indian heroes & great chieftains-第3章

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SPOTTED　TAIL





Among　the　Sioux　chiefs　of　the　〃transition　period〃　only　one　was

shrewd　enough　to　read　coming　events　in　their　true　light。　　It　is

said　of　Spotted　Tail　that　he　was　rather　a　slow…moving　boy；

preferring　in　their　various　games　and　mimic　battles　to　play　the

role　of　councilor；　to　plan　and　assign　to　the　others　their　parts　in

the　fray。　　This　he　did　so　cleverly　that　he　soon　became　a　leader

among　his　youthful　contemporaries；　and　withal　he　was　apt　at　mimicry

and　impersonation；　so　that　the　other　boys　were　accustomed　to　say　of

him；　〃He　has　his　grandfather's　wit　and　the　wisdom　of　his

grandmother！〃



Spotted　Tail　was　an　orphan；　reared　by　his　grandparents；　and　at

an　early　age　compelled　to　shift　for　himself。　　Thus　he　was　somewhat

at　a　disadvantage　among　the　other　boys；　yet　even　this　fact　may　have

helped　to　develop　in　him　courage　and　ingenuity。　　One　little

incident　of　his　boy　life；　occurring　at　about　his　tenth　year；　is

characteristic　of　the　man。　　In　the　midst　of　a　game；　two　boys　became

involved　in　a　dispute　which　promised　to　be　a　serious　one；　as　both

drew　knives。　　The　young　Spotted　Tail　instantly　began　to　cry；　〃The

Shoshones　are　upon　us！　　To　arms！　to　arms！〃　and　the　other　boys

joined　in　the　war　whoop。　　This　distracted　the　attention　of　the

combatants　and　ended　the　affair。



Upon　the　whole；　his　boyhood　is　not　so　well　remembered　as　is

that　of　most　of　his　leading　contemporaries；　probably　because　he　had

no　parents　to　bring　him　frequently　before　the　people；　as　was　the

custom　with　the　wellborn；　whose　every　step　in　their　progress　toward

manhood　was　publicly　announced　at　a　feast　given　in　their　honor。　　It

is　known；　however；　that　he　began　at　an　early　age　to　carve　out　a

position　for　himself。　　It　is　personal　qualities　alone　that　tell

among　our　people；　and　the　youthful　Spotted　Tail　gained　at　every

turn。　　At　the　age　of　seventeen；　he　had　become　a　sure　shot　and　a

clever　hunter；　but；　above　all；　he　had　already　shown　that　he

possessed　a　superior　mind。　　He　had　come　into　contact　with　white

people　at　the　various　trading　posts；　and　according　to　his　own　story

had　made　a　careful　study　of　the　white　man's　habits　and　modes　of

thought；　especially　of　his　peculiar　trait　of　economy　and　intense

desire　to　accumulate　property。　　He　was　accustomed　to　watch　closely

and　listen　attentively　whenever　any　of　this　strange　race　had

dealings　with　his　people。　　When　a　council　was　held；　and　the　other

young　men　stood　at　a　distance　with　their　robes　over　their　faces　so

as　to　avoid　recognition；　Spotted　Tail　always　put　himself　in　a

position　to　hear　all　that　was　said　on　either　side；　and　weighed　all

the　arguments　in　his　mind。



When　he　first　went　upon　the　warpath；　it　appears　that　he　was；

if　anything；　overzealous　to　establish　himself　in　the　eye　of　his

people；　and　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it　was　especially　hard　for　him　to

gain　an　assured　position　among　the　Brules；　with　whom　he　lived；　both

because　he　was　an　orphan；　and　because　his　father　had　been　of

another　band。　　Yet　it　was　not　long　before　he　had　achieved　his

ambition；　though　in　doing　so　he　received　several　ugly　wounds。　　It

was　in　a　battle　with　the　Utes　that　he　first　notably　served　his

people　and　their　cause。



The　Utes　were　the　attacking　party　and　far　outnumbered　the

Sioux　on　this　occasion。　　Many　of　their　bravest　young　men　had

fallen；　and　the　Brules　were　face　to　face　with　utter　annihilation；

when　Spotted　Tail；　with　a　handful　of　daring　horsemen；　dodged　around

the　enemy's　flank　and　fell　upon　them　from　the　rear　with　so　much

spirit　that　they　supposed　that　strong　reinforcements　had　arrived；

and　retreated　in　confusion。　　The　Sioux　pursued　on　horseback；　and　it

was　in　this　pursuit　that　the　noted　chief　Two　Strike　gained　his

historical　name。　　But　the　chief　honors　of　the　fight　belonged　to

Spotted　Tail。　　The　old　chiefs；　Conquering　Bear　and　the　rest；

thanked　him　and　at　once　made　him　a　war　chief。



It　had　been　the　firm　belief　of　Spotted　Tail　that　it　was　unwise

to　allow　the　white　man　so　much　freedom　in　our　country；　long　before

the　older　chiefs　saw　any　harm　in　it。　　After　the　opening　of　the

Oregon　Trail　he；　above　all　the　others；　was　watchful　of　the　conduct

of　the　Americans　as　they　journeyed　toward　the　setting　sun；　and　more

than　once　he　remarked　in　council　that　these　white　men　were　not　like

the　French　and　the　Spanish；　with　whom　our　old　chiefs　had　been　used

to　deal。　　He　was　not　fully　satisfied　with　the　agreement　with

General　Harney；　but　as　a　young　warrior　who　had　only　just　gained　his

position　in　the　council；　he　could　not　force　his　views　upon　the

older　men。



No　sooner　had　the　Oregon　Trail　been　secured　from　the　Sioux

than　Fort　Laramie　and　other　frontier　posts　were　strengthened；　and

the　soldiers　became　more　insolent　and　overbearing　than　ever。　　It

was　soon　discovered　that　the　whites　were　prepared　to　violate　most

of　the　articles　of　their　treaty　as　the　Indians　understood　it。　　At

this　time；　the　presence　of　many　Mormon　emigrants　on　their　way　to

the　settlements　in　Utah　and　Wyoming　added　to　the　perils　of　the

situation；　as　they　constantly　maneuvered　for　purposes　of　their　own

to　bring　about　a　clash　between　the　soldiers　and　the　Indians。　　Every

summer　there　were　storm…clouds　blowing　between　these　two　　clouds

usually　taking　their　rise　in　some　affair　of　the　travelers　along　the

trail。



In　1854　an　event　occurred　which　has　already　been　described　and

which　snapped　the　last　link　of　friendship　between　the　races。



By　this　time　Spotted　Tail　had　proved　his　courage　both　abroad

and　at　home。　　He　had　fought　a　duel　with　one　of　the　lesser　chiefs；

by　whom　he　was　attacked。　　He　killed　his　opponent　with　an　arrow；　but

himself　received　upon　his　head　a　blow　from　a　battle…axe　which

brought　him　senseless　to　the　ground。　　He　was　left　for　dead；　but　

fortunately　revived　just　as　the　men　were　preparing　his　body　for

burial。



The　Brules　sustained　him　in　this　quarrel；　as　he　had　acted　in

self…defense；　and　for　a　few　years　he　led　them　in　bloody　raids

against　the　whites　along　the　historic　trail。　　He　ambushed　many

stagecoaches　and　emigrant　trains；　and　was　responsible　for　waylaying

the　Kincaid　coach　with　twenty　thousand　dollars。　　This　relentless

harrying　of　travelers　soon　brought　General　Harney　to　the　Brule

Sioux　to　demand　explanations　and　reparation。



The　old　chiefs　of　the　Brules　now　appealed　to　Spotted　Tail　and

his　young　warriors　not　to　bring　any　general　calamity　upon　the

tribe。　　To　the　surprise　of　all；　Spotted　Tail　declared　that　he　would

give　himself　up。　　He　said　that　he　had　defended　the　rights　of　his

people　to　the　best　of　his　ability；　that　he　had　avenged　the　blood　of

their　chief；　Conquering　Bear；　and　that　he　was　not　afraid　to　accept

the　consequences。　　He　therefore　voluntarily　surrendered　to　General

Harney；　and　two　of　his　lieutenants；　Red　Leaf　and　Old　Woman；

followed　his　example。



Thus　Spotted　Tail　played　an　important　part　at　the　very　outset

of　those　events　which　were　soon　to　overthrow　the　free　life　of　his

people。　　I　do　not　know　how　far　he　foresaw　what　was　to　follow；　but

whether　so　conceived　or　not；　his　surrender　was　a　master　stroke；

winning　for　him　not　only　the　admiration　of　his　own　people　but　the

confidence　and　respect　of　the　military。



Thus　suddenly　he　found　himself　in　prison；　a　hostage　for　the

good　behavior　of　his　followers。　　There　were　many　rumors　as　to　the

punishment　reserved　for　him；　but　luckily　for　Spotted　Tail；　the

promises　of　General　Harney　to　the　Brule　chiefs　in　respect　to　him

were　faithfully　kept。　　One　of　his　fellow…prisoners　committed

suicide；　but　the　other　held　out　bravely　for　the　two…year　term　of

his　imprisonment。　　During　the　second　year；　it　was　well　understood

that　neither　of　the　men　sought　to　escape；　and　they　were　given

much　freedom。　　It　was　fine　schooling　for　Spotted　Tail；　that

tireless　observer　of　the　ways　of　the　white　man！　　It　is　a　fact　that

his　engaging　personal　qualities　won　for　him　kindness　and　sympathy

at　the　fort　before　the　time　came　for　his　release。



One　day　some　Indian　horse　thieves　of　another　tribe　stampeded

the　horses　and　mules　belonging　to　the　garrison。　　Spotted　Tail　asked

permission　of　the　commanding　officer　to　accompany　the　pursuers。　

That　officer；　trusting　in　the　honor　of　a　Sioux　brave；　gave　him　a

fast　horse　and　a　good　carbine；　and　said　to　him：　〃I　depend　upon　you

to　guide　my　soldiers　so　that　they　may　overtake　the　thieves　and

recapture　the　horses！〃



The　soldiers　recaptured　the　horses　without　any　loss；　but

Spotted　Tail　still　followed　the　Indians。　　When　they　returned　to　the

fort　without　him；　everybody　agreed　that　he　would　never　turn　up。　

However；　next　day　he　did　〃turn　up〃；　with　the　scalp　of　one　of　the

marauders！



Soon　after　this　he　was　returned　to　his　own　people；　who　honored

him　by　making　him　the　successor　of　the　old　chief；　Conquering　Bear；

whose　blood　he　had　avenged；　for　which　act　he　had　taken　upon　himself

the　full　responsibility。　　He　had　made　good　use　of　his　two　years　at

the　fort；　and　completed　his　studies　of　civilization　to　his　own

satisfaction。　　From　this　time　on　he　was　desirous　of　reconciling　the

Indian　and　the　white　man；　thoroughly　understanding　the　uselessness

of　opposition。　　He　was　accordingly　in　constant　communication　with

the　military；　but　the　other　chiefs　did　not　understand　his　views　and

seem　to　have　been　suspicious　of　his　motives。



In　1860…1864　the　Southern　Cheyennes　and　Comanches　were　at　war

with　the　whites；　and　some　of　the　Brules　and　Ogallalas；　who　were

their　neighbors　and　intimates；　were　suspected　of　complicity　with

the　hostiles。　　Doubtless　a　few　of　their　young　men　may　have　been

involved；　at　any　rate；　Thunder　Bear　and　Two　Face；　together　with　a

few　others　who　were　roving　with　the　warring　tribes；　purchased　two

captive　white　women　and　brought　them　to　Fort　Laramie。　　It　was；

however；　reported　at　the　post　that　these　two　men　had　maltreated　the

women　while　under　their　care。



Of　course；　the　commander　demanded　of　Spotted　Tail；　then　head

chief；　that　he　give　up　the　guilty　ones；　and　accordingly　he　had　the

two　men　arrested　and　delivered　at　the　fort。　　At　this　there　was　an

outcry　among　his　own　people；　but　he　argued　that　if　the　charges　were

true；　the　men　deserved　punishment；　and　if　false；　they　should　be

tried　and　cleared　by　process　of　law。　　The　Indians　never　quite　knew

what　evidence　was　produced　at　the　court…martial；　but　at　all　events

the　two　men　were　hanged；　and　as　they　had　many　influential

connections；　their　relatives　lost　no　time　in　fomenting　trouble。　

The　Sioux　were　then　camping　close　by　the　fort　and　it　was　midwinter；

which　facts　held　them　in　check　for　a　month　or　two；　but　as　soon　as

spring　came；　they　removed　their　camp　across　the　river　and　rose　in

rebellion。　　A　pitched　battle　was　fought；　in　which　the　soldiers　got

the　worst　of　it。　　Even　the　associate　chief；　Big　Mouth；　was　against

Spotted　Tail；　who　was　practically　forced　against　his　will　and

judgment　to　take　up　arms　once　more。



At　this　juncture　came　the　sudden　and　blood