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n¡£¡¡Each¡¡man¡¡was¡¡stripped¡¡naked¡¡and¡¡hacked¡¡and¡¡scalped£»¡¡the¡¡skulls¡¡beaten¡¡in¡¡with¡¡war¡¡clubs¡¡and¡¡the¡¡bodies¡¡gashed¡¡with¡¡knives¡¡almost¡¡beyond¡¡recognition£»¡¡with¡¡other¡¡ghastly¡¡mutilations¡¡that¡¡the¡¡civilized¡¡pen¡¡hesitates¡¡to¡¡record¡£¡¨

This¡¡tragedy¡¡brought¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡problem¡¡before¡¡the¡¡country¡¡as¡¡never¡¡before¡£¡¡The¡¡hand¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡rancher¡¡and¡¡trader¡¡was¡¡implacably¡¡against¡¡the¡¡tribesmen¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plains£»¡¡the¡¡city¡­dweller¡¡of¡¡the¡¡East£»¡¡with¡¡hazy¡¡notions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡character£»¡¡was¡¡disposed¡¡to¡¡urge¡¡lenient¡¡methods¡¡upon¡¡those¡¡responsible¡¡for¡¡governmental¡¡policy¡£¡¡While¡¡the¡¡Sioux¡¡and¡¡Cheyenne¡¡wars¡¡dragged¡¡on£»¡¡Congress¡¡created£»¡¡by¡¡act¡¡of¡¡July¡¡20£»¡¡1867£»¡¡a¡¡peace¡¡commission¡¡of¡¡four¡¡civilians¡¡and¡¡three¡¡army¡¡officers¡¡to¡¡deal¡¡with¡¡the¡¡hostile¡¡tribes¡£¡¡For¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡year£»¡¡with¡¡scant¡¡sympathy¡¡from¡¡the¡¡military¡¡members£»¡¡this¡¡commission¡¡endeavored¡¡to¡¡remove¡¡the¡¡causes¡¡of¡¡friction¡¡by¡¡amicable¡¡conference¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡chiefs¡£¡¡The¡¡attitude¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Army¡¡is¡¡reflected¡¡in¡¡a¡¡letter¡¡of¡¡General¡¡Sherman¡¡to¡¡his¡¡brother¡£¡¡¡¨We¡¡have¡¡now¡¡selected¡¡and¡¡provided¡¡reservations¡¡for¡¡all£»¡¡off¡¡the¡¡great¡¡roads¡£¡¡All¡¡who¡¡cling¡¡to¡¡their¡¡old¡¡hunting¡­grounds¡¡are¡¡hostile¡¡and¡¡will¡¡remain¡¡so¡¡till¡¡killed¡¡off¡£¡¡We¡¡will¡¡have¡¡a¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡predatory¡¡war¡¡for¡¡yearsevery¡¡now¡¡and¡¡then¡¡be¡¡shocked¡¡by¡¡the¡¡indiscriminate¡¡murder¡¡of¡¡travelers¡¡and¡¡settlers£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡country¡¡is¡¡so¡¡large£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡advantage¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indians¡¡so¡¡great£»¡¡that¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡make¡¡a¡¡single¡¡war¡¡and¡¡end¡¡it¡£¡¡From¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡things¡¡we¡¡must¡¡take¡¡chances¡¡and¡¡clean¡¡out¡¡Indians¡¡as¡¡we¡¡encounter¡¡them¡£¡¨

Segregation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡tribes¡¡upon¡¡reservations¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡commission¡¡the¡¡only¡¡solution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡vexing¡¡problem¡£¡¡Various¡¡treaties¡¡were¡¡made¡¡and¡¡others¡¡were¡¡projected¡¡looking¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡removal¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tribesmen¡¡from¡¡the¡¡highways¡¡of¡¡continental¡¡travel¡£¡¡The¡¡result¡¡was¡¡misgiving¡¡and¡¡increased¡¡unrest¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Indians¡£

In¡¡midsummer¡¡of¡¡1868¡¡forays¡¡occurred¡¡at¡¡many¡¡points¡¡along¡¡the¡¡border¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡Territory¡£¡¡General¡¡Sheridan£»¡¡who¡¡now¡¡commanded¡¡the¡¡Department¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Missouri£»¡¡believed¡¡that¡¡a¡¡general¡¡war¡¡was¡¡imminent¡£¡¡He¡¡determined¡¡to¡¡teach¡¡the¡¡southern¡¡tribesmen¡¡a¡¡lesson¡¡they¡¡would¡¡not¡¡forget¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡of¡¡winter¡¡our¡¡troops¡¡marched¡¡against¡¡the¡¡Cheyennes£»¡¡then¡¡in¡¡their¡¡encampments¡¡below¡¡the¡¡Kansas¡¡line¡£¡¡The¡¡Indians¡¡did¡¡not¡¡believe¡¡that¡¡white¡¡men¡¡could¡¡march¡¡in¡¡weather¡¡forty¡¡below¡¡zero£»¡¡during¡¡which¡¡they¡¡themselves¡¡sat¡¡in¡¡their¡¡tepees¡¡around¡¡their¡¡fires£»¡¡but¡¡our¡¡cavalrymen¡¡did¡¡march¡¡in¡¡such¡¡weather£»¡¡and¡¡under¡¡conditions¡¡such¡¡as¡¡our¡¡cavalry¡¡perhaps¡¡could¡¡not¡¡endure¡¡today¡£¡¡Among¡¡these¡¡troops¡¡was¡¡the¡¡Seventh¡¡Cavalry£»¡¡Custer's¡¡Regiment£»¡¡formed¡¡after¡¡the¡¡Civil¡¡War£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡led¡¡by¡¡Lieutenant¡­Colonel¡¡George¡¡A¡£¡¡Custer¡¡himself£»¡¡that¡¡gallant¡¡officer¡¡whose¡¡name¡¡was¡¡to¡¡go¡¡into¡¡further¡¡and¡¡more¡¡melancholy¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Plains¡£

Custer¡¡marched¡¡until¡¡he¡¡got¡¡in¡¡touch¡¡with¡¡the¡¡trails¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Cheyennes£»¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡knew¡¡to¡¡belong¡¡to¡¡Black¡¡Kettle's¡¡band¡£¡¡He¡¡did¡¡not¡¡at¡¡the¡¡time¡¡know¡¡that¡¡below¡¡them£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡valley¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Washita£»¡¡were¡¡also¡¡the¡¡winter¡¡encampments¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kiowas£»¡¡the¡¡Comanches£»¡¡the¡¡Arapahoes£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡a¡¡few¡¡Apaches¡£¡¡He¡¡attacked¡¡at¡¡dawn¡¡of¡¡a¡¡bleak¡¡winter¡¡morning£»¡¡November¡¡27£»¡¡1868£»¡¡after¡¡taking¡¡the¡¡precaution¡¡of¡¡surrounding¡¡the¡¡camp£»¡¡and¡¡killed¡¡Black¡¡Kettle£»¡¡and¡¡another¡¡chief£»¡¡Little¡¡Rock£»¡¡and¡¡over¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡of¡¡their¡¡warriors¡£¡¡Many¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children¡¡also¡¡were¡¡killed¡¡in¡¡this¡¡attack¡£¡¡The¡¡result¡¡was¡¡one¡¡which¡¡sank¡¡deep¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡mind¡£¡¡They¡¡began¡¡to¡¡respect¡¡the¡¡men¡¡who¡¡could¡¡outmarch¡¡them¡¡and¡¡outlive¡¡them¡¡on¡¡the¡¡range¡£¡¡Surely£»¡¡they¡¡thought£»¡¡these¡¡were¡¡not¡¡the¡¡same¡¡men¡¡who¡¡had¡¡abandoned¡¡Forts¡¡Phil¡¡Kearney£»¡¡C¡£¡¡F¡£¡¡Smith£»¡¡and¡¡Reno¡£¡¡There¡¡had¡¡been¡¡some¡¡mistake¡¡about¡¡this¡¡matter¡£¡¡The¡¡Indians¡¡began¡¡to¡¡think¡¡it¡¡over¡£¡¡The¡¡result¡¡was¡¡a¡¡pacifying¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡country¡¡south¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Platte¡£¡¡The¡¡lower¡¡Indians¡¡began¡¡to¡¡come¡¡in¡¡and¡¡give¡¡themselves¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡reservation¡¡life¡£

One¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hardest¡¡of¡¡pitched¡¡battles¡¡ever¡¡fought¡¡with¡¡an¡¡Indian¡¡tribe¡¡occurred¡¡in¡¡September£»¡¡1868£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Arickaree¡¡or¡¡South¡¡Fork¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republican¡¡River£»¡¡where¡¡General¡¡¡¨Sandy¡¨¡¡Forsyth£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡scouts£»¡¡for¡¡nine¡¡days¡¡fought¡¡over¡¡six¡¡hundred¡¡Cheyennes¡¡and¡¡Arapahoes¡£¡¡These¡¡savages¡¡had¡¡been¡¡committing¡¡atrocities¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡settlers¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Saline£»¡¡the¡¡Solomon£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Republican¡¡valleys£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡known¡¡to¡¡have¡¡killed¡¡some¡¡sixty¡­four¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women¡¡at¡¡the¡¡time¡¡General¡¡Sheridan¡¡resolved¡¡to¡¡punish¡¡them¡£¡¡Forsyth¡¡had¡¡no¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡get¡¡a¡¡command¡¡of¡¡troops£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡was¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡enlist¡¡fifty¡¡scouts£»¡¡all¡¡¡¨first¡­class£»¡¡hardened¡¡frontiersmen£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡with¡¡this¡¡body¡¡of¡¡fighting¡¡men¡¡he¡¡carried¡¡out¡¡the¡¡most¡¡dramatic¡¡battle¡¡perhaps¡¡ever¡¡waged¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Plains¡£

Forsyth¡¡ran¡¡into¡¡the¡¡trail¡¡of¡¡two¡¡or¡¡three¡¡large¡¡Indian¡¡villages£»¡¡but¡¡none¡¡the¡¡less¡¡he¡¡followed¡¡on¡¡until¡¡he¡¡came¡¡to¡¡the¡¡valley¡¡of¡¡the¡¡South¡¡Fork¡£¡¡Here¡¡the¡¡Cheyennes¡¡under¡¡the¡¡redoubtable¡¡Roman¡¡Nose¡¡surrounded¡¡him¡¡on¡¡the¡¡17th¡¡of¡¡September¡£¡¡The¡¡small¡¡band¡¡of¡¡scouts¡¡took¡¡refuge¡¡on¡¡a¡¡brushy¡¡island¡¡some¡¡sixty¡¡yards¡¡from¡¡shore£»¡¡and¡¡hastily¡¡dug¡¡themselves¡¡in¡¡under¡¡fire¡£

They¡¡stood¡¡at¡¡bay¡¡outnumbered¡¡ten¡¡to¡¡one£»¡¡with¡¡small¡¡prospect¡¡of¡¡escape£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡little¡¡island¡¡offered¡¡no¡¡protection¡¡of¡¡itself£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡in¡¡pointblank¡¡range¡¡from¡¡the¡¡banks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡river¡£¡¡All¡¡their¡¡horses¡¡soon¡¡were¡¡shot¡¡down£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡men¡¡lay¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡pits¡¡with¡¡no¡¡hope¡¡of¡¡escape¡£¡¡Roman¡¡Nose£»¡¡enraged¡¡at¡¡the¡¡resistance¡¡put¡¡up¡¡by¡¡Forsyth's¡¡men£»¡¡led¡¡a¡¡band¡¡of¡¡some¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡of¡¡his¡¡warriors¡¡in¡¡the¡¡most¡¡desperate¡¡charge¡¡that¡¡has¡¡been¡¡recorded¡¡in¡¡all¡¡our¡¡Indian¡¡fighting¡¡annals¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡rarely¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡would¡¡charge¡¡at¡¡all£»¡¡but¡¡these¡¡tribesmen£»¡¡stripped¡¡naked¡¡for¡¡the¡¡encounter£»¡¡and¡¡led¡¡at¡¡first¡¡by¡¡that¡¡giant¡¡warrior£»¡¡who¡¡came¡¡on¡¡shouting¡¡his¡¡defiance£»¡¡charged¡¡in¡¡full¡¡view¡¡not¡¡only¡¡once¡¡but¡¡three¡¡times¡¡in¡¡one¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡got¡¡within¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡feet¡¡of¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡the¡¡island¡¡where¡¡the¡¡scouts¡¡were¡¡lying¡£

According¡¡to¡¡Forsyth's¡¡report£»¡¡the¡¡Indians¡¡came¡¡on¡¡in¡¡regular¡¡ranks¡¡like¡¡the¡¡cavalry¡¡of¡¡the¡¡white¡¡men£»¡¡more¡¡than¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡strong¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡met¡¡by¡¡the¡¡fire¡¡of¡¡repeating¡¡carbines¡¡and¡¡revolvers£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡stood¡¡for¡¡the¡¡first£»¡¡second£»¡¡third£»¡¡fourth£»¡¡and¡¡fifth¡¡fire¡¡of¡¡repeating¡¡weapons£»¡¡and¡¡still¡¡charged¡¡in£¡¡¡Roman¡¡Nose¡¡was¡¡killed¡¡at¡¡last¡¡within¡¡touch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡pits¡¡against¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡leading¡¡his¡¡men¡£¡¡The¡¡second¡¡charge¡¡was¡¡less¡¡desperate£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡savages¡¡lost¡¡heart¡¡after¡¡the¡¡loss¡¡of¡¡their¡¡leader¡£¡¡The¡¡third¡¡one£»¡¡delivered¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡evening¡¡of¡¡that¡¡same¡¡day£»¡¡was¡¡desultory¡£¡¡By¡¡that¡¡time¡¡the¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡the¡¡shallow¡¡stream¡¡was¡¡well¡¡filled¡¡with¡¡fallen¡¡horses¡¡and¡¡dead¡¡warriors¡£

Forsyth¡¡ordered¡¡meat¡¡cut¡¡from¡¡the¡¡bodies¡¡of¡¡his¡¡dead¡¡horses¡¡and¡¡buried¡¡in¡¡the¡¡wet¡¡sand¡¡so¡¡that¡¡it¡¡might¡¡keep¡¡as¡¡long¡¡as¡¡possible¡£¡¡Lieutenant¡¡Beecher£»¡¡his¡¡chief¡¡of¡¡scouts£»¡¡was¡¡killed£»¡¡as¡¡also¡¡were¡¡Surgeon¡¡Mooers£»¡¡and¡¡Scouts¡¡Smith£»¡¡Chalmers£»¡¡Wilson£»¡¡Farley£»¡¡and¡¡Day¡£¡¡Seventeen¡¡others¡¡of¡¡the¡¡party¡¡were¡¡wounded£»¡¡some¡¡severely¡£¡¡Forsyth¡¡himself¡¡was¡¡shot¡¡three¡¡times£»¡¡once¡¡in¡¡the¡¡head¡£¡¡His¡¡left¡¡leg¡¡was¡¡broken¡¡below¡¡the¡¡knee£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡right¡¡thigh¡¡was¡¡ripped¡¡up¡¡by¡¡a¡¡rifle¡¡ball£»¡¡which¡¡caused¡¡him¡¡extreme¡¡pain¡£¡¡Later¡¡he¡¡cut¡¡the¡¡bullet¡¡out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡leg£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡relieved¡¡from¡¡some¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pain¡£¡¡After¡¡his¡¡rescue£»¡¡when¡¡his¡¡broken¡¡leg¡¡was¡¡set¡¡it¡¡did¡¡not¡¡suit¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡leg¡¡broken¡¡twice¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hospital¡¡and¡¡reset¡¡until¡¡it¡¡knitted¡¡properly¡£

Forsyth's¡¡men¡¡lay¡¡under¡¡fire¡¡under¡¡a¡¡blazing¡¡sun¡¡in¡¡their¡¡holes¡¡on¡¡the¡¡sandbar¡¡for¡¡nine¡¡days¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡savages¡¡never¡¡dislodged¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡last¡¡they¡¡made¡¡off£»¡¡their¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children¡¡beating¡¡the¡¡death¡¡drums£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡entire¡¡village¡¡mourning¡¡the¡¡unreturning¡¡brave¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡second¡¡day¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fighting¡¡Forsyth¡¡had¡¡got¡¡out¡¡messengers¡¡at¡¡extreme¡¡risk£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡length¡¡the¡¡party¡¡was¡¡rescued¡¡by¡¡a¡¡detachment¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Tenth¡¡Cavalry¡£¡¡The¡¡Indians¡¡later¡¡said¡¡that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡in¡¡all¡¡over¡¡six¡¡hundred¡¡warriors¡¡in¡¡this¡¡fight¡£¡¡Their¡¡losses£»¡¡though¡¡variously¡¡estimated£»¡¡were¡¡undoubtedly¡¡heavy¡£

It¡¡was¡¡encounters¡¡such¡¡as¡¡this¡¡which¡¡gradually¡¡were¡¡teaching¡¡the¡¡Indians¡¡that¡¡they¡¡could¡¡not¡¡beat¡¡the¡¡white¡¡men£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡after¡¡a¡¡time¡¡they¡¡began¡¡to¡¡yield¡¡to¡¡the¡¡inevitable¡£

What¡¡is¡¡known¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Baker¡¡Massacre¡¡was¡¡the¡¡turning¡­point¡¡in¡¡the¡¡half¡­century¡¡of¡¡warfare¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Blackfeet£»¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡tribe¡¡which¡¡had¡¡preyed¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡men¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fur¡¡trade¡¡in¡¡a¡¡long¡­continued¡¡series¡¡of¡¡robberies¡¡and¡¡murders¡£¡¡On¡¡January¡¡22£»¡¡1870£»¡¡Major¡¡E¡£¡¡M¡£¡¡Baker£»¡¡led¡¡by¡¡half¡­breeds¡¡who¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡country£»¡¡surprised¡¡the¡¡Piegans¡¡in¡¡their¡¡winter¡¡camp¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Marias¡¡River£»¡¡just¡¡below¡¡the¡¡border¡£¡¡He£»¡¡like¡¡Custer£»¡¡attacked¡¡at¡¡dawn£»¡¡opening¡¡the¡¡encounter¡¡with¡¡a¡¡general¡¡fire¡¡into¡¡the¡¡tepees¡£¡¡He¡¡killed¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡and¡¡seventy¡­three¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Piegans£»¡¡including¡¡very¡¡many¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children£»¡¡as¡¡was¡¡unhappily¡¡the¡¡case¡¡so¡¡often¡¡in¡¡these¡¡surprise¡¡attacks¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡deplorable¡¡warfare¡£¡¡But¡¡it¡¡ended¡¡the¡¡resistance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡Blackfeet¡£¡¡They¡¡have¡¡been¡¡disposed¡¡for¡¡peace¡¡from¡¡that¡¡day¡¡to¡¡this¡£

The¡¡terrible¡¡revenge¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Sioux¡¡and¡¡Cheyennes¡¡took¡¡in¡¡the¡¡battle¡¡which¡¡annihilated¡¡Custer¡¡and¡¡his¡¡men¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Little¡¡Big¡¡Horn¡¡in¡¡the¡¡summer¡¡of¡¡1876£»¡¡the¡¡Homeric¡¡running¡¡fight¡¡made¡¡by¡¡Chief¡¡Joseph¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Nez¡¡Percesa¡¡flight¡¡which¡¡baffled¡¡our¡¡best¡¡generals¡¡and¡¡their¡¡men¡¡for¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡and¡¡ten¡¡days¡¡over¡¡more¡¡than¡¡fourteen¡¡hundred¡¡miles¡¡of¡¡wildernessthese¡¡are¡¡events¡¡so¡¡well¡¡known¡¡that¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡needless¡¡to¡¡do¡¡more¡¡than¡¡to¡¡refer¡¡to¡¡them¡£¡¡The¡¡Nez¡¡Perces¡¡in¡¡turn¡¡went¡¡down¡¡forever¡¡when¡¡Joseph¡¡came¡¡out¡¡and¡¡surrendered£»¡¡saying£»¡¡¡¨From¡¡where¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡now¡¡stands¡¡I¡¡fight¡¡against¡¡the¡¡white¡¡man¡¡no¡¡more¡¡forever¡£¡¨¡¡H

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