Here's one more about the soldiers and the Indians. The messianic, anti-white ghost dance fervor swept through a segment of the Sioux population in the Dakota Territory in 1890. Adherents believed that their shirts could acquire magical powers and deflect the soldiers bullets. It proved to be a regrettable error in judgement. Sitting Bull was coaxed out of "retirement" in Canada, only to be killed (perhaps murdered) in a fracas with Indian police. Another chief Yellow Bird perpetuated the movement. It all came to a violent end on December 29, 1890 when 200 or so Indians were machine-gunned and left in the snow by US soldiers along a stretch of Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. Some time later the frozen bodies were dumped in a mass grave. I think that here is a strong desire by most people to believe activities that they engage in serve a greater good. Most people don't want to admit that they have participated in something heinous and without purpose. Guilt can be avoided if the opponent is considered less than human. In modern parlance you need to put "spin" on your view of events as they happened, in this case massive spin was necessary. W. H. Prather was a private in the 9th US Cavalry. He also happened to be black. He penned his view of the events of Wounded Knee with the idea that they would be passed out to the soldiers in the campaign. The lyric was printed in the Bureau of American Ethnology, 14th Annual Report (1892-93). Bob Dylan was much more succinct; "the cavalry charged, and the Indians died"

THE INDIAN GHOST DANCE AND WAR by Pvt. W. H. Prather

The Red Skins left their Agency, the Soldiers left their Post,
All on the strength of an Indian tale about Messiah's ghost
Got up by savage chieftains to lead their tribes astray;
But Uncle Sam wouldn't have it so, for he ain't built that way.
They swore that this Messiah came to them in visions sleep
And promised to restore their game and Buffalos a heap,
So they must start a big ghost dance, then all would join their band,
And may be so we lead the way into the great Bad Land.

Chorus:
They claimed the shirt Messiah gave, no bullet could go through;
But when the Soldiers fired at them, the saw this was not true,
The Medicine man supplied them with their great Messiah's grace;
And he, too, pulled his freight and swore the 7th hard to face.

About their tents the Soldiers stood, awaiting one and all,
That they might hear the trumpet clear when sounding General call,
Or Boots and Saddels in a rush, that each and every man
Might mount in haste, ride soon and fast to stop this devilish band;
But Generals great like Miles and Brooke don't do things up that way,
For they know an Indian like a book, and let him have his way
Until they think him far enough and then to John they'll say,
"You had better stop your fooling or we'll bring our guns to play.

The 9th marched our with splendid cheer the Bad Lands to explo'e--
With Col. Henry at their head, they never fear the foe;
So on they rode from Christmas eve 'till dawn of Christmas day;
The Red Skins heard the 9th was near and fled in great dismay.
The 7th is of courage bold, both officers and men;
But bad luck seems to follow them and twice has took them in.
They came in contact with Big Foot's warriors in their fierce might;
This chief made sure he had a chance of vantage in the fight.

A fight took place; 'twas hand to hand, unwarned by trumpet call.
While the Sioux were dropping man by man, the 7th killed them all.
And to that regiment be said, "Ye noble braves, well done.
Although you lost some gallant men, a glorious fight you've won."
The 8th was there, the 6th rode miles to swell that great command.
And waited orders night and day to round up Short Bull's band.
The Infantry marched up in mass the Cavalry's support,
And while the latter rounded up, the former held the fort.

E battery of the 1st stood by and did their duty well,
For every time the Hotchkiss barked, the say a hostile fell.
Some Indian soldiers shipped in too and helped to quell the fray,
And now the campaign's ended and the soldiers marched away.
So all have done their share, you see, whether it was thick or thin,
An all helped break the ghost dance up and drive the hostiles in.
The settlers in that region now can breathe with better grace;
They only ask and pray to God to make John hold his base.

rich r