The Ghost-dance religion and the Sioux outbreak of 1890 : $b Fourteenth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology, part 2.Mooney, James
Religion
The Ghost-dance religion and the Sioux outbreak of 1890 : $b Fourteenth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology, part 2.
Mooney, James
Dakota Indians -- Wars, 1890-1891; Ghost dance
On December 18 the Indians who had already fled to the Bad Lands
attacked a small party of men on Spring creek of Cheyenne river. Major
Tupper with 100 men of Carr’s division was sent to their rescue, and
a skirmish ensued with the Indians, who were concealed in the bushes
along the creek. The government wagons, while crossing the creek,
were also attacked by the hostiles, who were finally driven off by
reinforcements of cavalry under Captain Wells. On the same date over
a thousand Indians returned to Pine Ridge. News was received that
there were still about 1,500 fugitives camped on Cheyenne river in the
neighborhood of Spring creek. (_Colby, 1._)
The most dangerous leader of dissatisfaction in the north after the
death of Sitting Bull was considered to be Hump, on Cheyenne River
reservation. The agent in charge had long before recommended his
removal, but it was thought that it would now be next to impossible
to arrest him. Hump with his band of about 400 persons, and Big Foot
with nearly as many, had their camps about the junction of Cherry
creek and Cheyenne river. For several weeks they had been dancing
almost constantly, and were very sullen and apparently very hostile.
After serious consideration of the matter, the task of securing Hump
was assigned to Captain E. P. Ewers of the Fifth infantry, who had had
charge of this chief and his band for seven years and had their full
confidence and respect. He was then on duty in Texas, but was ordered
forward and reported soon after at Fort Bennett on the border of the
reservation. So dangerous was Hump considered to be that the civil
agents did not think it possible even for the officer to communicate
with him. However, Captain Ewers, without troops and attended only by
Lieutenant Hale, at once left the fort and rode out 60 miles to Hump’s
camp. “Hump at the time was 20 miles away and a runner was sent for
him. Immediately upon hearing that Captain Ewers was in the vicinity
he came to him and was told that the division commander desired him to
take his people away from the hostiles and bring them to the nearest
military post. He replied that if General Miles sent for him, he would
do whatever he desired. He immediately brought his people into Fort
Bennett and complied with all the orders and instructions given him,
and subsequently rendered valuable service for peace. Thus an element
regarded as among the most dangerous was removed.” After coming into
the fort, Hump enlisted as a scout under Captain Ewers, and soon
afterward, in connection with the same Lieutenant Hale, proved his
loyalty by bringing about the surrender of the Sitting Bull fugitives.
Subsequently Captain Ewers further distinguished himself by conducting
the northern Cheyenne—who were considered as particularly dangerous,
but who regarded Captain Ewers with absolute affection—from Pine Ridge
to Tongue river, Montana, a distance of 300 miles, and in the most
rigorous of the winter season, without an escort of troops and without
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account