| OCR Text |
Show BIG FOOT'S BAXI. There are some most extraordinary extraordin-ary matters connected with tlie late battle between tho Indians and our troops in the Bad Lands of South Dakota which seem quite nt variance vari-ance with tho claim that the Indians Indi-ans suddenly and without provocation, provoca-tion, after surrender, commenced firing upon the troops. It is very clear, however, that there was an unnecesairy and Inhuman slaughter of Indian women and children by the troops, which attaches to that feature of the fight the statu of a massacre. From the official and other accounts ac-counts of the affair it appears that Big Foot and his band, with their squaws and papooses, had retreated to the Bad Lands. They numbered 120 warriors, 250 squaws and many pipooses. The warriors were well armed, but had an Insufficient number num-ber of ponies. They were encamped on the Wounded Knee or Torcu-pino Torcu-pino creek, and before the conflict made no e-IToit eltlu r to anibush the troo, to escape or to attack them at any disadvantage. By 8 o'clock iu the morning the troops bad planted their Hotchkiss guns overlooking tho Indian camp not fifty yards away. There were at least 50X) mounted troops on the ground; these were mussed about the village. Colonel Forsythe ordered all the Indians to come for ward away from the tents. This order they obeyed. They formed In a half circle aud were counted. They numbered about 120. This was the situation when the first account of the atlilr was sent to the agency; that account stated: "The general opinion istbatlhesurreudrr of Big Foot is not in good faith. The Indians still retain their arms. The party K however, being watched and Uic firtt falte more will prccijniate a fyfU." The next news that arrives Is that tlie fight lias occurred. It is hard to gather what "the false move" was that precipitated it. The accounts say that without provocation, while the Indians were surrounded and being searched for arms, "all of a sudden they threw their hands to tlie ground and began firing rapidly at the truois, not twenty feet away." The account continues: "The Indiansmen, In-diansmen, women and children then ran to the south of the battery, firing rapidly as they ran. Soon the troops were after them, shooting them down on overy side. The engagement en-gagement lasted fully an hour and a half. Tho troops are still firing from the camp aud pursuing pur-suing the enemy in every direc tion." The account concJu Jes with tlivt frlgnlfirant nnrl MIh li" stitv "To say that this was a niost daring feat 120 Indians attacking1 503 .cavaliymen expresses the situation sit-uation but faintly. It could have been but insanity which prompted such a deed. It is doubted whether before nighteitlierabuckorasquaw out of Hlg Foot's band will be left to tell the tale of this day's treachery." Unless tbo Indian has wholly cliauged his nature, their behavior In this at! sir cannot be explained upon any reasonable hypothesis. Indians never attack with their squaws and papooses in the vicinity; they le.-k an ambush when they can; they never assault a superior number num-ber of well-armed troops in the ojien country; particularly, they never before as a matter of strategy permitted per-mitted themselves to be closely surrounded sur-rounded with nearly five times their number of pursuing troops on horseback while they were on foot, that they might at a given signal commence, an assault as hopeless as it must have been known to be fatal to themselves. If between 300 and 500 Indian women and children -have been killed this country cannotjustify the crime. There is some excuse for mere volunteers taken from a ravaged section of the country sparing spar-ing neither sex nor age, but for tho United Slates troops led by its trained train-ed officers to give way to brutish passion because some of their officers offi-cers and soldiers have been killed, even under tho circumstances attending at-tending the fight in question, is a blot upon the country's honor, and should be wiped anay as sjct-diiy as justice can accomplish it. Tho .Ae:r awaits the fullest details de-tails with the keenest interest ready to do the fullest justice to cur brave army, but equally ready to criticise their wrong doings if they have committed them. Veirtr liocly Mountain JTcwi. |
