OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF, INDIAN AFFAIRS. 129 tinue all the business and carry into effect the ednoational and other purpoves of your agenoy, you will, as to all operations intended to suppress any outbreak, by force, ooaperete with and obey the orders of the military officer commanding on the reser-vation in yoor charge. DEATH OF SITTING BULL. In the latter part of November the military authorized t,he arrest of Sitting Bull by W. F. Cody (<'Buffalo Bill"), but at the request of Agent MoLaughlin, who deemed it prudent to postpone the arrest until colder weather, the order was canceled by direction of the President. Sit.ting Bull's camp where the dancing had been going on was on Grand River 40 miles from the agency. The number of Indian police-men in that vicinity was increased and he was kept under close sur-veillance. December 12 the commanding oficer at Fort Pates was instructed by General Ruger, commanding tbe Department of Dakota, to make it his special duty to secure the person of Sitting Bull, and to call on Agent MoLaughlin "for such cooperation and assistance as ' . would best promote the object in view." December 14 the police noti-fied the agent that Sitting Bull was preparing to leave the reservation. Aocordingly, after wusultation with the post commander it was decided that the arrest should be made the following morning by the police under command of Lieutenant Bullhead, with United States troops within supporting distance. At daybreak, December 15,39 Indian police and 4 volunteers went to Sitting Bull's cabin and arrested him. He agreed to acoompany them to the agency, but while dressing causecl considerable delay, and during this time his followers began to congregate to the number of 150, so that when he was brought oat of the house they had the police entirely surrounded. Sitting Bull then refused to go and called on his friends, the ghost dancers, to rescue him. At this junotnre one of them shot Lieutenant Bullhead. The lientenant then shot'sitting Bnll, who also received another shot and was killed outright. Another shot struck Sergeant Shavehead and then the firing became general. In about two hours the police had secured po~session of Sitting Bull'8 h o n ~ ean d driven their assailants into the woods. Shortly after, when 100 United States troops, under oommand of Uapt. Fechet reached the spot the police drew up in line and saluted. Their bravery and disei-pline received highest praise from Capt. Fechet. The ghost dancers fied from their hiding places to the Cheyenne River Reservation, leaving their families and dead behind them. Their women who had taken part in the fight had been disarmed by the police and placed nuder p a r d and were turned over to the troops when they arrived. The losses were six policemen killed (including Bullhead and Shavehead who soon died at the agency hospital) and one wonnded. The attmk-ing party lost eight killed and three wounded. For a detailed report of this affair see Agent MoLanghlin's report, page 325. I 10288 I ,A-9 |