Lakota Flower (22 page)

Cloud Chaser empathized with the man’s confusion and anguish, but felt it was necessary to mislead the army through David. “Indians might not be to blame for that mystery. Last summer there was a gang of white men dressing as Indians, right up to using full-head scalps they had lifted, and attacking military shipments and stages. During one of their raids, they killed an entire escort of soldiers bringing weapons and supplies here and stole their load. They shot arrows into those soldiers’ bodies and took scalp locks to point the army’s eyes in the wrong direction. They were killed while trying to rob a mail stage and their identities as white men were exposed. Probably some of those other raids the Indians are being blamed for were committed by that gang before it was destroyed. Could be some of its members escaped and have formed a new gang and they’re responsible for your sister’s disappearance, or maybe another gang is at work in this territory now. Ask Major Cady to check Lieutenant Fleming’s reports for last August if Major Hoffman still has them in his office. It would be a smart idea for Harney to do the same; he might learn he can’t blame Indians for every misdeed carried out in these parts. Best I recall, it was toward the first of the month, but most of us don’t keep up with day numbers out here.”

Ben added, “I remember that fracus. Flemin’ got big praise for it, but it didn’t save his butt after that Grattan mess. Besides, seems to me, if my recall is right, Grattan handled that trap ‘cause Flemin’ was at Kearny.”

“That does sound familiar to me,” Cloud Chaser concurred in a casual tone, though he possessed the truth of the entire matter. He knew from checking out that report later that his name and involvement in it had not been recorded. Since Grattan and those soldiers had been slain in that socalled massacre, no one was alive who could expose his part in it. He was glad Grattan had wanted all of the recognition for uncovering and resolving that matter. Yet, learning about such deceptions by his own kind had not changed Grattan’s
mind about “ignorant and uncivilized” Indians needing to be subjugated or slain or driven into the wilderness far away from this desired territory. That man’s feelings, blindness, and arrogance had gotten him and his soldiers killed, along with many innocent or provoked Brules.

David smiled and said, “Thanks for the information, Chase, and you could be right. I’ll ask Major Cady to check out those reports from last August. Maybe Fate is being kind to me and she brought us together today to give me hope about Caroline. At least you’ve given me a clearer image of the Indians and history here. I’ll be sure to include those facts in the letter I’m writing to Secretary Davis. I mean,”—David halted and scowled—”there’s no need to lie to you two, but I hope you won’t mention to anybody what I said and intend to do. I just thought I should send the Secretary of War a detailed and honest account of what happened at Ash Hollow because I’m doubtful the whole truth will be told in our officers’ reports, and I think the secretary, president, and Congress should know what’s really going on out here. I’m hoping they don’t want to be a party to such atrocities and will order them stopped.”

“Don’t worry, David, we’ll keep quiet, won’t we, Ben?”

“Sounds like a good and brave deed to me,” Ben said. “And it surely needs to be kept quiet or it’ll cause you plenty of trouble.”

“I’m not signing my name to it, and that’s why I asked you to mail it for me, Ben. Thanks for keeping my secret.”

Cloud Chaser responded for them, “You’re welcome, David. I’m glad we got to meet and talk. Good luck with finding your sister. While I’m traveling around, if I hear anything about a white woman being with Indians, I’ll send word to you at Fort Kearny. Ben will keep his ears open, too.”

“I’ll be grateful for anything you can do to help locate her, and perhaps you’ve already pointed me in the right direction. She’s hard not to notice if you sight her: nineteen, slender, blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful, and a real southern
lady. She’s intelligent, brave, and kindhearted; so maybe those traits will keep her safe until I can rescue her. It’s getting late, so I need to get back to my company. How much for those writing supplies, Ben?”

After the charge was paid and the men shook hands, David departed with his purchases concealed beneath his coat. Shortly afterward, Cloud Chaser left to make camp near the clear mountain-fed Laramie River.

The next day, Cloud Chaser struck up a conversation with a teamster named William Chandless who had passed Ash Hollow en route there to deliver goods and was preparing to head back for another haul. Chandless related that when he had camped overnight at the hollow some soldiers had told him General Harney made an “inflammatory speech” laced heavily with obscenities against the Indians to get his men worked up into the “killing mood” before the recent attack there.

Chandless voiced his opinion as “I’m sure Harney will take a beating from Christians and northerners because of what he did and being a southerner, but I guess he had no choice except to set them Indians straight. He surely had the upper hand with rifles that can kill at half a mile. ‘Course, I had to feel a little sorry for them Indians who didn’t get buried; wolves and ravens were working hard on their bodies.”

Following a few more minutes of talk, Chandless had to leave, so Cloud Chaser thanked him for the news and bade him a safe journey. Afterward, he rode to the site where his brother and companions were to meet him, but they still had not arrived. He hoped and prayed they were safe and would join him soon so he could reveal all he had learned and they could make plans for their next move, for which he had a daring idea…

* * *

Far northeast of the fort on “the river that lives,” War Eagle and his party were greeted by their allies in the makeshift joint-camp of Little Thunder and Spotted Tail. While allowing their four weary mounts to rest, drink, and graze, they sat down on the grassy surface to speak with the two leaders and their remaining warriors.

As they did so, somber women busied themselves with their tasks while small children clung to either their dress tails or their legs, still visibly frightened from their recent clash with terror. It was sad to the visitors to see that all the survivors possessed were the garments they wore, weapons, and some horses. They had no tepees, sleeping or sitting mats, winter rations, or other personal needs for doing their chores. Yet, the women were making the best of a grim situation as they roasted freshly slain antelope and large plant roots over carefully controlled flames to avoid telltale smoke in the air. Without water bags and horn holders, drinking was being done at the river. Shelters had been made by laying branches across crevices in the lower bluffs, beneath which they could escape the sun or any bad weather. Upon arrival, they noted the men were busy preparing more arrows and sharpening other weapons to be ready for hunting and defense.

The Red Shields were told about the fierce battle and that the Brules and their friends had fled through the north end of the Blue Water Creek Valley. As with the escapees, they had traveled across rolling grass-covered sand hills or around barren dunes and over flat-lying plains to the hilly section of high and low bluffs, some with sharp ridges. It was a good place to camp, as trees and scrub brush were numerous. That and the broken terrain would provide concealment from enemy eyes and wood for cook fires. The river would supply them with water; and the location, with ample game for food.

After Little Thunder finished his revelations, War Eagle
disclosed how he and his companions had witnessed the attack and explained why they could not join in on the battle. With great reluctance and empathy, but out of necessity, he told the two chiefs and the people what they had observed for the remainder of that dark sun and during the ensuing three days. He related how his party had tracked them to that location to enlighten them to those terrible events.

He addressed his first words to Spotted Tail. “We ask Sinte Galeska and his friends to forgive us for staying hidden, but there were too many bluecoats with firesticks to battle. It is not the Lakota way to make a challenge a warrior cannot win, to sacrifice his life in certain defeat, for our people need us on coming suns. We could not free those taken captive or tend to your dead, for the bluecoats remained alert for such deeds.”

Spotted Tail said, “It is good the slayers of women and children do not have the eagle’s eyes and skills or we would be dead, for we would not have surrendered on that sun. Our hearts and minds were too full of hatred and anger. You did not dishonor yourselves, son of Rising Bear and good Red Shields, for a Lakota victory on that sun could not be. You were wise not to challenge such a large and powerful force, for you must live to help defeat this enemy when they challenge Lakotas again, for they are sure to do so.”

After he waited for War Eagle to nod agreement and gratitude, Spotted Tail went on to say, “The bluecoats chased us for less than half a sun. They do not know the Creator’s land as we do. We hid from their evil eyes and ears until they gave up their search and returned to Mad Dog’s camp. We have few warriors among us, but we rode as the wind and took horses from their fort. The others hid until we returned and used them to come here to rest and tend to our wounds. We sent braves to the camps of our allies. They rode as the wind and returned fast with the new messages from Agent Twiss and Mad Dog. I lost two of my wives, one to a bluecoat’s firestick and one to capture. One of my children also fell to
the enemy’s firestick, as did other members of my larger family. It is wrong that they feed the Creator’s creatures and do not lie upon scaffolds for their spirits to return to His side. Two of their bullets pierced my flesh and two bluecoats cut me with their long knives, but I live and heal. Our hearts are sad. Our bodies are weak, and some are injured. Our spirits no longer soar high and free as the sky birds.”

After he repeated the harsh demands of General Harney, Spotted Tail said, “If we do not surrender to Mad Dog, he will hunt us down and slay us, no matter how many suns or seasons he must chase us to do so. We cannot seek help from our allies, for Mad Dog will attack them as he attacked us at Blue Water. Without our possessions and with our number so few, we cannot survive the coming winter. If we remain free, Mad Dog will believe others help us hide from him to survive. He will attack all Lakota camps searching for us. We must not endanger the lives of others. Long Chin and Red Leaf say I speak wise and true. The Cheyenne among us left to join their allies far away, for their chief Tseske Vosototse was slain during the attack. The son of my sister will not surrender at my side. Crazy Horse will leave us soon to join another band to live in freedom while he waits for the sun to challenge the white man. He does not trust them and says his vision told him he must do a great deed for all Lakotas when he is older. I accept his words.”

War Eagle knew that Long Chin and Red Leaf were the brothers of Chief Brave Bear, who had been killed by Grattan’s unit. He also knew that Little Butte was an ally of his friend Red Wolf’s Cheyenne band. After he returned home, he must take that sad news to Red Wolf’s people.

Little Thunder said, “We did not believe Mad Dog would attack for we were camped peacefully and have done no raids since the last hot season. I will not surrender to the butcher who attacked us and dishonored their own white flag of truce. Surely I would be tortured and slain, and my body left to feed the scavengers. I will lead my people far away
where we will be safe. I will no longer challenge the bluecoats and whites, for they are too many and too strong. We will ride in two suns. Little Thunder has spoken.”

Following more talk, War Eagle said they had to leave to join his second brother, who was scouting at Fort Laramie. He told Spotted Tail, “You are wise and brave and possess a good heart, Sinte Galeska. We will pray for the white war chief to show you and your people mercy. Farewell, my Brule friends. May the Great Spirit go with you and guide you.”

“Pilamaya,
Wanbli.
Wakantanka nici un.”
The chief thanked him and echoed his last words.

As they galloped away, War Eagle dreaded to learn the fates of Spotted Tail, Long Chin, Red Leaf, and their band members. He surmised that Harney would not be wholly satisfied with their surrenders since that event excluded those of Little Thunder and the remnants of his band when it was well known that Little Thunder was responsible for some raids and involvement in Grattan’s defeat. To War Eagle, it was selfish and cowardly of Little Thunder to imperil all Lakotas and their territory so he could remain free and alive. He prayed that the white leaders would show mercy to the submissive Brules. If they were slaughtered after yielding, it would be taken as a show that the white man was utterly evil, could not be trusted in the slightest, and no truce was possible, ever.

Anxious to join his brother and hear what Cloud Chaser had learned, War Eagle ordered them to a swifter pace, while staying alert for any threat. He could not help thinking that as soon as their duties were completed, he could ride for home to help protect their people, and Caroline. Calling her image to mind and knowing she would be near him again soon caused his heart to beat faster, his desire to enflame, and his spirit to soar.
It will not be long before we are together again, Kawa Cante. I quiver with eagerness to look upon your face, to hear your voice, to touch you. Somehow I
must find a way to make you mine, for I am filled with love for you.

Three days later and concealed amidst trees growing along the riverbank, War Eagle and his companions sat with Cloud Chaser and listened to all he had learned during their separation. As soon as Cloud Chaser completed his revelations, War Eagle told him the shocking news about the imminent surrender of Spotted Tail, his remaining band, and few others. He related the refusals and intentions of Little Thunder and Crazy Horse, and the northwest departure of the surviving Cheyenne following the death of their leader and some band members. “We will wait here to see if Sinte Galeska and others do as they told us; then we will ride fast to our camp.”