Chapter XXVII: The Last Indian War

Leaving the temporary colony under the charge of his director-partner Mr. Nate Salsbury (whose energy found occupation in attending to the details of the future), Colonel Cody and the Indians departed for America, arriving safely, and after refuting satisfactorily, by the Indians themselves, the base slanders that emanated in the imagination of notoriety-seeking busy-bodies, proceeded to the seat of the Indian difficulties in the distant State of Dakota.

State of Nebraska

Executive Department

General W.F. Cody.

Lincoln January 6th 1891.

Rushville. Nebraska.

My Dear General.

As you are a member of my Staff, I have detailed you for special
service; the particular nature of which, was made known during our
conversation.

You will proceed to the scene of the Indian troubles, and
communicate with General Miles.

You will in addition to the special service refered to, please
visit the different towns, if time permit, along the line of the
Elkhorn Rail-Road, and use your influence to quiet excitement and
remove apprehensions upon the part of the people.

Please call upon General Colby, and give him your views as to the
probability of the Indians breaking through the cordon of regular
troops; your superior knowledge of Indian character and mode of
warfare, may enable you to make suggestions of importance.

All Officers and members of the State Troops, and all others, will
please extend to you every courtesy.

In testimony whereof,

John M. Thayer,
Governor.
]

In this campaign against the Indians Buffalo Bill rendered valuable services and was ordered to the command of General Colby of the National Guard of the State of Nebraska, and to report to General Miles, the commander-in-chief.

His authority for going to the front is shown by the accompanying appointment and order from the governor.

Had the Indian uprising broken out into a general war, Buffalo Bill would have had the opportunity to show the world what he could do as a general officer, handling a number of men in action; but fortunately the splendidly conceived and executed maneuvers of General Miles, the commander-in-chief, prevented the outbreak from extending to all the tribes, and put down the rebellious savages with little bloodshed, thus saving a long and cruel war upon the frontier.

The letter given herewith from General Miles, at the conclusion of the campaign, shows the appreciation by General Miles of Buffalo Bill’s services, and which met the general approbation of the press of the country, many correspondents being upon the field; while Colonel Cody’s telegrams to the New York _Herald_ and _Sun_ give a most thorough explanation of the situation.

AS BUFFALO BILL SEES IT.--HE THINKS IT LOOKS LIKE PEACE IN THE INDIAN COUNTRY.

Buffalo Bill telegraphs to the New York _Herald_ from Pine Ridge Agency:

PINE RIDGE AGENCY, DAK.,
IN THE FIELD, via courier to telegraph.

New York _Herald_: Your request for my opinion of the Indian
situation is, by reason of the complications and the changeable
nature of the red man’s mind and action, a puzzler. Every hour
brings out a new opinion. Indian history furnishes no similar
situation.

You must imagine about five thousand Indians, an unusual proportion
warriors, better armed than ever known before, hemmed in by a
cordon, about sixteen miles in diameter, composed of over three
thousand troops, acting like a slowly closing drag-net. This mass
of Indians is now influenced by a percentage as despairingly
desperate and fanatical as the late Big Foot party under Short Bull
and Kicking Bear. It contains also restrained neutrals, frightened
and disaffected Ogalallas, hampered by the powerful Brules, backed
by renegades and desperadoes from all other agencies. There are
about twenty-five hundred acting and believed to be friendly
Indians in and around the agency.

Such is the situation General Miles and the military confront. Any
one of this undisciplined mass is able to precipitate a terrible
conflict from the most unexpected quarter. Each of the component
quantities is to be watched, to be measured, to be just to. In fact
it is a war with a most wily and savage people, yet the whites are
restrained by a humane and peaceful desire to prevent bloodshed
and save a people from themselves. It is like cooling and calming
a volcano. Ordinary warfare shows no parallel. General Miles seems
to hold a firm grip on the situation. The Indians know him, express
confidence in his honor, truth, and justice to them, and they fear
his power and valor as well.

As the mailer now stands, he and they should be allowed,
untrammeled even by a suggestion, to settle the affair, as no one
not on the spot can appreciate the fearfully delicate position. The
chaff must be sifted from the wheat, and in this instance the chaff
must be threshed.

At the moment, as far as words go, I would say it will be peace,
but the smoldering spark is visible that may precipitate a terrible
conflict any time in the next few days. However it ends, more
and prompt attention should be paid in the future to the Sioux
Indian--his rights, his complaints, and even his necessities.
Respect and consideration should also be shown for the gallant
little army, for it is the Indian and soldier who pay the most
costly price in the end. I think it looks like peace, and if so the
greater the victory.

W. F. CODY (“BUFFALO BILL”).

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI.

CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

In the Field, Pine Ridge, S.D., January 11, 1891

Brig. General W. F. Cody.

Nebraska National Guard, Present.

Sir:--

I am glad to inform you that the entire body of Indians are now
camped near here (within a mile and a half). They show every
disposition to comply with the orders of the authorities. Nothing
but an accident can prevent peace being re-established, and it
will be our ambition to make it of a permanent character. I feel
that the State troops can now be withdrawn with safety, and desire
through you to express to them my thanks for the confidence they
have given your people in their isolated homes.

Like information has this day been given General Colby.

Very respectfully yours,
Nelson A. Miles
Major General Commanding
]

THE SITUATION IN THE INDIAN COUNTRY A MARVEL OF MILITARY STRATEGY.

Col. W. F. Cody (“Buffalo Bill”), who is at Pine Ridge, telegraphs the following for the New York _Sun_, which expresses his views of the present critical situation:

The situation to-day, so far as military strategy goes, is one of
the best-marked triumphs known in the history of Indian campaigns.
It speaks for itself, for the usual incidents to an Indian warfare,
such as raids on settlers and widespread devastation, have been
wholly prevented. Only one white man has been killed outside the
military circle. The presiding genius and his able aids have acted
with all the cautious prowess of the hunter in surrounding and
placing in a trap his dangerous game, at the same time recognizing
the value of keeping the game imprisoned for future reasons. I
speak, of course, of the campaign as originally intended to overawe
and pacify the disaffected portion of the Ogalallas, Wassaohas,
and Brules, the Big Foot affair at Wounded Knee Creek being an
unlooked-for accident.

The situation to-day, with a desperate band corralled and the
possibility of any individual fanatic running amuck, is most
critical, but the wise measure of holding them in a military wall,
allowing them time to quiet down and listen to the assurances of
such men as Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Rocky Bear, No Neck,
and other progressive Indians, relieves the situation, so that
unless some accident happens the military end of the active warfare
seems a complete, final, and brilliant success, as creditable to
General Miles’ military reputation as it is to the humane and
just side of his character.

Neither should praise be withheld from Generals Brooke, Carr,
Wheaton, Henry, Forsythe, and the other officers and men of the
gallant little army, who stood much privation. In every instance
when I have heard them speak they have expressed great sympathy for
their unhappy foe and regrets for his impoverished and desperate
condition. They and the thoughtful people here are now thinking
about the future. In fact the Government and nation are confronted
by a problem of great importance as regards remedying the existing
evils.

The larger portion of the Ogalalla Sioux have acted nobly in this
affair, especially up to the time of the stampede. The Wassaohas
and Brules have laid waste the reservation of the Ogalallas, killed
their cattle, shot their horses, pillaged their houses, burned
their ranches; in fact, poor as the Ogalallas were before, the
Brules have left nothing but the bare ground, a white sheet instead
of a blanket, with a winter at hand, and the little accumulations
of thirteen years swept away. This much, as well as race and tribal
dissensions and personal enmity, have they incurred for standing by
the Government. These people need as much sympathy and immediate
assistance as any section of country when great calamities arouse
the sympathy of the philanthropist and the Government. This is now
the part of the situation that to me seems the most remarkable.
Intelligent and quick legislation can now do more than the bullet.

WILLIAM F. CODY (“BUFFALO BILL”).