　which　was　called　〃Spotted　Tail　Agency。〃



Just　before　the　daring　war　leader；　Crazy　Horse；　surrendered　to

the　military；　he　went　down　to　the　agency　and　roundly　rebuked

Spotted　Tail　for　signing　away　the　freedom　of　his　people。　　From　the

point　of　view　of　the　irreconcilables；　the　diplomatic　chief　was　a

〃trimmer〃　and　a　traitor；　and　many　of　the　Sioux　have　tried　to

implicate　him　in　the　conspiracy　against　Crazy　Horse　which　led　to

his　assassination；　but　I　hold　that　the　facts　do　not　bear　out　this

charge。



The　name　of　Spotted　Tail　was　prominently　before　the　people

during　the　rest　of　his　life。　　An　obscure　orphan；　he　had　achieved

distinction　by　his　bravery　and　sagacity；　but　he　copied　the　white

politician　too　closely　after　he　entered　the　reservation。　　He　became

a　good　manipulator；　and　was　made　conceited　and　overbearing　by　the

attentions　of　the　military　and　of　the　general　public。　　Furthermore；

there　was　an　old　feud　in　his　immediate　band　which　affected　him

closely。　　Against　him　for　many　years　were　the　followers　of　Big

Mouth；　whom　he　had　killed　in　a　duel；　and　also　a　party　led　by　a　son

and　a　nephew　of　the　old　chief；　Conquering　Bear；　whom　Spotted　Tail

had　succeeded　at　his　death。　　These　two　men　had　hoped　that　one　or

the　other　of　them　might　obtain　the　succession。



Crow　Dog；　the　nephew　of　Conquering　Bear；　more　than　once

taunted　Spotted　Tail　with　the　fact　that　he　was　chief　not　by　the

will　of　the　tribe；　but　by　the　help　of　the　white　soldiers；　and　told

him　that　he　would　〃keep　a　bullet　for　him〃　in　case　he　ever　disgraced

his　high　position。　　Thus　retribution　lay　in　wait　for　him　while　at

the　height　of　his　fame。　　Several　high…handed　actions　of　his　at　this

time；　including　his　elopement　with　another　man's　wife；　increased

his　unpopularity　with　a　large　element　of　his　own　tribe。　　On　the　eve

of　the　chief's　departure　for　Washington；　to　negotiate　（or　so　they

suspected）　for　the　sale　of　more　of　their　land；　Crow　Dog　took　up　his

gun　and　fulfilled　his　threat；　regarding　himself；　and　regarded　by

his　supporters；　not　as　a　murderer；　but　as　an　executioner。



Such　was　the　end　of　the　man　who　may　justly　be　called　the

Pontiac　of　the　west。　　He　possessed　a　remarkable　mind　and

extraordinary　foresight　for　an　untutored　savage；　and　yet　he　is　the

only　one　of　our　great　men　to　be　remembered　with　more　honor　by　the

white　man；　perhaps；　than　by　his　own　people。









LITTLE　CROW





Chief　Little　Crow　was　the　eldest　son　of　Cetanwakuwa　（Charging

Hawk）。　　It　was　on　account　of　his　father's　name；　mistranslated　Crow；

that　he　was　called　by　the　whites　〃Little　Crow。〃　　His　real　name　was

Taoyateduta；　His　Red　People。



As　far　back　as　Minnesota　history　goes；　a　band　of　the　Sioux

called　Kaposia　（Light　Weight；　because　they　were　said　to　travel

light）　inhabited　the　Mille　Lacs　region。　　Later　they　dwelt　about　St。

Croix　Falls；　and　still　later　near　St。　Paul。　　In　1840；　Cetanwakuwa

was　still　living　in　what　is　now　West　St。　Paul；　but　he　was　soon

after　killed　by　the　accidental　discharge　of　his　gun。



It　was　during　a　period　of　demoralization　for　the　Kaposias　that

Little　Crow　became　the　leader　of　his　people。　　His　father；　a

well…known　chief；　had　three　wives；　all　from　different　bands　of　the

Sioux。　　He　was　the　only　son　of　the　first　wife；　a　Leaf　Dweller。　

There　were　two　sons　of　the　second　and　two　of　the　third　wife；　and

the　second　set　of　brothers　conspired　to　kill　their　half…brother　in

order　to　keep　the　chieftainship　in　the　family。



Two　kegs　of　whisky　were　bought；　and　all　the　men　of　the　tribe

invited　to　a　feast。　　It　was　planned　to　pick　some　sort　of　quarrel

when　all　were　drunk；　and　in　the　confusion　Little　Crow　was　to　be

murdered。　　The　plot　went　smoothly　until　the　last　instant；　when　a

young　brave　saved　the　intended　victim　by　knocking　the　gun　aside

with　his　hatchet；　so　that　the　shot　went　wild。　　However；　it　broke

his　right　arm；　which　remained　crooked　all　his　life。　　The　friends　of

the　young　chieftain　hastily　withdrew；　avoiding　a　general　fight；　and

later　the　council　of　the　Kaposias　condemned　the　two　brothers；　both

of　whom　were　executed；　leaving　him　in　undisputed　possession。



Such　was　the　opening　of　a　stormy　career。　　Little　Crow's　mother

had　been　a　chief's　daughter；　celebrated　for　her　beauty　and　spirit；

and　it　is　said　that　she　used　to　plunge　him　into　the　lake　through　a

hole　in　the　ice；　rubbing　him　afterward　with　snow；　to　strengthen　his

nerves；　and　that　she　would　remain　with　him　alone　in　the　deep　woods

for　days　at　a　time；　so　that　he　might　know　that　solitude　is　good；

and　not　fear　to　be　alone　with　nature。



〃My　son；〃　she　would　say；　〃if　you　are　to　be　a　leader　of　men；

you　must　listen　in　silence　to　the　mystery；　the　spirit。〃



At　a　very　early　age　she　made　a　feast　for　her　boy　and　announced

that　he　would　fast　two　days。　　This　is　what　might　be　called　a　formal

presentation　to　the　spirit　or　God。　　She　greatly　desired　him　to

become　a　worthy　leader　according　to　the　ideas　of　her　people。　　It

appears　that　she　left　her　husband　when　he　took　a　second　wife；　and

lived　with　her　own　band　till　her　death。　　She　did　not　marry　again。



Little　Crow　was　an　intensely　ambitious　man　and　without

physical　fear。　　He　was　always　in　perfect　training　and　early

acquired　the　art　of　warfare　of　the　Indian　type。　　It　is　told　of　him

that　when　he　was　about　ten　years　old；　he　engaged　with　other　boys　in

a　sham　battle　on　the　shore　of　a　lake　near　St。　Paul。　　Both　sides

were　encamped　at　a　little　distance　from　one　another；　and　the　rule

was　that　the　enemy　must　be　surprised；　otherwise　the　attack　would　be

considered　a　failure。　　One　must　come　within　so　many　paces

undiscovered　in　order　to　be　counted　successful。　　Our　hero　had　a

favorite　dog　which；　at　his　earnest　request；　was　allowed　to　take

part　in　the　game；　and　as　a　scout　he　entered　the　enemy　camp　unseen；

by　the　help　of　his　dog。



When　he　was　twelve；　he　saved　the　life　of　a　companion　who　had

broken　through　the　ice　by　tying　the　end　of　a　pack　line　to　a　log；

then　at　great　risk　to　himself　carrying　it　to　the　edge　of　the　hole

where　his　comrade　went　down。　　It　is　said　that　he　also　broke　in；　but

both　boys　saved　themselves　by　means　of　the　line。



As　a　young　man；　Little　Crow　was　always　ready　to　serve　his

people　as　a　messenger　to　other　tribes；　a　duty　involving　much　danger

and　hardship。　　He　was　also　known　as　one　of　the　best　hunters　in　his

band。　　Although　still　young；　he　had　al