第26章 RAIN-IN-THE-FACE(3)

"We met him on the Little Rosebud.I believe that if we had waited and allowed him to make the attack,he would have fared no better than Custer.He was too strongly fortified where he was,and I think,too,that he was saved partly by his Indian allies,for the scouts discovered us first and fought us first,thus giving him time to make his preparations.I think he was more wise than brave!After we had left that neighborhood he might have pushed on and connected with the Long-Haired Chief.That would have saved Custer and perhaps won the day.

"When we crossed from Tongue River to the Little Big Horn,on account of the scarcity of game,we did not anticipate any more trouble.Our runners had discovered that Crook had retraced his trail to Goose Creek,and we did not suppose that the white men would care to follow us farther into the rough country.

"Suddenly the Long-Haired Chief appeared with his men!It was a surprise.""What part of the camp were you in when the soldiers attacked the lower end?"I asked.

"I had been invited to a feast at one of the young men's lodges [a sort of club].There was a certain warrior who was making preparations to go against the Crows,and I had decided to go also,"he said.

"While I was eating my meat we heard the war cry!We all rushed out,and saw a warrior riding at top speed from the lower camp,giving the warning as he came.Then we heard the reports of the soldiers'guns,which sounded differently from the guns fired by our people in battle.

"I ran to my teepee and seized my gun,a bow,and a quiver full of arrows.I already had my stone war club,for you know we usually carry those by way of ornament.Just as I was about to set out to meet Reno,a body of soldiers appeared nearly opposite us,at the edge of a long line of cliffs across the river.

"All of us who were mounted and ready immediately started down the stream toward the ford.There were Ogallalas,Minneconjous,Cheyennes,and some Unkpapas,and those around me seemed to be nearly all very young men.

"'Behold,there is among us a young woman!'I shouted.'Let no young man hide behind her garment!'I knew that would make those young men brave.

"The woman was Tashenamani,or Moving Robe,whose brother had just been killed in the fight with Three Stars.Holding her brother's war staff over her head,and leaning forward upon her charger,she looked as pretty as a bird.Always when there is a woman in the charge,it causes the warriors to vie with one another in displaying their valor,"he added.

"The foremost warriors had almost surrounded the white men,and more were continually crossing the stream.The soldiers had dismounted,and were firing into the camp from the top of the cliff.""My friend,was Sitting Bull in this fight?"I inquired.

"I did not see him there,but I learned afterward that he was among those who met Reno,and that was three or four of the white man's miles from Custer's position.Later he joined the attack upon Custer,but was not among the foremost.

"When the troops were surrounded on two sides,with the river on the third,the order came to charge!There were many very young men,some of whom had only a war staff or a stone war club in hand,who plunged into the column,knocking the men over and stampeding their horses.

"The soldiers had mounted and started back,but when the onset came they dismounted again and separated into several divisions,facing different ways.They fired as fast as they could load their guns,while we used chiefly arrows and war clubs.There seemed to be two distinct movements among the Indians.One body moved continually in a circle,while the other rode directly into and through the troops.

"Presently some of the soldiers remounted and fled along the ridge toward Reno's position;but they were followed by our warriors,like hundreds of blackbirds after a hawk.A larger body remained together at the upper end of a little ravine,and fought bravely until they were cut to pieces.I had always thought that white men were cowards,but I had a great respect for them after this day.

"It is generally said that a young man with nothing but a war staff in his hand broke through the column and knocked down the leader very early in the fight.We supposed him to be the leader,because he stood up in full view,swinging his big knife [sword]

Over his head,and talking loud.Some one unknown afterwards shot the chief,and he was probably killed also;for if not,he would have told of the deed,and called others to witness it.So it is that no one knows who killed the Long-Haired Chief [General Custer].

"After the first rush was over,coups were counted as usual on the bodies of the slain.You know four coups [or blows]can be counted on the body of an enemy,and whoever counts the first one [touches it for the first time]is entitled to the 'first feather.'

"There was an Indian here called Appearing Elk,who died a short time ago.He was slightly wounded in the charge.He had some of the weapons of the Long-Haired Chief,and the Indians used to say jokingly after we came upon the reservation that Appearing Elk must have killed the Chief,because he had his sword!However,the scramble for plunder did not begin until all were dead.I do not think he killed Custer,and if he had,the time to claim the honor was immediately after the fight.

"Many lies have been told of me.Some say that I killed the Chief,and others that I cut out the heart of his brother [Tom Custer],because he had caused me to be imprisoned.Why,in that fight the excitement was so great that we scarcely recognized our nearest friends!Everything was done like lightning.After the battle we young men were chasing horses all over the prairie,while the old men and women plundered the bodies;and if any mutilating was done,it was by the old men.

"I have lived peaceably ever since we came upon the reservation.No one can say that Rain-in-the-Face has broken the rules of the Great Father.I fought for my people and my country.

When we were conquered I remained silent,as a warrior should.

Rain-in-the-Face was killed when he put down his weapons before the Great Father.His spirit was gone then;only his poor body lived on,but now it is almost ready to lie down for the last time.Ho,hechetu![It is well.]"