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Show H ,-nThT M Vtez - JSU H Tradition Bespeaks Splendid Fighting Material In H Indians Who Take Part In the Present War -H Many "Redskins" Have Offered Their Ser-H Ser-H vices- Carlisle Students In the Navy. H Copyright, 1017, by Tho International Syndlcato. H f71HBN ln0 President of tho H I! 1 United States said, "Tho su- H Bl bL fl-j prerae test of the nation has H P come. "Wo muBt all speak, Hj act and serve together," tho American H Indian was stirred to meet tho do- H mand of the country of which his H forefathers were the first defenders, H and many Indians have offered their Hl services for both war and agricultural H duty. H Already a number of Carllslo In- H dlan School students havo enlisted In H tho United States Navy and aro at H their posts of training, while young Hl men from many of the reservations H havo volunteered for sorvico In tho H ranks of the army. Hj In answer to an Inquiry as to what Hl might bo tho result of tho suggestion Hj which had been raado that an Indian Hl regiment bo mado up for tho prcsont Hl war, Cato Sells, Commissioner of In- H dlan Affairs, said, "I am confident that in tho Impending war situation tho H Indians will demonstrato themselves, H both as tillers of tho soil and as sol- dlers, in such manner as to commend H the admiration of the white citizens of Hl the Nation. Hj "In, reference to tho Indian as a H soldier It must be borno in mind that Hl only abouone-fourth of tho Indians Hj speak, English, so that In choosing tho H fighting men of tho race, whether H from among thoso who volunteer or H from those who are sclcctod by draft, H those capable of understanding orders H would alono bo available. But thoso who serve tho colors will bo worthy of our flag, for the Indians arc notably good fighters and will be staunch representatives rep-resentatives of tho United States." Indians Are Born Fighters. In tho Buroau of Ethnology of tho United States National Museum, Dr. Walter Hough, Curator, waxed enthusiastic en-thusiastic on tho subject. It was rather an Interesting coincidence that Mr. Francis LaFlescho, tho Indian author, resident of "Washington, and serving as assistant ethnologist In tho Buroau of Ethnology, chanced to bo seated In Dr. Hough's ofllco at tho tlmo of your correspondent's call, and that ho occasionally volunteered a word of Information or answered a question. "I do not seo why tho Indians should not make admirable soldlors In this war," said Dr. Hough. "They aro born'flghters. and havo always as friend or foo sustained their reputation reputa-tion for bravery and resourcefulness In battlc.Q Major John G. Bourko, who was on tho frontier with Crook, thought very highly of the Indians as soldiers. Ho said they wero tho bravest people ho ever knew; in fact, for sheer daring, thero aro nono who can surpass them. In tho face of an attacking enemy, during tho old encounters, en-counters, they would throw off thoir clothing, thus evidencing the casting aside of tho last traco of protection, and standing upon their horses would dare the foe to come on. "Of course, as scouts they aro tho 77iG Wq QJ7A9 bost In the world, as has been proven many a time by this country. They havo a way of moving over tho ground without giving any Indication of their prcsenco that is impossiblo to any other raco. It Is, of course, largely gained through their knowledgo of woodcraft and their llfo spent almost wholly In tho open and their own needs. "Tho Indian does not fight In tho samo manner as tho white man; thoro aro no ofllccrs, and no orders issued during a battle. Each man Is his own general and follows out his own lino They Used Trench Warfare Long Ago. It was Mr. DaFlcschc, who called attention to the fact that tho Indians long ago adopted tho trench warfaro of today. In their war operations they dug trenches for tho purpose of concealing themselves from the enemy as well a3 for uso In hiding their women wom-en and children during a fight Ho also called attention to tho prowess of somo of tho old chiefs, who by reason of ability to plan and direct attacks at-tacks becamo tho natural leaders of tho warriors. The name of Geronlmo, who died only eight years ago, was quoted by Mr. LaFlescho as ono of the moro ro-cent ro-cent examples of Indian daring and intrepidity. This warrior gavo the United States authorities a great deal of trouble In his earlier days, but later settled down in Oklahoma to a llfo of industry and peaceful pursuits, encouraging his people to tho adoption adop-tion of a llfo of agrlculturo and thrift Mr. LaFlescho also pointed with some pride to a portrait of Chlof Jo-soph Jo-soph adorning the room, reforring to of offense and defense. y&jz- Perc( TssJ& him as one of tho finest of the old Indians. Joseph recelvod his namo by the adoption of that of his teacher, the missionary Spalding, who served with Dr. Whitman In Idaho In tho late thirties. "Chief Joseph was a man of fine prcsenco and lmpresslvo features," said Dr. Hough, "really ono of tho most remarkable Indians within tho borders of tho United States. He fought only on account of bad white sottlers, and displayed romarkablo generalship In a rotreat worthy to bo romombcred with that of Xonophon's ten thousand." Nearly Reached. Tn: Goal. In spite of tho fact that in front of him was Genoral Miles, behind him was General Howard, on his flank, Colonol Sturgls and his Indian scouts, Joseph brought his little band, Incommoded Incom-moded by women and children, to within fifty miles of tho Canadian border, their objective point Thero they woro cut off by fresh troops in front and forced to surrender conditionally. condi-tionally. Not only tho conduct of tho Nez Pcrcos during this retreat of moro than a thousand mllc3, but also tho military and tactical skill displayed by their leador won unstinted praise from thoir conquerors: Chief Joseph again suffered from bad faith of unreliable whites, but was later reconciled to circumstances and lent his aid In tho cause of tho education of tho children of his trlbo and In discouraging gambling gam-bling and drink among his people. He lived to visit President Boosovelt and Goneral Mllos in 1903, recolvlng duo honors; but ho died soon aftor returning re-turning home from his visit to Washington. Wash-ington. Another warrior of noto among his people to which the Indian author and scientist called attention was Chief Gall, of tho Teton Sioux. Ho also was a man of fine presence, and was much esteemed by tho whites with whom ho camo In contact for his candor and sagacity. That ho was possosscd of military genius of a high order was shown by the disposition of his forces at the battle of tho Llttlo Bighorn, in June, 1776, whero ho led tho Sioux. Ho was the lieutenant of Sitting Bull, but had tho quality of leadership In tho field which was lacking In his chief. Ho fled to Canada with Sitting Bull aftor tho Custer affair, but In 1S80 ho and Crow Chief withdrew from tho Sitting Bull following, leaving leav-ing tho latter with but fow people. Became Wlilto Man's Friend. With his followers Chiof Gall surrendered sur-rendered to Major Ilgcs at Poplar River camp, Montana, and settled as a farmer on Standing Rock reservation, reserva-tion, North and South Dakota. Ho becamo tho friend of tho whites, wielding a potent influenco In procuring procur-ing tho submission of tho Indians to the plan of tho Government for tho education of tho Indian children. This chief was Influential In bringing about yr I V - 7fTfP tho ratification of tho act of March 2, 1S9, tho last agreement with tho Sioux by which their reservation was divided into soparato reservations and certain portions were ceded to tho United States. From 1889 until his death in 1891, Chlof Gall was a Judge of the court of Indian offenses at Standing Rock agency. Brought Up To Fight Everything In tho former training of an Indian boy mado for hardihood, bravery and endurance, all of which should go to mako tho Indian valu-ablo valu-ablo fighting material In tho present war. One of tho earliest lessons the boy was given was in tho uso of tho bow and arrow and other available weapons of warfare. Warrlorshlp attained ho entered manhood a magnificent horseman, a good shot with bow, pistol or rlflo; and his knowledge of nature gave him insight useful as a strategist whllo his early life In tho open made him enduring, en-during, patient and observant, his eye prompt In detecting either tho slightest slight-est mark on the ground or an object at tho farthest vergo of tho horizon. Said Colonol Dodgo In speaking of this vision of tho Indian: "I havo good 'plain eyes'; but whllo oven with an excellent field glass I could scarcely mako out that a distant spook on tho horizon was a horseman, tho Indian by my eldo would tell mo what the distant speck was saying. This gift of sight 1b offspring of a necessity growing grow-ing out of tho constant wariness incident in-cident to a life of peculiar danger." No Tactics Or Units Of Command. Tho drilling exercises of tho Indians wero of a duration and charactor to make ovory man an export In his own lino of warfare. Thero was no fixed system of tactics, each chief Instructing Instruct-ing according to his own peculiar ideas. Thoro woro no ranks, no or- ganlzations or units of command. wC Thoro wero, howovor, words, signals of command, by which tho samo evolutions evo-lutions wero repeatedly followed, seemingly moro by native Intuition of tho Individual Indian than by any Instruction In-struction that could possibly havo ' been given him. Tho whole band would chargo on masse, and without order, on a supposed sup-posed position of tho enemy. At a word It would break or scattor liko , leaves before tho storm. At another signal a portion would wheel, moss ', and dash on a flank, to scatter again at another signal, and tho plain was alive with circling, flying horsemen; now scattorod, each one lying flat ot tho horse, or hanging to his sldo, as If to escape tho shots of a pursuing onemy, and now Joined together in a S living mass of charging, yelling terror. w, Colonel Dodgo has describod tho w Indian sj'stom of signaling as worthy of all praise. "Wonderful as the W statement may appear," ho says, "tho signaling on a bright day, and when m tho sun Is In proper direction. Is done M with a piece of looking glass hold In v tho hollow of tho hand. The roflec- W tlon of tho sun's rays thrown on the M' ranks communicates In somo mystcrl- ous way tho wishes of tho chiof. "Onco, standing on a littlo knoll fg, overlooking tho valley of tho South IE Platte, I witnessed almost at my foot S3 a drill of about 100 warriors by a Xfj Sioux Chief, who sat on his horso on 9j a knoll opposite me. For moro than Wu half an hour ho commanded a drill Wj which for varioty and promptness of 91 action could not be equaled by any civilized cavalry in tho world. All 3 m could 3oe was an occasional movement W of tho right arm. He himself after- m ward told mo that ho used a looking M. glass." H 1 I |