History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 135

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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TOMAHAWK'S FAITII

General O'Brien, stationed at the Standing Rock Agency, Dakota, in 1876, told an interesting story in relation to an Indian at Standing Rock known as Tomahawk. This Indian became a convert to religion some years ago, and has since lived an exemplary life, guarding with a jealous care, apparently, every thought, as well as word or deed, lest the Great Spirit, being displeased, should refuse to smile upon him. Tomahawk had adopted the arts of peace, was cul- tivating the land and was getting around him cattle and swine, as well as ponies and children, and was anxious to train the latter up in the ways of the white man, as well as in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Tomahawk had a Bible, which from its worn appearance indicated constant use. On inquiry, it was found that morning, noon and night, this untutored Indian sat down by his fire- side-a comfortable log cabin-and beginning where he left off at a former sit- ting, traces the lines slowly, as if reading, page after page, and when he gets through turns a leaf, beginning again where he left off. After, in this manner, passing through the Bible, he begins again at the first chapter and again passes through it in the same manner. In explaining why he does this, he said :

This is the Word of the Great Spirit, and when I do this He sees me, and knows 1 want to read His Word, and it makes me happy; and then, when I go to my work, or out on the hunt. I remember that He is good to me, and it makes me happy to think He will again smile upon me when I return to read His Word, and then I can live in the sunshine of His heart. I want my children to learn to read this book, and then I will have them read it in the white man's tongue, and tell me in Sioux what the Great Spirit says ; and it makes me happy to think this.

Tomahawk, it seemed, though unable to read a word, had found the true secret of happiness-love of God, and confidence in His promises.

The annual meeting of the Dakota Presbytery of Indian Churches was held in 1875, at Santee Agency, Neb., opposite the City of Springfield, Bon Homme County. The meeting began at 6 o'clock P. M., Thursday, June 18th, and held until the following Monday noon. There are nine churches in the Presbytery having an aggregate membership of over eight hundred. One is at the Yankton Agency ; one at Santee Agency ; one at Flandreau ; and the others on the Sisseton and Wahpeton reservation, in the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth on the Coteau des Prairies. All the churches were well represented, there being more than two hun- dred visiting Indians. These churches are all under the supervision of native pastors, and they were all present but one; who was too busy building a church to allow him to be present. The elders and deacons of the churches were also present, as well as several teachers in the various schools. During the sessions various questions of interest were discussed in a very intelligent manner. The subjects were the same that interest members of churches of the whites, such as "Ilow Best to Keep the Sabbath," "The Sanctity of the Marriage Relation," "The Best Way to Carry on Missionary Work Among Those Who Have Not Heard

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the Gospel." No fair-minded white person could have witnessed the proceedings of these meetings without imbibing a very favorable impression regarding the capacity of the Indian for civilization and christianization. Twelve years ago nearly all these people were in Minnesota, and many of them may have participated in the Little Crow massacre of that time. They are now, to all appearances, safely on the road to become useful citizens of the United States, and possibly as good citizens as the average of their white brothers.

The Congregational Association of Dakota was held in the Indian Church at Santee Agency, Nebraska, in 1873, as a compliment to Rev. A. L. Riggs, who was a Dakotan as well as a Nebraskan. Rev. Joseph Ward represented the mother church of Yankton. The proceedings and services were conducted partly in the Indian language and as the Indians who attended formed the greater part of the assemblage, there was much of interest in the conference for the pale faces. The Indians sung a number of hymns which had been popular in the church for half a century and had been translated by Mr. Riggs, and there was more expression and spirit and voice in their singing than would be found in an exclusively white gathering. There was an earnestness about everything in which the savages took part. A large number of Indian children were brought to the altar and conse- crated to God in baptism ; the Sacrament of the Communion was also celebrated in which the Indian participants were surprisingly numerous.

A CUSTER INCIDENT

General Custer related this incident which occurred during his Black Hills expedition in 1874.

It was during one of our resting days in camp. I was seated alone in my tent, when suddenly, as if from the rocks and forest of that beautiful region, I heard the familiar "Old Hundred" burst forth from a score or more of manly voices. Then followed the equally familiar hymn, "Rock of Ages," and others not less known. Cavalrymen are not noted for their hymn-singing qualities, and I slipped outside my tent to discover from whom this music came. It was from a group of Santee young men, my scouts, and I shall long remember the pleasing effect produced by hearing these good old hymns sung, as I then heard them, by men, or the sons of men, who but a few years ago roamed over this country in a state of barbarous wildness. So much for the labors of Christianity and civilization.

Rev. Joseph W. Cook, of the Yankton Ageney, in February, 1876, wrote :

Yesterday I received the chief. Medicine Cow, into the church by baptism. Black Eagle, another chief, rode fifteen miles through a snow storm to be present at the ceremony. Henry Swan, also a chief, rode six miles for the same purpose. Five out of eight Yankton chiefs are now members of the church, and Mad Bull, who died three years ago, was a member.

It is related by R. S. Alexander, of Dell Rapids, that in 1872 quite a number of Indians visited that frontier hamlet with furs to barter for supplies. Mex- ander had the privilege of singing Old Hundred with two of them accompanied on the piano by Mrs. William Vanlepps. The Indians sang out of their own hymn book and Alexander used an English version. The Indians sang well and the two languages harmonized quite well in sound. The Indians sang soprano, but were not aware of it. Alexander sang bass, and Mrs. Vanlipps, alto, Mr. Alexander would run over an old tune, and the Indians would soon turn to the hymn in their book which they sang to that tune. The music was continued for some time. butt did not exhaust the repertoire of the red people, who came into Dell Rapids with a fine yoke of cattle and a large sled ; the sled being one of their own mam facture, somewhat rough but strong and serviceable.

DOCTOR WARD'S REPORT ON DAKOTA MISSIONS

The American Board of Domestic Missions held their annual meeting in Milwaukee in October, 1878. Rev. Joseph Ward, pastor of the First Congress

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tional Church, of Yankton, submitted the report on Dakota missions, which ap- peared to elicit more interest than any other topic presented for the consideration of the board. The report was made on the authority of a committee to which the Dakota missions had been committed, and as it incited a spirited debate was re- commited without definite action.

The report stated :

The work in Dakota has been progressing with a gratifying proof of the power of the gospel to regenerate the wildest Indian. The committee rejoices at the translation of the bible into the Dakota Indian language, and wish to bring before the members of the churches points which should be kept continually in mind. The Indians are not dying out, but increasing, which can be conclusively proven by a single glance. If they are to remain among us and form an essential part of our national life, it becomes necessary to adopt plans, not only to work harmoniously for the present but to look far into the future. Christian people have no longer the right to cherish the hope that the Indian question is going to be settled by visitation by God, or through the agency of disease. We will not believe they ever felt it should be settled by extermination. The policy of massing the Indians in great numbers by gathering them into the Indian Territory, and a few large reservations, is fatal to true progress. It sounds plausible, but if it were possible, it is not right. It cannot be done without disregarding the rights of every tribe. Two things urge the adoption of the plan, the greed of the white man for Indian lands, and the half sentimental way of looking at the question held by too many good people. It is a dream of many to find a wholesale way of Christianizing the Indian. It is a beautiful theory to let the job by contract in a lot, and have them away from us by themselves. We must not forget our children's interest in this land, with Indians, Germans, Irishmen, Scandinavians, Chinamen, ete. Since they are to remain and form a part of the nation, the sooner legislation recognizes and con- forms to this fact the better for them and us. We should do all in our power to secure proper legislation, so that the Indians everywhere shall have the privilege of taking and holding public lands like other citizens. They should be placed under the same laws that protect us, and punished the same as the whites.

It is to be regretted if any religious body felt that it had the exclusive right to give missionary instruction. As the American missionaries furnished the true solution of the eastern question, so the missionaries of this board wrought the solution of the Indian question. This country applied the gospel faithfully and the gospel solved it. If the Indian can't be saved we are all lost. Now is the time to press forward, because if we do not lift the Indian up, with citizenship, he will be dragged down into barbarism. Their treatment is the loadstone of national honor. Greater work can be done than in Turkey.

The memorial of the Dakota Mission, submitted by Doctor Ward, asked the board to testify against any monopoly of missionary rights established by civil authority, favoring some and excluding others from certain fields.

Second-While we recognize the advantages that have resulted to the Indian service from the plan of giving to religious bodies the selection of Indian agents, we are con- strained to say it should be abandoned. Its special usefulness is now past, and its con- tintiance is to risk odium and damage to the Christian church, entailing politieal responsi- bility, which is burdensome and dangerous and not in accord with the genius of our Con- stitution.

Third-The true civil as well as spiritual regeneration of the Indian tribes is by the power of the gospel, and now is the time to push forward mission work among them.

CHAPTER LNE COST OF WAR AND PEACE COMPARED

SECRETARY DELANO EXPLAINS PEACE POLICY-GENERAL, SHERIDAN IN 1874- (,L.X- ERAL SHERMAN'S VIEW'S-COST OF WAR COMPARED WITH COST OF PEACE-WITH- DRAWING PUBLIC LAND FROM MARKET TO PROTECT THE SIOUX AND RESTORING IT.

In 1873 a formal statement was made by the secretary of the interior in explanation of the plan, purpose and scope of what had become known as the Peace Policy. There was considerable agitation throughout the country regard- ing the opening of the Black Hills. The pressure for the transfer of the Indian bureau to the war department was most acute ; and the secretary explains, as his purpose in making the statement, that "the public mind is sought to be confused by criticism and misrepresentation as to the real purpose animating the Govern- ment in its course toward the Indian tribes," hence he deems it best to present the Government's position, as follows ( Mr. Columbus Delano was then seere- tary of the interior) :

First-The "Peace Policy" proposed to place the Indians upon reservations as rapidly as possible, where they can be provided for in such manner as the dictates of humanity and Christian civilization require. Being thus placed upon reservations, they will be removed from such contiguity to our frontier settlements as otherwise will lead necessarily to ire- quent outrages, wrongs, and disturbances of the public peace. On these reservations they can be taught, as fast as possible, the arts of agriculture and such pursuits as are incident to civilization, through the aid of the Christian organizations of the country now engaged in this work, acting in harmony with the Federal Government. Their intellectual, moral and religious culture can be prosecuted, and thus it is hoped that humanity and kindness may take the place of barbarity and cruelty. If a majority of the people of the United States prefer extermination to the course here indicated, and desire to see all the horrors and bloodshed and loss of life among both whites and Indians incident to the policy of extermination, then it is well enough to denounce in vague and general, if not unmeaning terms, the "Quaker Policy."

Second-Whenever it shall be found that any tribe or band of Indians persistently refuse to go upon a reservation, and determine to continue their nomadic habits, accom panied with depredations and outrages upon our frontier settlements, then it is the policy of the President to treat such band or tribe with all needed severity, to punish them for their outrages according to their merits, and thus to teach them that it is better to> fellows the advice of the Government and go upon reservations and bec me civiliz d. rather tl .in continue the native habits and practices. The recent conduct of the Maloes wil furnish to the Government an example for the treatment of such tribes ant bands as reins . to accept the benevolent purposes of what is termed the "Quaker Policy" There may be some so impressed with the necessity of non-resistance as to object to the punishment of Indians under the circumstances last referred to. If there be any such, they will I fc 1 assured, have no opportunity for complaining because the policy is not peaceable enough.

Third -- it is the determination of this policy to see that all supphes, of every kind an ] nature, whether for food or clothing, purchased for such Indians s are upon reservati no all remain at peace, are procured at fair and reasonable prices, so that the Indians meriting these supplies may receive the same without having the funds of the Government squ inder d in their purchase. If there be any whose vocation may be interrupted by being deprived of the profits which speculation or peculation may have heretofore afforded in the purchas for Indians, such persons will find abundant reason to complain, because the "Qu, ker Policy" deprives them of the opportunity of gains and profits heretofore enjoyed in this business.

Fourth-It is the purpose of the Government, as fast as possible, through the in stri- mentality and by the advice of the religious organizations, and by all other means within

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its power, to procure competent, upright, faithful, moral and religious agents, to care for the Indians that go upon reservations, to distribute the goods and provisions that are pur- chased for them by the benevolence of the Government, to aid in their intellectual, moral and religious culture, and thus to assist in the great work of humanity and benevolence which the peace policy means. If there be any who are thus deprived of Government posi- tions and office that have hitherto afforded large profit without labor, and without merit, and who are to be prevented in the future from defrauding Indians for their own personal gain, those persons may complain of the Quaker policy and demand extermination.

Fifth-It is the purpose of the peace policy to establish schools, and through the instrumentality of the Christian organizations, acting in harmony with the Government, as fast as possible to build churches and organize Sabbath schools, whereby these savages may be taught a better way of life than they have heretofore pursued, and be made to under- stand the comforts and benefits of a Christian civilization, and thus be prepared ultimately to become citizens of this great nation.

These I understand to be the purposes of the President's peace policy, and this seems to be the occasion when it ought to he studied as to be so understood; for I believe that when understood there are few American citizens who will find the heart to condemn it. I also feel at liberty to say that, as here explained, it has the approbation of every member of the President's cabinet, and that the secretary of war and the secretary of the interior will hereafter, as they have heretofore, act in perfect accord and with perfect sincerity in endeavoring fully and completely to carry out and execute this policy.

Very respectfully yours, C. DELANO.

SHERIDAN'S REPORT

The annual report of Lient .- Gen. Phil. Sheridan, in 1874 ( who had succeeded General Sherman in command of the Department of the Missouri), to the secre- tary of war, exhibits the situation during the Black Hills excitement as viewed by the second in command of the army establishment. The following excerpt from the report gives the portion only that refers to Dakota matters, and takes up the transfer of the Indian bureau to the war department. The language of the report is characterized by that audacious frankness which was a distinguish- ing feature in whatever the gallant soldier wrote officially, or uttered in his brief speeches. We quote :

In the Department of Dakota the military have had the double duty of protecting the settlements from the raids of hostile Indians and the Black Hills country from occupation hy miners attracted there by real or imaginary mineral wealth in the soil.

I earnestly recommend some action that will permanently settle the Black Hills question and relieve us from an extremely disagreeable and embarrassing duty. I feel quite satisfied that all the countries south of the Yellowstone River, from the Black Hills of the Cheyenne as far west as the Big Horn Valley, and perhaps as far west as Clark's Fork of the Yellow- stone, is gold bearing, but as to the amount of gold deposit I cannot say; it may be great or it may he small. This area is also well timbered at many places; has many beautiful valleys of rather high altitude, with good soil and abundance of running water. Nearly the whole of it is well adapted to grazing purposes, the grass being principally bunch grass, with so little rain in the fall and winter as to let the grass cure on the ground and make better hay on the stalk than if cut and cured in the usual manner. The winters are, I have every reason to believe, very cold, but the temperature is uniform; and cold weather is found to be less injurious to stock, where there is no shelter, than a milder climate where the cattle are subjected to the changes of alternate freezing and thawing, and where the rains rot the grass. I make this statement from having studied this country for a long time, and in order that my superiors, who will before long have to deal with the question of the Black Hills, may be able to better appreciate the interests of all concerned, be they white or red.

The Sioux Indians, numbering about twenty-five thousand. now hold this extensive and perhaps very valuable country, and, in addition, the belt eastward from the base of the Black Hills of the Cheyenne to the Missouri River, which would make about ten thousand acres of land for the head of cach family, and perhaps much more, without one single acre being cultivated, while the maximum amount given to one adult white settler by the Govern- ment is only 160 acres, on which he has to live, build a hut, put up fences, till the ground, and pay taxes. Hence much of the trouble of protecting Indian reservations ; the hardy pioneer having very little consideration for the red man, who has so much, and is still so idle and worthless. It would have been better if the Indians had been considered a part of the population of the United States, and dealt with generously. and when forced on reservations. which is always the case, let them be reasonable in size, subject to especial rule and govern- ment. until they are fitted to obey the ordinary laws of the country for the control of all

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our people. But at present we see the ridiculous anomaly of having the most stringent laws, municipal, state and federal, with penalties such as imprisonment in penitentiaries, and even the gallows, for the government of intelligent white people, while we are attempting to govern these poor wild savages without any power over them or any laws at all.

The observation of many years in my own command, and throughout most of the Indian country for the last twenty years, has left the impression that this system of civilizing the wild portion of Indian inhabitants has not met with a success which gives a fair equivalent for the expense, trouble and bloodshed which has attended it. I believe there is true humanity in making the reservations reasonably small, dividing them into tracts for the heads of families, making labor gradually compulsory, and even compelling the children to go to school.

To accomplish this purpose, to civilize, make self-supporting, and save many of these poor people than otherwise will be saved, i believe it best to transfer the Indian bureau to the military, and let it be taken under the general administration of the army, governed and controlled in responsibility of accounting in accordance with our present system. The Indians will thus be humanely and honestly dealt with; and, I believe, if this had always been the case, there would have been but few of the troubles and bloody records which have characterized the civilization of the Indians in many years gone by.

To meet the troubles which will originate from the Black Hills question, and be in advance of them when they come, and be better able to deal with them. I directed, without expense to the Government, an exploration of the Yellowstone River last spring, and selected two sites for military posts, one at the mouth of the Big llorn, the other at the mouth of the Tongue River, both in the Valley of the Yellowstone. These stations can be supplied by steamboats and will have so important a bearing on the settlement of the Sioux Indian question, that I earnestly recommend that Congress be called upon to give authority for their establishment, and the necessary funds for their construction.

P. H1. SHERIDAN. Lieutenant General Commanding Department of Northwest.

GENERAL SHERMAN'S VIEWS

General Sherman, head of the United States army at the time, in one of his annual reports to the secretary of war discussed the Indian question at some length, in which he affirms the theory of the military department :

The peace policy now being pursued by the Government, with every appearance of suc- cess, could not and would not prosper unless a greater show of force was mingled with the milk of human kindness with which the powers that controlled were endeavoring to tame the untutored savage. Speaking of General Sheridan's command. which included Dakota, the report states that it "embraces a country 1,500 miles long by 1.300 miles broad. and that within the preceding ten years the vast region had undergone a radical change. From being a pasture field for millions of buffalo and other game, affording abundant food for the Indians. it had passed into a farming country traversed by a number of railroads, Game has been driven off and the Indians forced on to small reservations. Nearly all the Indian treaties were made on the theory that this change would occur more slowly and that the Government would have to furnish but partial food for the Indians, who would procure a half or a quarter of their necessary meat by hunting; and it was further urged that the Indian would see for himself why he should cultivate the ground like the white man, but his progress in this respect is hardly perceptible, save in remnants of tribes like the Santees, Pawnees, Cherokees, while the Sioux, Cheyennes and Arapahoes prefer idleness to the com- mon toil of the farmer. It was hunger, the report claimed, which drove the Cheyennes and Bannocks to war the preceding summer, and similar escapades will occur each year unless the Indians are kept quiet with more food. It seems idle to expect that the enterprising white race will cease their encroachments until every foot of land on the continent sus- ceptible of cultivation is reclaimed ; and it is not to be expected these pasture fields can be used by the two races without continual conflict. The reservations set apart for the Indians are large enough, and should suffice them to raise all the meat and grain necessary for their subsistence, but in the meantime, unless they are supplied with food. they will steal and fight. To convert these Indians into a pastoral race is the first step in the upward progress of civilization. In this direction is the sole hope of rescuing any part of the nomad Indians from utter annihilation. This end cannot be reached by means of the present peace agent, because persuasion is wasted on an Indian," says the general. "There must not only be a show of force, but actual force and subjection used. Force will be necessary to camp the nomad to cultivate his own ground."

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 135

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198