“Get to the point,” he said. “Did you take part in the dance?” Billy nodded.
“Some,” he replied.
“Did you go into a trance?”
“Let me tell you about that. The first afternoon a woman fell and died just a few steps from me. At least she was rigid and looked dead, but she came to life again. There were others too, quite a number of them every day. It’s funny, but the young women and girls were always the first to die. I don’t know why that is. They all told what had happened to them, so it was almost the same as doing it myself. Some of them couldn’t remember anything. I think that’s strange, don’t you?”
Several mixed bloods came into the post at that moment. While Billy saw to their needs, Culver lit his pipe, watching Billy thoughtfully. Out of the comer of his eye, Billy saw him shaking his head.
At the very moment the Ghost Dance was sweeping the agencies, making the Tetons wild and uncontrollable, Senator Pettigrew and Congressman J. A. Pickler exercised their rights of patronage. On September 1 Pickler replaced the able Charles McChesney at Cheyenne River with Perain P. Palmer, who lacked the experience to be able to cope with the fanatical Ghost Dance followers of Kicking Bear, Hump, and Big Foot. Hump had quit as chief of the Indian police to devote his full attention to the dance.
On instructions from the Commissioner, Palmer dutifully informed the dancers that the Secretary of the Interior was displeased with them. Far from being crushed by the secretary’s displeasure, they replied that “the Indian is displeased with the Department and will dance.” Then Palmer sent Straight Head, who’d replaced Hump as chief of the Indian police, to break up the dances at Hump’s and Big Foot’s camps. Snarling Ghost Dancers met the police with leveled Winchesters and dared them to interfere. The police prudently withdrew. Other attempts to stop the dances were no more successful. Their authority gone, one by one the police turned in their badges.
At his camp on Grand River, forty miles south of Standing Rock Agency, Sitting Bull heard about the dances at Cheyenne River. Curious, he requested a pass from McLaughlin, so he could visit the dance camps and see for himself, but the agent refused. Sitting Bull sent a message inviting Kicking Bear to bring word of the Ghost Dance to the Hunkpapas. On October 9, Kicking Bear and five Miniconju dance leaders reached Sitting Bull’s cabin settlement. Kicking Bear told the members of Sitting Bull’s band of former hostiles of his visit to Wovoka, then taught them the dance rituals and songs.
On learning of this intrusion, McLaughlin sent Crazy Walking and eleven police to eject Kicking Bear and his party. Awed by the Ghost Dance and by the forceful Kicking Bear, the police simply told Sitting Bull that the intruders must leave, then hastily retreated.
Irked, McLaughlin sent reliable Lieutenant Chatka and two men, who boldly rode through the ring of dancers and informed Kicking Bear of the agent’s order to leave. Kicking Bear made no objection, and Chatka escorted his party to the southern border of the reservation. By that time it was too late to prevent the Ghost Dance from spreading to Sitting Bull’s Hunkpapas, for he now assumed the role of dance leader, and his people danced constantly. John Carignan, who taught at the Grand River school near Sitting Bull’s camp, saw the number of his students drop from sixty in September to three in October. When he questioned parents about their children’s absence, they replied that their children couldn’t attend school because they had to go to church every day.
As the dancers became wilder and more uncontrollable, settlers across the Missouri from Standing Rock reservation became increasingly concerned over the safety of their families. Rumors of a Sioux uprising spread daily, and newspapers elaborated and repeated them. McLaughlin informed the Commissioner that Sitting Bull and several others should be removed, but not until winter, when severe weather would immobilize his followers and prevent them from coming to his rescue.
Secretary of the Interior Noble was unwilling to authorize any action that required calling on the army for assistance. McLaughlin must, he wrote, inform Sitting Bull and the others that the secretary was “greatly displeased with their conduct,” and that he would hold Sitting Bull personally responsible for any misconduct or acts of violence. Sitting Bull must immediately make his people “turn their back upon the medicine men who are seeking to divert the Indians from the ways of civilization.” What oath McLaughlin uttered when he read this message is not known, but he didn’t choose to make himself appear an idiot by delivering it.
He did, however, visit Sitting Bull’s camp to see for himself. On November 16 he and interpreter Louis Primeau arrived on the Grand River while a Ghost Dance under Sitting Bull’s supervision was in full swing. McLaughlin harangued his old rival in vain, then departed. He was more determined than ever to arrest and remove Sitting Bull, and waited only for severe weather.
“My brothers, you can dance all winter,” Sitting Bull told his followers. “The sun will shine warmly and the weather will be fair.” He was correct about the weather, but not about dancing all winter.
After returning to the agency McLaughlin wrote the Commissioner on November 19, proposing to isolate the Ghost Dancers from the others, then cut off their rations. By the time his letter reached Washington, it was too late to carry out his proposal.
On October 9, the same day that Kicking Bear reached Sitting Bull’s camp, Senator Pettigrew’s choice to replace Agent Hugh Gallagher arrived at Pine Ridge, where the Ghost Dance excitement was the greatest. Pettigrew’s timing was disastrous and his choice of timid Daniel F. Royer was a calamity. Royer was not only ignorant of Indians-he was terrified of the unruly Oglalas. He had been at his post only a few days when the Oglalas had a new name for him-Young-Mao-Afraid-of-Indians. His method of dealing with the Oglalas, teacher Emma Sickels wryly observed, was “Oh please be good and don’t make any trouble.” Interpreter Philip Wells remarked, “I think he’s got an elephant on his hands, as the craze had taken such a hold on the Indians before he took charge. “
To make matters worse, the Commissioner ordered Royer to inform the Oglalas that the Ghost Dance would not be permitted on any occasion. When he gingerly relayed the warning, the Oglalas grunted and ignored him. Not knowing what else to do, he repeated it daily with equal effect. On October 12, less than a week after he became agent, Royer wrote the Commissioner that troops might be needed at Pine Ridge. That was the last thing the commissioner wanted to hear. Pompous General Nelson A. Miles, commander of the Division of the Missouri, had loudly criticized the Indian Bureau’s management of reservations. Many officers were convinced that the War Department should be given control of the Indians, an opinion they freely expressed. The thought of having to call on the army to control the Sioux made the Commissioner’s stomach chum. On October 18 he replied to Royer’s suggestion. “I approve your course of using persuasion with the chiefs,” he wrote, “and I think you had better continue in that direction.”
While Royer dutifully if timidly tried persuasion, the Ghost Dancers were openly defiant. American Horse and Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses supported the agent, but their influence had waned. The Ghost Dancers brazenly helped themselves to the Oglala beef herd; the police, not being inclined to suicide, made no attempt to prevent it.
General Miles arrived at Pine Ridge on October 27 as head of a commission to talk to the Northern Cheyennes about their request to rejoin their own people in Montana. Miles assured Royer that the Ghost Dance craze would die out by itself, but the agent was far from mollified. Miles also held a council with the Oglala chiefs, but they weren’t awed by his presence.
“I want to see our people quit trying to act like whites,” Little Wound responded. “By continuing this dance they can do that, and they intend to dance as long as they wish. Will you please write this down and show it to the Great Father.” Miles was shocked at Little Wound’s boldness, and for the first time he was made aware of the Ghost Dancers’ confidence in their new religion. He still believed, however, that if the dancers weren’t molested, the craze would die out by
itself. After Miles left Pine Ridge, Royer again pleaded with the chiefs to stop the dance. They laughed in his face.
Frightened as well as frustrated, on October 30 Royer poured out his feelings in a long letter to the Commissioner. “The only remedy for this matter,” he concluded, “is the use of the military. Until this is done you need not expect any progress from these people. On the other hand, you must realize that they are tearing down more in a day than the Government can build in a month.”
Unlike Royer, Reynolds appeared calm and unruffled, although the Brulés were every bit as defiant as the more numerous Oglalas. Whatever he may have thought, he didn’t bombard his superiors with requests for help from the army. He knew that Short Bull had been ordered to cease holding Ghost Dances before he became interim agent. He learned that after the beef ration was reduced again just as the Brulés’ corn was dying the hungry Indians had flocked to the dance camps.
Reynolds sent ten Indian police to Red Leaf’s Wazhazha camp on Black Pipe Creek with orders to break up the dancing. The police found the area swarming with half-crazed dancers draped with cartridge belts filled with shells for their Winchesters. Not foolhardy enough to interfere, the police lived to see their families again. Reynolds now informed the Commissioner that for several weeks the Brulés had been buying rifles and ammunition at every opportunity, even trading their ponies and other possessions for arms, and he didn’t like the look of it. On top of that, old Two Strike, whose band had been scattered in cabin settlements, had just brought his people together. He had heard, Reynolds added, that Yellow Robe and Crow Dog were urging Two Strike to take his band to join Short Bull’s Ghost Dancers. On November 2 Reynolds finally admitted that the situation was out of control. “There appears to be,” he wrote the Commissioner, “but one remedy, and that is a sufficient force of troops to prevent an outbreak, which is imminent and which any one of a dozen unforeseen causes may precipitate.”
Culver didn’t question Billy again about his Ghost Dance experiences, for it was clear he’d learn nothing more. Something had happened, he knew, for even though Billy tried to act as he always had, he couldn’t conceal his feeling of expectation. Culver noticed that Billy glanced up whenever anyone entered the post, like he was expecting a caller. He hoped he’d be on hand to dissuade Billy from taking another step in the wrong direction.
In the third week of October, Mash-the-Kettle came to the post to buy tobacco. “Short Bull is at Broken Wing’s camp on Black Pipe Creek,” he said quietly to Billy in Lakota. “He wants you to come as soon as you can. Bring paper for letters. Big doings.” Billy stared after him when he left, and for the rest of the day struggled to hide his excitement. Short Bull had sent for him! Culver watched him thoughtfully that afternoon; several times he semed about to say something, but stopped each time.
Black Pipe Creek was north of the agency and a short distance east of the Rosebud-Pine Ridge boundary, less than a day’s ride away. Early the next morning Billy rolled up his belongings, some stationary, and a pencil in his blankets. He put what little food he had in a canvas bag, then saddled his pony. After sticking his Winchester in the rifle scabbard, he mounted and circled the agency to avoid going past the trading post. He found Broken Wing’s camp in mid-afternoon. Several Brulé cowboys were holding a small herd of beef cattle in the tall grass, and boys were watching the grazing ponies. Some of the cattle were from the Brulé breeding herd, but others bore the brands of white ranchers whose cattle grazed on or near the reservation.
Short Bull greeted Billy and immediately dictated letters to Kicking Bear, Hump, and Big Foot. “My brothers, I believe the time is near when we should all gather in a few big camps, so we can continue dancing until the earth trembles. If we aren’t strong enough to defend ourselves, the Wasicuns will try to stop us. That must not happen. I am going to speak to the Oglalas about it. They say their agent is frightened and talking about calling for bluecoats. That would be bad, but we must not let them keep us from dancing and prevent the new world from coming.”
A rider took the letters to Rosebud to mail, and returned with a letter for Short Bull from Kicking Bear. “My brother, your heart will be glad when I tell you I have been to Sitting Bull’s camp on the Grand River and taught his people the dance. The agent made us leave the reservation, but the dancing had already taken hold among Sitting Bull’s people. He promised to keep it going and not let the agent stop it. Hump’s and Big Foot’s people are also dancing. Our time comes!”
On the last day of October, Billy accompanied Short Bull, Mash-the-Kettle, and other medicine men south up Black Pipe Creek to Red Leafs Wazhazha camp. Although the Wazhazhas were Brulés, they preferred to live with the Oglalas, as they had for years, even though they still had to draw rations at Rosebud. As a result, they camped as close to the Pine Ridge boundary as possible, and many Oglalas lived with them.
That afternoon the whole band assembled, and Short Bull stood on a wagon to speak to them, his sharp face radiant, his powerful voice reaching all. “My brothers,” he said, “as you have heard, a new world is coming to cover the old. It will bury the Wasicuns and bring back your dead relatives and the buffalo. I have told you that this will come to pass in two seasons, but since the Wasicuns are interfering so much I will advance the time from what my Father above told me.” All must dance constantly during the coming Moon of Hairless Calves, he added. “When the time comes the earth will tremble and the wind will blow, and we will go among our dead relations.” It’s the Messiah’s voice coming from Short Bull’s mouth again. I know that is so.
To prepare for the day of rejoicing, Short Bull continued, believers must gather at the mouth of Pass Creek, on the Oglala reservation a short distance west of the boundary between Rosebud and Pine Ridge, and dance every day. Whites must not be permitted to interfere with this final phase of the Ghost Dance. “If soldiers surround you pay no attention to them but keep on dancing. If soldiers surround you four deep, three of you on whom I have put holy shirts will walk around them singing a song I have taught you. Some of the soldiers will drop dead and the rest will start to run, but their horses will sink into the earth. The riders will jump off their horses, but they will also sink into the earth. At that time you can do as you desire with them.” A murmur of happy expectation rose from the warriors. “You must know this-all the soldiers and that race will be dead. There will be only five thousand of them left on earth. My friends and relations, this is straight and true.”
The Wazhazhas and Oglalas were ecstatic. Billy thought of Short Bull’s promise. If five thousand whites were left on earth, surely good people like Culver and the Purvis family would be spared. He was relieved by that thought, for be didn’t want to have to see them destroyed just because they were Wasicuns. Short Bull wouldn’t even kill the bluecoats unless they tried to break up the dances, but the aroused Brulés and Oglalas were no longer satisfied merely to defend themselves. Many now talked of a holy war to drive the whites from the country.
For the next three weeks Billy watched as Brulé and Oglala families flocked to the growing camp on Pass Creek near where it entered the White River. Among them was Bull Bear who again shared his tipi. All of the families brought any stray cattle or horses they saw. They bad abandoned their cabins and moved to Pass Creek to remain. Kicking Bear and some Miniconjus joined them there, and two of the leading Ghost Dance apostles were now together. Billy wrote letters for them to Sitting Bull, Hump, and Big Foot, telling them about the big gathering at Pass Creek and urging them to join it. Sitting Bull responded by inviting all of the Tetons to assemble in the spring at Bear Butte near the Black Hills to wage an all-out war against the whites. Many of Short Bull’s followers were eager to join Sitting Bull in the spring.
Pleas from white settlers in South Dakota and Nebraska, who were certain they and their families would soon be massacred, deluged Washington. Many isolated families abandoned their homesteads and settled temporarily in frontier towns or returned to their former homes elsewhere. T
hose who remained demanded that they be provided with guns and military protection. On October 31, the same day Short Bull aroused the Wazhashas and Oglalas on Black Pipe Creek, the President ordered the Secretary of War to investigate the situation at the Sioux reservations.
General Miles hadn’t returned from his Cheyenne Commission trip, but General Thomas H. Ruger, commander of the Department of Dakota, crossed the Missouri to visit the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River agencies. At the former, be and McLaughlin agreed that the situation was still under control, but that Sitting Bull should be arrested during the winter. Ruger also found that conditions at Cheyenne River were not yet dangerous. He didn’t visit Pine Ridge and Rosebud; although both were under his jurisdiction, they were nearer to the Department of the Platte.
Chapter Twelve
Rumors that the Oglala agent had asked for troops reached Short Bull, but he didn’t appear concerned about the likelihood that the bluecoats would try to stop the Ghost Dance. As he watched the sharp-faced Short Bull and the tall, rawboned Kicking Bear, Billy was sure the Messiah had spoken to them and promised to protect their people. All they needed to do was to keep on dancing until the earth trembled. He hoped the Messiah would come before the troops arrived.
On November 11, just over a month after he became agent, Royer saw the last shred of his authority vanish. As was usual on ration issue day, Pine Ridge was crowded with people and wagons. At noon the beef issue was made in the customary way—steers were turned loose one at a time while whooping warriors dashed after them on their best ponies and killed them as they had the buffalo in the old days. The Indian Bureau had ordered this “barbarous custom” stopped, but Royer was in no position to enforce the order.
An Oglala Ghost Dancer named Little had openly killed cattle in the tribal beef herd, and he brazenly strutted around the agency, as if daring the agent to try to arrest him. When informed of Little’s presence, Royer ordered Lt. Thunder Bear to seize him. The police found Little outside the building where the chiefs were holding council. When Thunder Bear told him he was under arrest, Little drew a butcher knife and prepared to resist.
Man on Two Ponies Page 15
