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APPENDIX.
name of Sitting Bull will necessarily have its place in our border annals.
The subject of this sketch belongs to that branch of the Sioux nation known as Tetons, though in his aggressive movements against the whites he was able to command the support of different branches of the nation, and even of other tribes. It is said that in his earlier days he was a convert and student of the distinguished missionary among the Sioux of the upper Missouri, Father De Smet, who taught him to read and write in the French language. He disdained to receive instruction in English. Father De Smet at one time exercised great influence over the Teton Sioux, and until 1868 kept them from the war-path. It was about that time that this missionary and teacher left the upper Missouri, and soon after his savage student, at the age of about thirty years, became a chief. Years before this, however, he began to manifest that spirit of defiance and hatred toward the whites, and especially toward the government of the United States, which subsequently cost the nation much blood and treasure. In 1862 General Henry A. Morrow was in command of a garrison at Fort Buford, on the Missouri River, and at that time a number of depredations were committed by the Indians in that vicinity, some of which were traced to Sitting Bull, although the wily Indian denied all knowledge of them. These aggressions led to the killing of one of Sitting Bull's young warriors by some of the whites by way of retaliation. This act so exasperated Sitting Bull that he determined to avenge the death of his brave, but General Morrow sought to conciliate him by an investigation of the affair. The result was that the general became con-
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SITTING BULL.
vinced that in this instance the whites had made a mistake. By way of reparation for the wrong done the Indians some presents were bestowed upon the relatives of the dead warrior, in accordance with the Indian custom. This had the effect to somewhat reconcile Sitting Bull for the time being. In the end, however, it made of Sitting Bull a more dangerous enemy, for his success in bringing the whites apparently to terms drew around him many Indians who recognized in him a bold, independent and defiant leader. It was not long until he was at the head of one of the most powerful and dangerous bands on the plains, and as it continued to increase in strength Sitting Bull's arrogance became more marked. He scorned the idea of allowing his powers to be contracted by any "pent up Utica" of a reservation, but claimed all the country along the Yellowstone River and its tributaries.
It was early in the year 1875 that a party of whites from Montana went down the Yellowstone River and erected a fort which they called Fort Pease, on territory claimed by Sitting Bull and his people. The chief notified them to leave, but no attention was paid to his order. Thereupon he sent some of his warriors to shut the whites up in their stockade, and in the struggle which ensued one of Sitting Bull's warriors was killed. This was followed by the killing of two of the whites in retaliation. This was the beginning of what became a bloody Indian war.
Shut up in Fort Pease were forty-seven whites, besieged by a force of five hundred Indians. For three months the besieged kept the savages at bay, but during that time six of the whites were killed and nine wounded. By this time their provisions became about exhausted, and one
