Post by carlo on Apr 23, 2010 10:37:49 GMT -5
In the winter of 1853, a large Hunkpapa war-party crossed the Powder River into Crow country, the clearest statement that the Hunkpapa did not recognize the Crow-Mniconju peace of 1851.
Before long they discovered a Crow village and after the necessary preparations and rituals they attacked it in force. The village was unable to put up a defense and was quickly captured, its inhabitants routed. It seems certain that Sitting Bull, at twenty-two still at the beginning of his warrior career, took part in the fight. Pictographic evidence suggests he overtook a fleeing Crow warrior and with his lance unhorsed him.
The Crows, meanwhile, proceeded to flee toward a nearby butte and went around it in an attempt to escape, with the mounted Hunkpapa right behind them. In the running fight around the butte some other stragglers were killed or captured by the pursuers, but one Crow warrior turned around to make a stand. On foot and all alone he faced the oncoming Hunkpapa, trying to delay the attackers and helping his people escape, knowing full well this would mean certain death. He was dressed in a wool capote, holding a feathered society lance and wearing a magnificent long trailing headdress with four horns. The Hunkpapa warriors were at once distracted by this bold enemy and they soon raced toward him in an effort to gain a war honor on this brave adversary. One mounted Hunkpapa was ahead of the others and instantly killed the Crow with his lance.
Many Hunkpapa warriors found the design of the Crow war bonnet so much to their liking that afterward they copied it for their own use. For the Lakota, the butte where this fight took place would carry the name “They Flee Around It”.
(Densmore, Blish/Bad Heart Bull, Stirling/Sitting Bull, and most Hunkpapa winter counts)
Carlo
Before long they discovered a Crow village and after the necessary preparations and rituals they attacked it in force. The village was unable to put up a defense and was quickly captured, its inhabitants routed. It seems certain that Sitting Bull, at twenty-two still at the beginning of his warrior career, took part in the fight. Pictographic evidence suggests he overtook a fleeing Crow warrior and with his lance unhorsed him.
The Crows, meanwhile, proceeded to flee toward a nearby butte and went around it in an attempt to escape, with the mounted Hunkpapa right behind them. In the running fight around the butte some other stragglers were killed or captured by the pursuers, but one Crow warrior turned around to make a stand. On foot and all alone he faced the oncoming Hunkpapa, trying to delay the attackers and helping his people escape, knowing full well this would mean certain death. He was dressed in a wool capote, holding a feathered society lance and wearing a magnificent long trailing headdress with four horns. The Hunkpapa warriors were at once distracted by this bold enemy and they soon raced toward him in an effort to gain a war honor on this brave adversary. One mounted Hunkpapa was ahead of the others and instantly killed the Crow with his lance.
Many Hunkpapa warriors found the design of the Crow war bonnet so much to their liking that afterward they copied it for their own use. For the Lakota, the butte where this fight took place would carry the name “They Flee Around It”.
(Densmore, Blish/Bad Heart Bull, Stirling/Sitting Bull, and most Hunkpapa winter counts)
Carlo