The New York Herald Newspaper, November 16, 1877, Page 3

SITTING BULL TALKS Valuable Interview with a Herald Correspondent, “IT: AM NO CHIEF.” Graphic Description of the Rosebud Fight. “HELL—A THOUSAND DEVILS.” “Bullets Were Like Humming Bees— Soldiers Shook LikeAspen Leaves.” CUSTER NOBLY.VINDICATED. “® Sheaf of Corn with All the Ears Fallen About Him.” a HE DIED LAUGHING. An Implied Charge Major Reno. Against Fort Waten, Northwest Territory, October 17, 1877. The conference between Sitting Ball and the United States Commissioners was not, as will presently be ‘seen, the most interesting conference of the day, Sitting Bull and bis chiefs so hated the *‘Americans,”” senpecially tho American officers, that they had noth- {ng for them but the disdain evinced in tho speeches I Davo reported to you. After the talk with Generals Terry and Lawrence the Indians retired to their quar- ters, * But through the intercession of Mafor Walsh Sitting Ball was persuaded at nighifall to bold a special con- Yerence with me, 1t was explained to him that I was aot bis enemy, but that I was his good friend. He wastold by Major Walsh that] wasa great paper ebief; ono who talked with a million tongues to all the people in the world, Said the Major:—-“This man is aman of wondertul medicine; he speaks and the People on this side and across the great watcr open their ears and hear him. He tells the truth; he does not lie, He wishes to make the world know what a camped here on the land owned by the He wants it to be understood that ber guests are mighty warriors. The Long Haired Cnief ral Castor) was his friend. He wants to hear from you how he fought and whether he met death like a brave.” “+Agh-howgh 1?" (Is is well) said Sitting Bull, Ho finally agreed to come, after dark, to the quar- tors which had boon assigned to me, en the condition that nobody should de present except himself, bis in- ferlocutor, Major Walsh, two interpreters and tne stenographer I had employed for the occasion, SITTING BULL 28 HE ATPRARS. At the appointed time, halt-past eight, (he lamps ‘were lighted, and the most mysterious Indian ch tef- tain who ever flourished im North America was ushered in by Major Walsh, who lockea tho door be- hind him, This was the first time that Sitting Bull bad condogcended, not merely to visit but to address awhbite man from the United States, During the long years of his domination he had withstood, with bis ‘Dands, every attempt on the part of the United States government at a compromise of interests. He bad ro- Jused all proffers, declined any treaty. He bad never been beaten in a battle with United States troops; on the contrary, bis warriors had been victorious over the pride of our army. Prossed bard, he had re- treated, scorning the factions of bis bands who ac- cepted the terms offered thom witn the same bitter- bess with which he scorned bis white enemies, Here he stood, bis blanket rolled back, his head up- Feared, his right moccasin put forward, his right hand thrown across his chest. 1 arose and approached him, holding out both hanas, He grasped them cordially, “How !’? said ho, “How!” And now let me attempt a better portrait of Sitting Bull than I was able to despatch to you. at headlong baste by the telegraph. He is about five feet ten inches Bigh, He was clad ina black and white calico shirt, “black cloth leggings, and moccasins, magnificently ‘embroidered with beads and porcupine quills, He held m_ his left band a foxskin cap, ite brash drooping to his feet; with the diguity and grace of a natural gen- tleman be bad removed it from his head at the thres- hold. ‘Hrs long black hair bung far down his back, athwart bis cheeks and in front of his shoulders. His eyes gleamed’ like black diamonds, His visage, do- void of paint, was noble and commanding; nay, it ‘was something more, Besides the Indian character given to it by high cheek bones, a broad, retreating forchead, @ prominent aquiline nose and a jaw like a & bulidog’s, there was about tho mouth something of Deauty, but more of an expression of exquisite, crue! Wrony. Such a mouth and such eyes as this Indian's, if seen in the countenanco of a whito man, would ap- pear to denote qualities similar to those which ani mated the career of Mazarin and inspired tho pen of ‘Machiavelli, Yot there was something fearfully sweot in the smile ‘with which he extended to me bis banas, such bands! They felt as small and sott asa maid- #n’s, but when I pressed them I could feel the sinows beneath the flesh quivering hard, like a wild soimal’e, T led him to at, @ lounge set against the wall, on which be sank with indolent grace, Major Waisb, Drilitant in rea uniform, sat beside him, and a portable table was brought near, Two interpreters brought chairs and seated themselvos, and ata neighboring desk tho stenographer took his place. I afterwara earned that two Sivax chiets stooad on guard outside the door and that all the Indians in the fort had their arms ready to spring in case of a suspected troachery, On the previous night two of the Indians had been taken suddenly tll and their sickness had been ascribed Dy somo warriors to poison, So restless and anxious were all the savages that nothing but the influence and | probably have thi tact of Major Walsh could have procured tor me and for your readers tho following valuable, indeed, histor. deal colloquy with the Sphinx of the North wost, I turned to the interpreter anc said:— “Explain again to Sitting Bull that ho is with a friend.” Tue interoretor explained, NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1877.—TRIPLK hold) “vance!” said tmo chief, and pressing mine. Major Walsh here said:—"Sitting Bull is in the best mood now that you could possibly wish. Proceed with your questions and make them as logical as you can. 1 will assi#t you and trip you ap occasionally if you aro likel> te irritate him.’” Then the dialogue went on, I givo it literally, “1 aM NO cmIEP.” “You are a great chief,” said | to Sitting Bull, “bat you live bobind acloud, Your iace ts dark; my people do not see it, Tell mo,do you hate the Americans very much ?’* A gleam as of fre shot across bis tace, “fam no chieL” ‘This was precisely what I expected, 11 will dissi- pate at once the erroneous idea which has prevailed ‘Shas Sitting Ball is either a chief or a warrior. “What are yoo?” “Iam,” said be, crossing both hands upon his chest, slightly modding and emiling satirically, “a man,” “What does he mean?” I inquirea, turning to Majer Walsh, “He means,” responded the Major, “to keep you in ignorance of his secrot ifhecan, His position among his bands ts anomalous, His own tribes, the Uacpa. pas, are not aii im fealty to him. Parts of nearly ‘wonty diflerent tribes of Sioux, besides a remnant of the Uncpapas, abide with him. So far as 1 have learned he rules over these fragments of tribes, which compose bis camp of 2,500, including between 800 and 900 warriors, by sheer compelling force of intellect and will 1 believe shat he understands nothing particularly of war or military tactics, at loast not enough to give _bim the skill or the right to com- mand warriors im battle, Ho is supposed to have guided the fortunes of several batties, including the fight in which Custer feli, That supposition, as you will prosensty nd, = partially erroneous. His word was always potent in the camp or in ine field, bat he has usually left to the war chiets the duties appertain- Ing to engagements, When the crisis came he gave his opinion, which was accepted as law.’’ “What was he, then?” I inquired, continuing this momentary dialogue with Major Walsh. “Was he, is he, a mere medicine man?”’ “Don’t for the werld,” replied the Major, ‘“inti- mate to him, in the questions you are about to ask bim, that you have derived the idea {rom me, or from any one, that he mere medicine man, He would deom that to be a profound insult, In point of fact he is a medicine man, bat a far greater, more influen- tial medicine man than any savage | have ever known, He has constitated himself rulor, He is a anique power among the Indians. To tho warriors, bis People, he speaks with the authority of a Robert Peel, to their chieis with that of a Richeliou. This does not really express the extent of his influence; for bebind Peel and Richeliou there were traitors and in front of them were factions. Sitting Bull has ‘no traitors in his camp; there are none to be jealous ot him, He does not assert himself over strongly. He does not interfere with the rights or duties of others. His power consists in the universal c dence which is given to his judgment, which ne seldom denotes until he is asked for an expression of {tu It bas been, so far, so accurate, it has guided bis People so well, he has been caught in so fow mistakes, and he has saved even the ablest and oldest chicls from so many evil consequences of theirown mis- Judgment, that to-day his word, among them all, is worth more than the united voices of the rest of the camp. He speaks.. They listen and they obey, Now let af hear what his oxpianation will ba”? 4 SAVAGE COMPANION. out his hand again “You say you are no chieit” *No!” with considerable hauteur, “Aare you a head soldier ?”” “T am nothing—neither a chief nor a soldier.” What? Nothing?!” “Nothing.” “What, then, makes the warriors of your camp, the great chiels who are here along with you, look up to youso? Why do they think so much of you?” Sitting Bull’s lips curled with a proud smile, “Ob, L used tobe a kind of a chief; buttne Amerk cans made me go away from my father’s hunting “ground.” “You do not love the Americans ?”” You should havo seen this savage’s lips, “I saw to-day that all the warriors around you clapped their hands and cried out when you spoke What you said appeared to please them, They liked you, They seemed to think that what you said was right for them tosay. If you are not a great chief, why do these men think so much of you?’’ At this Sitting Bull, who bad jn the meantime beon leaning back against the wall, assumed a posture of mingled toleration and disdain, “Your people look up to men because they are rich; because they have much land, many lodges, many equaws 1” “Yes.” “Well, I suppeso my people leok up to me because 1 am poor, That is the difference,” In this answer was concentrated all the evasiveness natural to an India " “What is your fecling toward tho Americans now?" He did not evon deign an answer, He touched bis bip, Where his Knite was, : lL asked the interpreter to Insist on au answor, “LAsten,”’ sald Sitting Bull, not changing bis posture bat patting his right band oat upon my knee, “I sold" them to-dey what my notions wero—thatl did not want togo back there, Every time that I had any difficalty with them they struck me first. I want to live in peace.” “Have you an implacable enmity to the Americans? Would you live with them in peace if they allowed youtodoso; or do you think that you caa only ob- tain peace beret’ “1 novGur rams,’ “Pné White Mother ts good.” “Bettor than the Great Fatner?” ““flowgh!” Ava then, after a pause, Sitting Bull continued: Wtney asked me to-day to give them my horses, 1 bought my hor and thoy are mine, 1 bought them from men who came up the Missouri in maci- nawa They do not belong to the governmont; noither do tho rifles The rifles aro also mine, 1 bought them; I paid for thom, Why I should give them up Ido not know. I will not give them up," “Do you really think, do your people believe, that it is wise to reject the proffors that have been made $0 you by tho United States Commissioners? Do not {f you were destined to lose your some of you fool old bunting grounds? Don't you see that you will me difliculty in Canada that you bavo had in the United States?” “The White Mother does not lie,” “Do you expect to live hore by hunting? Are there buffaloes enough? Can your poople subsist on the game here?"’ “ don’t know; I hope s0."" “If not, aro any part of your people disposed to SHEET. CUSTER’S LAST BATTLEFIELD. A Map Partly Suggested and Corrected rt Saal 4y CHEYENNES take up agriculture? Would any of them raise steers and go to farming ?”” “1 don’t know.’? “What will they do, then?” “As long as there are buffaloes that is the way we will live,’? “But the time will come when there will be no more buffsloes.”” “Those are the words of am American.” POISONED WITH BLOOD. deg “Flow long do you think the buffaldes will last??? Sitting Bull arose. “We know,” said he, extending his right band with an impressive gestare, ‘nat on vhe other side the buffaloes will not last very long. Why? Because the country there is poisoned with Dleod—a poison that kills ali the buffaloes or drivos them away. It is strange,” he coptinaéd, with bis peculiar smile, “that the Americans should compiain that the Indians kill buffaloes, We kijl buffaloes, as we killother anim: for fooi and clothing, and to lodges warm. They kill buffaloes—for what? Gothrough your country. See the thousands of carcases rotting on the Plains. Your young men shoot for pleasure. All they take from a dead buffalo is bis tail, or his head, or bis horns, perhaps, to show they have killed a buffalo, What is this? Ist rob- bery? You call savages, What are thoy? The buffaloes have come North, We have come North to find them, and to get away from a place where people tell les.” To gain time and not to dwoll importanately on « single point, I asked Sitting Bull to tell me something of hisearly life. In the frst place, where he was born? “1 was born on the Missouri Riv make our 't least I recol- lect that somobody told me so—I don's know who told me or where 1 was tola of it,” “Of what tribe are yor “1 an an Uncpapa.” “Of the Sioux t’” “Yes; of the great Sioux Natton,’” “Who was your tather?”” “My father 1s dead.” “Is. your mosher living?!’ “My mother hves with me im my lodge” “Great lies are told about you. White men say that you lived atong them when you'weré‘yoteg; that you wont to school; that you Mearned to write, and read from books; that you speak English; that you know how to talk Fronch?”” “It twa ite.” “You aro an India (Proadly) “1am a Stoax,” Then, suddoniy relaxing from bis hantear, Sitting Bull began to laugh, “I havo heard,” he said, “of | some of these stories, They are all strange fies, What lam Iam,” and here he | sumed his attitude ana express ed back and re- of barbaric gran- dear, PREDESTIN ATION, “1 am @ man, I sec, I know, 1 began to ace whon I was not yet bora; whon [ was not in my mother’s arms, but id@ of my mother’s beliy, It was there that I began to ly about my peopie” Here I touched Sitting Bull on the arm, “Do not interrupt bim,” id Major Walsh, beginning to talk about his medicine,” “1 was,” repeated Sitting Bull, “still tn my moth insides when began to stady all about my people, God (waving his ind to @xpross A great protecting Genius) gave me Dowor to see ont of thewombh 1 stadied there, In the womb, about many things, 1 studied about the smallpox, that was killing my poo- oat sicknes ple—the that was killing the women aod children, I was so interested that I turned over The God Almighty must have toia mo at that time (and here Sitting Bull anconsciousty re. vealed his secret) that I would be the man to be the Judge of all the otner Indians—a big man, to decide for them tn all thoir ways.” “And you have since decided for them?” “T speak. “Could not your people, whom you love so well, get on with tno Americans?’” on my mde, It ts enough.” Bull. Noe “@REHOUN'S CO. WY nENo's By INTRENCHMENT ‘Nor : “Why? wny me FoUGET. “IT never taught my people to trust Americans, 1 bave told them the truth—that tho Americans aro great liars, 1 bave never dealt with the Amoricans. Why should? The land belonged to my people. I Say I never dealt with thom—I mean I nevor treated with them in ay to surrender my people's rights, 7 with them, but I always gave full value for Whit {got I never asked the United States govern- ment to make me presents of blankets or cloth or anything of that kind, The most I did was to ask them to send mean honest trader that I could trade with, and I proposed to give him buffalo robos and elk skins and other hides in exchange for what wo wanted, I told every trader who came to our camps that I did not want any favors trom him—that [ wanted to trade with him fairly and equally, giving him full value tor what I got—bat tho traders wanted me to trade with them on no such terms They wanted to give little t much, They told me tbat if I did not accept what they would give mein trade they would got the governmont to fight mo. I told them I did not want to fight.’’ “But you fought” “At last, yes; but not antil after I had tried hard to preventa fight At Grst my young men, when they began to talk bad, stole five Amorican horses, I took the horses away from them and gave them back to It did no good, the Americans. to fight.” THE GREAT CUSTER BATTLE EXPLAINED, By and by wo bad It was at this juncture that 1 began to question tho great savage betore me in regard to the most disas- trous, most mysterious Indian battle of the contury— Custer’s encounter with the Sioux on the Big Horn— the Thermopyia of tho Plains, Sitting Bull, the chief genius of his bands, has boon supposed to bave com- manded the Sioax forces when Custer foll. ‘That the reader may understand Sitting Bull's atate- mente, it will be nocossary for him to sean the map of that iMastrious battle ground, which is herewith pre. sented, and to read she following preliminary eke It should be anderstood, mereover, that, inasmuch as evory white man with Custer perished, and no other white man, savo ono or two seouts, had conterred carefully with Sitting Bull or any of bis chiets since that awful day, this is tho first suthentic story of the conflict which can possibly bave appeared out of the Nps of asarvivor. It bas the moro historical valao, since {t comes from the ¢hief among Custer’s and Reno's foes. Custer, on the 22d of Ince, started up the Rosebud, with the following order trom General Terry ta bis pocket: — Lieutenant Cotonet Cusree, Seventh Onvairy CoLonet—The Brigadier Goucral commanding directs $ as soon As your regiment cau he dy tor the march you procoed up whe Kosebnd in purenit of she Ine diane whose trail wus discovered by Major Keno afew days aince. Ib 18, of course, Imporsibio to give any dofinite In= structions im regard to this moveme: and, were it not im- possible to do #0, the Department Commander placos too much confidence in your seal, energy and ability 0 wish bo Impose upon you precise orders whick might hamper your action when nearly in contact with the enemy. He will, however, indicate to you his own viows of what four action should be, and be desires thas you should conform so them anise you shall 900 sufticiont reason tor departing from them. He shinks shat yon should proceed ap tho Hosebad antl you ascertain definitely the direction in which the trail above spoken of leads. Should it be founa, as Ib appears to be Almont cofain that {8 will be found, to torn vo the Little Big Horn, he shinks thet you should still, proceed southward, perhaps, as ir as the head rs of tho Tonxus, and then turn toward the Little Big Horn, feeling constantly, howover, V0 your left, #0 a8 to precinde the possibility of the escape of tho Indians to the routh or southonat by passing around your loft flank, The columa ot Colonel Gibbon is now tn motion for the mouth of the Big Horn, As soon an tt ronches that potns 16 will cross the Yellowstone and move up at the parks of the Hig and Little Big Horn. movements must be eoutrolied by circumstances as « but It Is hoped thas the Indians, if upon Horn, may be 60 noariy en- closed by two columns that thelr escape will be impossible, The Department Commandor desiros that on your way up the Rorebud you should thoroughly examine the upper partot Tulloch's Creek, and that you should endeavor to send @seout through to Colonel Gibbon's colamn with fp. formation of tho rosait of your examination, The lower part of this creek will bo examined by # detachment from Colonel Gidbon's command The supply | troops, as the forks of the river are the Department hed ap tne Big Horn as fi foand te be navigt Commander, who will accom Gibbon, desires you to report so him there not laser than the expiration ef the time for whieh your troops are re thoned, unless in the meaatime you recetve turthor orders, Respecttully, g SMITH, Captain Eightoensh infantry, Acting Assistant Adjutant Ovnerai With theze tentative instructions General Custer pro- ceeded on his way. shat he had a great opportuuity to eirike thom, He touched their trail and followed it He laid his plans, with what lack of success we knew. But shail we not also inquire what was the feal cause @f bis antimely, Hearing of the Indiaus, be found unnecessary failure? General Custer has been chided for a division of his In point of fact he never attacked an Indian camp when he had more than a company, without so eeparating his commana asto encompass, bewilder and capture i, We sbail presently see whether it was the fault of his dispositions on this occasion, which Jost him hie last battle. Hore is Rono’s account of the wart which the commands respectively, under Cus ter, himself and Benteen started into action:— “The regiment left the camp at the mouth of the Rorebnd River, after passing in review brfore the Department Com mander. upder command of Brovot Major General G. A Custer, Meutenant colonel, om the afternoon of the 22d of June, and marched up the Rosebud tweive miles and en- camped. On the 23d marched up the Rosebnd, passing many oid Indian camps. and following # vory large lodge pole trail, but not fresh, making thirty-three miles, On the 24th the march was continned ap the Rosebud, the trail and signs freskeatug with every mile, until we bad made twenty-eight miles, and we then encamp®d and waited for infurmation from the scouts At twenty-five minutes past nine P.M. Ci called the officers together and informed us that, beyond a donbdt, the village wasin the valloy of the Little Big Horn and that to reach 11 it way Necessary to cross the divide betwoen the Itosebnd and Little Hig Horn, and it wonid be impossible to do so in the day- time without discovering our mareh to the Indians; that wonld prepare to move at eleven I. M. ‘This was dono, the line of march turning from the Rosebud tothe right, up one of {is branchos, which headed near the anmmit of the di- vide. About two A, M. of the 25th the scouts told him shat he conid not cross the divide before durlight. We then made coffee and rested three nours, at the expiration of which timo the march wus resumed, the divide crossed, and about eight A, M. the commsnd was in tho valley of ove of the branches of the Little Big Horn, By this time the India haaeen seon, and it was certain that we could not sur- prine them, and it was determined to move at once to the attack. Previous to thir no division of the regiment had been made since the order was issued on the Yellowstone nulling wing and battalion organisations, General Cus- ter informed me he would assign commauds on the march. I was ordored by Lioutenant W. W. Cook, ndjutant, to as- sume command of Companies M, A Captain Ben- teen of Companies H, D and K, Castor rotaining ©, E, F, Land Lundor his immediate command, aud Company B, Captain MeDogall, in ronr of the pack train, 1 assumed command of the companics assixued to me, and without any definite orders moved forward with the rest of tho, column and well to its lof. 1 saw Bonteen moving further to the left, and as they passed he told me he had orders to move woll to tho lett and sweep everything before him. f did not seo him again until about half-past two #. M. The commund moved down the creck toward the Little Big Horn Valley, Custer, with five companies, on the right bank, myself and threo eompantos on the left bank and Bonteen farther to she lott and ont of sixtt. It appears to have been about the middle of the forenoon when Caster thus subdivided his column, Reno goes on to say that at balf-past twelve Licutenant Cook, Custer’s Adjutant, cimo to him, told him that the villa, is Only two milon away and orderea him to move forward rapidly and charge it Other ovi- dence likewise shows that this order was given about that time and that Reno was arged not to let up on The Indian villago, consisting of camps the Indians of Cheyonnes, Ogallajas, Minneconjous and Uncpapas, was nearly taree miles long. Tho accompanying map will show its oxact situation, also tho routes pursued by Keno’s and Custer’s forces, It 1s seen from this map that Rono crossed the Little Big Horn, formed is first line just south of the crossing and charged, He says: “I deployed, and, with the Res scouts sn my iéf, charged down the valley With great onge for about two and a half miles.’” Reno, instead of holding tho ground thus gained, retreated, being hard pressed. The map shows the timber in which he made a temporary stand, and it shows, too, his line of retreat back over the valley, and across the Litthe Big Horn and up the bluffs, on the summit ef which he Jntrenched bimself Inte in the afternoon, The map expresses the fact that Custer’s maren to the tom pted to cross the Little Big Horn and attack the Indians in their roar, was much longer than Rene’s march, consequently Caster’s assault was pot mado until alter Reno’s, Custer’s intention was to sandwich (as It were) the main body of tho Indians between Reno’s and his own forces, He hoped by thas pressing them on two sides—Reno constantly fighting them and ho bimeelf constantly fighting them—to disconcert them and crush them at Inst, His plan is thus seen to have boon that of a general. ford whero he It reeves him from the aspersion of rasbness, It must in this connection be remembered that Custer bad fought Indians many times and baa never been beaten by them, although on several occasions he had encountered more than three tin the number of his own troops. He trasted in this instance to tho foalty of bis officers, the bravery of his soldiers and his own gonius to overcome tho more weight of numbers, as he had 80 often done betore, “WR THOUGHT WE WERR wiirrxy,” The testimony of Sitting Bull, which | am about te Givo, is the more convincing and importapt from tho very fact of the one erroneous impression he derived astothe identity of the officer in command of the forces which assailed his camp, He confounds Reno with Custer, He supposes that one and the same gen- eral crossed tho Little Big Horn where Rono crossed, charged as Reno charged, retreated as Reno retreased back over the river and then pursued the !ine of Cas- tors march, attacked as Custer attacked and (cll as Castor fell, “Did you kaow the Long Hairod Chiof?’’ I asked Sitting Ball, “No what! “No, Many of the chicis knew him,’ ‘ “What did they think of him?" + warrior.” Had you never seen him" **Ho was a gr “Was he brave “He was a mighty chief." “Now, tell me Hero ts something that! wish to know, Big Ites are told about the fight tm which the Long Haired Chict was Killed, Ho was my friend. No one has come back to toil the trath about nim, or about that fight You wero tl Your chiols know, 1 Wantto hoar something that forked tongues do not sell—the trath,’” you know, “Lt re well Herel ai forth the map of the battle Meld and Spread i o8t across Sitting Bull's knecs and explained to hisa the names and situations as reprosented on it, and he smiled, “We tnought w re whipped,” he said, “abt Did you think the soldiers were too many for your” “Not at first: bat by-and-by, yen, Atterwards, 00,” “Tell me about the batiie, Where was sho Indien camp frst attacked 1” “Here” (pointing to Reno's crossing on the map) “About what time in the day was thas?” “Lt was some two hours post the time when the sun or will be | $# im the contre of the sky,” LS CUSTER COMMANDED “What white chief was it who came over there against your warriors?” “The Long Hair.” “Are you sure?!" “The Loug Hair commanaed.” “But you did not see him?! ‘1 have said that | nevor saw him.” “Did any of the obi Dim ?"* “Not here, but there,” pointing to the place where repulsed oa the north bank of Custer charged and w the Little Big Horn “Why do you think it was the Long Hair who crossed first and charged you here at the ri side af the map?" “A chict leads bis warriors,” “Was there a good Oght here, on the right side of the map? Explain itto me." “It was so,” said Sitting Bull, raising his hands “1 was iying in my lodge. Some young men ran inte me and said:—‘The Long Hair isin the camp, Get up, They are fring into the camp.’ | said, all right I Jumped up and stepped out of my lodge,” Where was your lodge?”” “Hero, with my people,” apswored Sitting Bull, pointing to the group of Uncpapa iodges, designated as ‘abandoned lodges’? on the map, ‘So the frat attack was made then, on the right side of the map, pon the lodges of the Uncpa- pas??? “Yeu? “Hero the lodges are said to have been deserted?" “The old men, the squaws and the obildren were burried away,” “Toward the other end of the camp?"’ “Yes. Some of the Minneconjou women and ebik dren also left their lodges when the attack began,’? “Did you retroat at first??? “Do you mean # rriors??? “Yea, the fighting men.” MISTAKING RENO For CUSTER, ‘0 fet! back, but it was not what warriors call {twasto gain time. It was the Long Hat who retreated. My people fougnt him here im she brash (designating the timber behind which the Im dians pressed Reno) and he fell back across here (placing his floger on the line of Reno’s retreat te the northern bluffe). “So you think that was the Long Hair whom your people fought in that timber and who fell back alters ward to those heights ?”? “ur course,’ “What alterward occurred? Was there any heavy fighting after the retreat of the soldiers tothe bluffs?” “Not then; not there,” ‘ “Where, then?”? “Why, down bere;” and Sitting Bull indicated with his finger the place where Custer approached and touched thoriver, ‘*That,’’ said he, ‘was where the big fight was fought, a little later, After the Long Hair was driven back to the bluffs he took this road (tracing with his Gnger the line of Custer’s march o she map), and went do jo seo If ho could not beat us there.” {Here the reader should pause to discern the exter of Sitting Bull's error, and to anticipate what will Presently appear to be Reno’s misconception or mis take, Sitting Bull, not identifying Reno in the whole of this engagemont, makes it seem that it was Custer who attacked, when Keno attacked in the first place, and aftorward moved down to resume the assault from a new position, He thus involuntarily testifies to the fact that Reno’s assault was a vrief, ineffectual ene before bis retreat to the blafls, and that Reno, after his retreat, ceasod on the biuffs from aggrossive fighting.) BULL'S DESCRIPTION OF MELI, “Whon the fight commenced here,” I asked, pointe ing to the spot where Custer advanced beyona the Lattice Big Horn, “‘what happened?"’ “Hel!” “You mean, I sappose, a fierce battle?” “1 mean @ thousand devils.” “Tho village was by this time thoroughly aroused #* “The equaws were like flying birds; the bullete wer Mke humming bees.’” “You say that when the first attack was made, of here on the right of the map, the old men and squaws and children ran down the valley toward tne left, What did they do when this second attack came from up here toward the left?” “They ran back again to the right, here and here,’* answered Sitting Bull, placing his thy Gngor om the place where the words ‘Abandoned Lodges” are. “And where did the warriors run ?* * wthey ran to the fight—the big Might ° “So that, In the afternoon, after the firet fight, og the right hand side of the map was ovor, and after the big fight toward the left hand side began, you say that the squaws aod children all returned to the right hand side, and that the warriors, the fighting men of all the Indian camps, ran to the place where the big fight was going on?” “You.” “Why was that? Wore not some ofthe warriorg left 1p {root of tbeso Intrenchments on the bluffs, noas the right sido of the map? Did not you think It gem essary—did not your war chiefs think it necessary—to keep somo of your young men there to fight the troops who had retreated to those iatrenchmenta?!? “xo” «Why? “You have forgott “How?” A CHARGE AGAINST RENO, “You forget That only a few soldiers were icf by the Long Hair on those blufis, He took the main body of his soldiers with bim to make the big fight down hereon the left.” “So thero were no soldiers to makeafieht left ty the intrenchments on the right band biuffs?”” It 9 enough, Tho squaws could There were none but squaws and “Lhave spoken. deal with them, pappooses in front of therm that afternoon.’ This starting assertion of Sitting Bull involves the most terrible charge which bas boen brought against Keno, It amounts to an assertion that Rono, having made Dis assault, beon beaten and retroated, stayed there on the biuils without renewing the attack for which General Caster, who had by this time come down with his horsemen on the rear of the Siouz camp from the north, vainly awaited—how hope loasly | “Well then,” I inquired of Sitting Bull, “Did tne cavairy, who came down and made the big Sign fightt’ Again Sitting Bull srniled, “rhey fought. missing from our lodges. But ts there an Amorican squaw who nas her husband leit? Were there any Americans lett to tell the story of that day? No’? “How did they come on to the attack?” “I have beard that there are trees which tremble.” “Do you mean the trees with trembiing teaves ?'” “You.” 1 “They call (hem in some parts of the Western coum.