Indian Wars under the Lead of Sitting Bull by Indian Wars under the Lead of Sitting Bull (2018)

Author:Indian Wars under the Lead of Sitting Bull (2018)
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0000000000000
Published: 2021-10-30T22:19:22+00:00

Chapter XVII.

Messiah Craze and Ghost Dance

Table of Contents

Even with Indians, a war must have a reason.We may call the recent demonstrations by the Sioux and kindred tribes, a craze, an uprising, a war, or by what name we please; it is fuller of meaning for the white race and for the Federal Government than anything that goes to make the weird chapters of Indian annals. And it is being studied, too, from many stand points, all of which are sources of light.

For many months we read of Indian disturbances in the neighborhood of the Pine Ridge reservation, a reservation devoted to the powerful Sioux tribe, or such of it as can be induced to stay on it. These disturbances grew more frequent and pronounced. They extended more widely, till they embraced several of the neigh-boring tribes who are akin to the Sioux. By and by the various reservations seemed to be ablaze with excitement. The Indians left their reservations and began to cluster as armed bands.There was every evidence of a great conspiracy for some bloody purpose. Settlers left their homes and rushed to the agencies and forts for protection. States and the general Government put their troops on a war footing. It looked as though there might be a gigantic and bloody Indian war. But preparation proved to be timely,thanks to large facilities for transportation and a wise concentration of forces.

The Sioux represent one of the largest and bravest tribes of the Northwest. For thirteen years, what may be called the respectable portion of the tribe, has lived on its reservation, has come to own horses and cattle, and has sent many of its children to eastern schools for an education. It is a tribe in which missionaries have worked with success, and have imparted a fair degree of moral culture and Christian doctrine. Therefore, it is hardly to be expected that it would plunge into war without a reason.

The real beginning of the uprising dates from the visit of the Sioux to the Utes in Utah. The religion of the Utes is a graft of Christianity on their own mythology, and one of its solemnities is the superstitious dance, resembling the Sun dance of old.

But although this dance was brought back with the Sioux, it was, when in its infancy,purely of a religious character, and it was only when the medicine men and politicians in the nation began to enlarge upon the wrongs suffered at the hands of the whites, the scarcity of food,the presence of the military, that its general aspect was changed from the sacred rite to a warlike demonstration. But for these complications and the lack of prompt action on the part of prominent officials, the craze might have been easily suppressed, and the dancers returned to their camps on the agency creeks without any trouble whatever.

The Indians located in the Dakotas have been in the habit of visiting the Utes and Arrapahoes every summer for the purpose of trading and hunting en route.

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