Post by ephriam on Mar 23, 2014 8:20:03 GMT -5
Here is a great interview with Picket Pin, a son of the noted Oglala leader Little Wound. Though born a Kiyuksa, he married into the Oyuhpe. Of special interest is his story of a battle and peace with the Pawnee about 1874:
Wounded Knee
Manderson S.D. 21 July 1907
Nicholas Rouleaux, Interpreter
Picket Pin
Hum-pi-ka
Ogalala
56 years old
14 years old when he went on the war party first. The leader was Surrounding Bear. It was against the Pawnees. He don't remember the details but it was a success.
He never led a war party.
He was in 9 big battles mostly against the Pawnees, Shoshones, Crows and soldiers. He says he has but one tongue and will leave out all the minor battles.
He counted [coup] three times though over 100 enemies counted coup on him. In a battle with the Pawnees three scouts, Weasel Bear, Shading Wolf and Rump, returned in the morning, and said a big band of the Pawnee were camped with much dried beef on hand. The warriors rode toward the enemy. The warriors camped and on the next forenoon they were preparing to attack. The Sioux party numbered over 100. Arriving at a hill they sent a scout to the summit. Little Wound was the scout, who said the best warriors should go on and those whose horses were in poor shape should remain right there. He followed the best warriors. As they went along a ravine one of the Sioux rode up on a hill said something and went out of sight. So Picket Pin followed him. He saw a Pawnee coming down hill on horse back loaded with meat. Picket Pin charged on the enemy and the other warriors followed him. The Pawnee dumped off the meat go on the horse and ran away. The Pawnee rode over a hill and when Picket Pin got there he saw other Pawnee cutting up meant. They ran to a ravine and their horses ran in another direction. The Sioux went after the horses but Picket Pin charged on the Pawnees but lost them in the brush. The other warriors came there but could not find the enemy and went towards the east. Quite away from there they ran on to the main Pawnee camp and they were killed right and left by the Sioux. The Pawnees ran along a canyon which was full of swarming Pawnees. He across the canyon and encountered a Pawnee charged on him and ran over him with his horse. He jumped off and took the scalp from the live enemy. This is equal to two coups but he counts if but one.
The next coup was where he shot a Ree and took his scalp.
The next coup was where he struck an Omaha with his lance and then took his whole scalp.
He fought against Crook, Miles and Hearny [Harney].
There are 3 Cheyennes and 2 Sioux went on a war party. They travelled for 35 days when they saw 5 enemies, Pawnees, going by. The other Sioux and one of the Cheyennes remarried while he and two Cheyennes followed the enemy. They killed those five Pawnees. He was first to strike coup on each of those five and took the five scalps. He does not count these in his three principal coups. The Pawnees were poorly armed. One had a pistol with only 2 bullets, another had a gun and no cartridges, another had a bow and arrows tied too much with thongs. The others had no weapons. When retreating there came a swarm of Pawnees, yelling and it looked like the world was full of Pawnees. There seemed no escape for Picket Pin. When the Pawnees came close the Cheyennes and one of the Sioux ran into the brush while Picket Pin held his ground in the open. A Pawnee on a sorrel horse charged on him. Picket Pin had a carbine and six-shooter. When the Pawnee got close he started to shoot him but the trigger failed and was useless from that on. The Pawnee tried to strike but Picket pin raised his gun on which the Pawnee broke his bow. Then another Pawnee on a spotted horse struck him with the butt of his gun and passed on. A third Pawnee on a bay horse him hit with a hatchet. A fourth on a roan horse struck him with a bow. After that the Pawnees swarmed around him striking him with all kinds of things. He could not count them. By this time he thought of his six shooter and charged on the enemy. The enemy ran leaving a sorrel horse which he shot down. The Pawnees turned and charged him again. One of the Pawnees called out loud when they all went over a hill and peeped over the top. Four Pawnees came towards him holding their arms aloft. They made signs that they don't have battles in this place any more but he had come there and now they would shake hands and be friends. One of the Cheyennes called out from the brush saying "That is right let us shake hands and go to their village. It is the only way to escape."
One Cheyenne came out and stood with Picket Pin. A Pawnee on a pinto horse came forward and shook hands with the two. The other three Pawnees came forward and held the hands of the two while the whole Pawnee force charged again striking the two for coups while the Pawnee soldiers struggled to save their lives. They found afterward that the one on the pinto was chief of all the Pawnees, named Spotted Horse.
After the Pawnee soldiers kept the others back while Spotted Horse took them toward the village. As they approached a brave[?] charged on Picket Pin with bow and arrows but Spotted Horse took away his bow and arrows broke them up and tied the brave hand and foot. [In margin:] This big fight was in Oklahoma on a creek called Wolf Creek.
At the village Spotted Horse gave him food and smoked the pipe and said: "All the enemies of the country fought against me. I fought the Sioux today but we shook hands and we are friends. After this there will be no more battles against the Sioux. Hereafter my children will sleep unmolested."
To be struck for coup is greater honor than to strike coup yourself.
The summer before the Sioux had nearly wiped out a Pawnee village while the men were on a buffalo hunt. The Pawnees were more generous than the Sioux.
No more battles took place with the Pawnees. The peace endured.
His father was Little Wound, chief of the band known as Ki-ya-xas (Cut-Offs).
He considers Crazy Horse the greatest leader of the Sioux, the next was High Back who was killed by the Shoshones some years ago. He did not live so long is the only reason he was not greater than Crazy Horse.
Custer was the greatest warrior among the whites, because he don't sneak in like a Crow but fought in the open day and died with his soldiers like a man. They call Custer "Long Hair."
Wounded Knee
Manderson S.D. 21 July 1907
Nicholas Rouleaux, Interpreter
Picket Pin
Hum-pi-ka
Ogalala
56 years old
14 years old when he went on the war party first. The leader was Surrounding Bear. It was against the Pawnees. He don't remember the details but it was a success.
He never led a war party.
He was in 9 big battles mostly against the Pawnees, Shoshones, Crows and soldiers. He says he has but one tongue and will leave out all the minor battles.
He counted [coup] three times though over 100 enemies counted coup on him. In a battle with the Pawnees three scouts, Weasel Bear, Shading Wolf and Rump, returned in the morning, and said a big band of the Pawnee were camped with much dried beef on hand. The warriors rode toward the enemy. The warriors camped and on the next forenoon they were preparing to attack. The Sioux party numbered over 100. Arriving at a hill they sent a scout to the summit. Little Wound was the scout, who said the best warriors should go on and those whose horses were in poor shape should remain right there. He followed the best warriors. As they went along a ravine one of the Sioux rode up on a hill said something and went out of sight. So Picket Pin followed him. He saw a Pawnee coming down hill on horse back loaded with meat. Picket Pin charged on the enemy and the other warriors followed him. The Pawnee dumped off the meat go on the horse and ran away. The Pawnee rode over a hill and when Picket Pin got there he saw other Pawnee cutting up meant. They ran to a ravine and their horses ran in another direction. The Sioux went after the horses but Picket Pin charged on the Pawnees but lost them in the brush. The other warriors came there but could not find the enemy and went towards the east. Quite away from there they ran on to the main Pawnee camp and they were killed right and left by the Sioux. The Pawnees ran along a canyon which was full of swarming Pawnees. He across the canyon and encountered a Pawnee charged on him and ran over him with his horse. He jumped off and took the scalp from the live enemy. This is equal to two coups but he counts if but one.
The next coup was where he shot a Ree and took his scalp.
The next coup was where he struck an Omaha with his lance and then took his whole scalp.
He fought against Crook, Miles and Hearny [Harney].
There are 3 Cheyennes and 2 Sioux went on a war party. They travelled for 35 days when they saw 5 enemies, Pawnees, going by. The other Sioux and one of the Cheyennes remarried while he and two Cheyennes followed the enemy. They killed those five Pawnees. He was first to strike coup on each of those five and took the five scalps. He does not count these in his three principal coups. The Pawnees were poorly armed. One had a pistol with only 2 bullets, another had a gun and no cartridges, another had a bow and arrows tied too much with thongs. The others had no weapons. When retreating there came a swarm of Pawnees, yelling and it looked like the world was full of Pawnees. There seemed no escape for Picket Pin. When the Pawnees came close the Cheyennes and one of the Sioux ran into the brush while Picket Pin held his ground in the open. A Pawnee on a sorrel horse charged on him. Picket Pin had a carbine and six-shooter. When the Pawnee got close he started to shoot him but the trigger failed and was useless from that on. The Pawnee tried to strike but Picket pin raised his gun on which the Pawnee broke his bow. Then another Pawnee on a spotted horse struck him with the butt of his gun and passed on. A third Pawnee on a bay horse him hit with a hatchet. A fourth on a roan horse struck him with a bow. After that the Pawnees swarmed around him striking him with all kinds of things. He could not count them. By this time he thought of his six shooter and charged on the enemy. The enemy ran leaving a sorrel horse which he shot down. The Pawnees turned and charged him again. One of the Pawnees called out loud when they all went over a hill and peeped over the top. Four Pawnees came towards him holding their arms aloft. They made signs that they don't have battles in this place any more but he had come there and now they would shake hands and be friends. One of the Cheyennes called out from the brush saying "That is right let us shake hands and go to their village. It is the only way to escape."
One Cheyenne came out and stood with Picket Pin. A Pawnee on a pinto horse came forward and shook hands with the two. The other three Pawnees came forward and held the hands of the two while the whole Pawnee force charged again striking the two for coups while the Pawnee soldiers struggled to save their lives. They found afterward that the one on the pinto was chief of all the Pawnees, named Spotted Horse.
After the Pawnee soldiers kept the others back while Spotted Horse took them toward the village. As they approached a brave[?] charged on Picket Pin with bow and arrows but Spotted Horse took away his bow and arrows broke them up and tied the brave hand and foot. [In margin:] This big fight was in Oklahoma on a creek called Wolf Creek.
At the village Spotted Horse gave him food and smoked the pipe and said: "All the enemies of the country fought against me. I fought the Sioux today but we shook hands and we are friends. After this there will be no more battles against the Sioux. Hereafter my children will sleep unmolested."
To be struck for coup is greater honor than to strike coup yourself.
The summer before the Sioux had nearly wiped out a Pawnee village while the men were on a buffalo hunt. The Pawnees were more generous than the Sioux.
No more battles took place with the Pawnees. The peace endured.
His father was Little Wound, chief of the band known as Ki-ya-xas (Cut-Offs).
He considers Crazy Horse the greatest leader of the Sioux, the next was High Back who was killed by the Shoshones some years ago. He did not live so long is the only reason he was not greater than Crazy Horse.
Custer was the greatest warrior among the whites, because he don't sneak in like a Crow but fought in the open day and died with his soldiers like a man. They call Custer "Long Hair."