Red Hawk

[Dietmar]

Charlie asked me to start this new thread on the Oglala Lakota Red Hawk:



RED HAWK (Cetan Luta) – Sioux Oglala. Born in 1854. He was at LBH. Can anyone added more infos? Thank you. (Charlie)

[Dietmar]

Unfortunately there isn´t too much on Red Hawk in books or other sources. He is said to have been a member of Red Dog Oyukhpes. In his warrior age he fought at the Little Bighorn, later he had his own following on the Pine Ridge reservation, where he settled in he Wounded Knee district.
He left an account of the Custer battle and several ledger book drawings.

Look here for his drawings:
www.mpm.edu/collections/artifacts/anthropology/ledger/

I found this piece of information in the internet, obviously taken from accounts told by photographer Curtis, who made some portraits of him:

Red Hawk, Oglala, went on his first war party at the age of eleven. He eventually participated in twenty battles, including the battle against Custer at the Little Bighorn in 1876. He fasted twice. The second time, after two days and a night, he had a vision of four women mourning as they circled the camp, followed by a warrior singing the death song. His grandfather then appeared to him and told him to arise. With that, he awoke. He looked eastward and saw the sun peeping above the horizon so he took his pipe and held it to the rising sun as he offered a prayer, “Let my people with glad hearts behold a good day.” Unfortunately, a few days later, four men were killed in a raid, and their wifes circled the camp mourning, while the survivor of the battle followed them, singing the death song. This piece was inspired by accounts and photos taken by Edward Curtis, 1907.

You can see him with other Lakota, Crow and Cheyenne leaders in the current home page picture of our website.

Here he is with American Horse:


photograph by Charles Milton Bell (SIRIS)



two photographs by De Lancey Gill, 1913 (SIRIS)

Please add or correct anything more. Thanks.

[kingsleybray]

According to the 1890 Pine Ridge census, this man - "Cetanluta, Red Hawk Jr." - was 33 years old, born ca. 1856-57. He belonged to the Wakan tiyoshpaye, a sub-band of the larger Oyuhpe band, which had settled along Wounded Knee Creek. Wakan community is still there today, a few miles north of Manderson.

An older man of the same name, age 64, so born ca. 1825-26, is listed in the main Oyuhpe band, probably the father of our man.

Earlier ref's: a rather mysterious one in the Red Cloud Agency census dated August 3, 1874. "Orphans (parents were killed in /70 - Red Hawk Jr Band)", identified as 43 children. This list includes new arrivals/visitors at the agency from the north.

A family headed by Red Hawk (the elder?) was part of the Crazy Horse village that surrendered at Red Cloud Agency on May 6, 1877. It also included one other named adult male, Good Boy (Red Hawk Jr.?), plus one woman and four girls.

The family must have been involved in the breakouts to Canada in late 1877-78. We may pick up the trail again in the September 1881 Standing Rock census (Sitting Bull surrender ledger). As Ephriam has documented, this list includes the non-treaty people that had surrendered at Ft Keogh, Ft Buford, etc. during 1880-81, and were steamboated down to Standing Rock in summer 1881. As part of Hump's village (mostly Miniconjou) we find a family headed by a Red Hawk of the right age, 24, to be our younger man. Maybe he married into the Miniconjou while up in Canada. It is worth noting that in 1890 Red Hawk Sr's wife is named as No Bow, probably indicating she was a Sans Arc. This is consistent with what we know about the Oyuhpe band: many people had strong northern connections that they chose to renew and re-affirm through marriages, adoptions, visits.

In 1882 the non-treaty camps were re-located to their 'home' agencies - Oglalas to Pine Ridge, Brules to Rosebud, etc. Hump's people went to Cheyenne River but no Red Hawk is included in the tally completed there on June 30. However, a family headed by Red Hawk (unclear which one) is noted as "northern" in the 1882 Pine Ridge Ration Roll, i.e. they were part of the group brought down from Standing Rock to the Oglala agency in spring 1882.

Kingsley

[ephriam]

I can add a few additional details to the life story of Red Hawk Cetan Luta (c1856-1928).

As already noted, he was born about 1856 or 1857. Red Hawk is listed as a "brother" of Iron Thunder (who was a "brother" of Hump) suggesting that he was born Minneconjou. As a young man, Red Hawk remained out with the non-treaty bands. He was present for the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876 (see Nick Ruleau interview in Ricker Interviews and in Michael Donahue's book, Drawing Battle Lines: The Map Testimony of Custer's Last Fight.)

As Kingsley noted, there is a Red Hawk listed with Crazy Horse's band surrendering in May 1877; I suspect that this is our man or his father. Dr. James Irwin, agent at Red Cloud, listed Red Hawk as a Minneconjou on his list of transfers to the Spotted Tail Agency on September 1, 1877. Red Hawk was probably then part of the bands that fled the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies in late 1877, eventually arriving in Canada. He married about 1877-78.

Red Hawk later recalled that he surrendered at Fort Keogh, probably in 1880. He worked as a scout there for about six months and led a delegation north to persuade his brother Iron Thunder to surrender (which he did on Aug. 7, 1880). He was part of the bands transferred to the Standing Rock Agency in 1881 and does appear in the Sitting Bull Surrender Census in the band of his brother Hump. Red Hawk was then transferred to the Pine Ridge Agency in 1882 where he lived the remainder of his life.

During the Ghost Dance troubles, Red Hawk enlisted as an Indian scout. He later served in the Indian Police. He said he had been a headman since about 1896 (death of his father?).

He attended the 1926 Little Bighorn Anniversary. Red Hawk died on March 29, 1928.

[kingsleybray]

Thanks Ephriam. I had forgotten the Sept. 1 transfer of the Red Hawk (the elder?) family from Red Cloud to Spotted Tail Agency.

We have some clues to Red Hawk's role in Lakota spiritual life, too. He gave an interview to Dr James R. Walker, that is printed in LAKOTA BELIEF AND RITUAL, pp 136-37. In it Red Hawk states that he was a Bear Dreamer and so acted as a healer. He had "a revelation from Wi", the Sun, meaning he had endured the Sun Dance and secured a vision. Indicating his Sun Dance scars, Red Hawk stated that because of them no Lakota would doubt his word.

He also spoke about being a warrior, and that he was entitled to "wear the split eagle feather". He doesn't clarify that, but a scout (tonweya) wore an eagle plume with the feather stripped away except for the black tip. However perhaps he means some sort of coup symbolism.

It's worth pointing out that in two of the images printed from the ledger (see Dietmar's posting above) he is shown in battle carrying a fur-wrapped crooked lance. Such lances were the regalia of important officers in the Ihoka, Sotka Yuha and Wichiska warrior societies. (Some sources indicate that the Chante Tinza society had such lances too.) Given his age he may have held such an office during the Canada years.

Kingsley

[charlie]

Thanks to everyone for the answers! Now, we can labelled this chief so:
*(by birth): MINNECONJOU subdivision, Shunka Yute Shni (Eat no dogs) band (the same of Hump);
*(by residence): OGLALA subdivision, Oyuhpe (Refused) band, Wakan (Sacred) sub-band (the same of Kicking Bear).

[Dietmar]

Above are the two best known photos of Red Hawk by Edward S. Curtis.

Some more information from Curtis:

Born 1854. First war-party in 1865 under Crazy Horse, against troops. Led an unsuccessful war-party at twenty-two against Shoshoni. First coup when twelve horse-raiding Blackfeet were discovered in a creek bottom and annihilated. Led another party against Shoshoni, but failed to find them; encountered and surrounded a white-horse troop. From a hill overlooking the fight Red Hawk saw soldiers dismount and charge. The Lakota fled, leaving him alone. A soldier came close and fired, but missed. Red Hawk did likewise, but while the soldier was reloading his carbine he fired again with his winchester and heard a thump and "O-h-h-h!" A Cheyenne boy on horseback rushed in and struck the soldier, counting coup.
Engaged in twenty battles, many with troops, among them the Custer fight of 1876; others with Pawnee, Apsaroke, Shoshoni, Cheyenne, and even with Sioux scouts. Red Hawk fasted twice. The second time, after two days and a night, he saw a vision. As he slept, something from the west came galloping and panting. It circled about him, then went away. A voice said, "Look! I told you there would be many horses!" He looked, and saw a man holding green grass in his hand. Again the voice said, "There will be many horses about this season"; then he saw the speaker was a rose-hip, half red, half green. Then the creature went away and became a yellow-headed blackbird. It alighted on one of the offering poles, which bent as if under great weight. The bird became a man again, and said, "Look at this!" Red Hawk saw a village, into which the man threw two long-haired human heads. Said the voice, "I came to tell you something, and I have now told you. You have done right." Then the creature, becoming a bird, rose and disappeared in the south. Red Hawk slept, and heard a voice saying, "look at your village!" He saw four woman going around the village with their hair on the top of their heads, and their legs aflame. Following them was a naked man, mourning and singing the death-song. Again he slept, and felt a hand on his head, shaking him, and as he awoke a voice said, "Arise, behold the face of your grandfather!" He looked to the eastward and saw the sun peeping above a ridge. The voice continued, "Listen! He is coming, anxious to eat." So he took his pipe and held the stem toward the rising sun. This time he knew he was not asleep, or dreaming: He knew he was on a hill three miles from the village. A few days later came news that of five who had gone against the enemy, four had been killed; one returned alive, and followed the four mourning wives around the camp singing the death-song. Still later they killed a Cheyenne and an Apsaroke scout, and the two heads were brought into camp.

www.curtis-collection.com/curtis/Red%20Hawk.htm

[ephriam]

Another little tidbit I came across this morning:

Pauline Pretty Weasel (wife of Pretty Weasel, close friend of Crazy Horse and member of He Dog's Soreback band of Oglala), was a sister of Red Hawk.

[grahamew]

What happened to Pretty/Good Weasel? Are there any photos of him?

[jinlian]

Red Hawk (far right) photographed in 1913 by De Lancey Gill with (left to right) Hollow Horn Bear and Jack Red Cloud.

The photograph below was taken at Crow Agency, 1926 - it shows James Red Cloud and Red Hawk, together with movie star Bill "Two Gun" Hart (second from left)

[Historian]

The following photos were taken in New York.

Red Hawk - Oglala - 1913


Red Hawk - Oglala - 1913


Red Hawk - Oglala - 1913

[Dietmar]

Thanks! He wears the same outfit as in the photos taken by De Lancey Gill in 1913

[miller7513]

Ephriam reply #7

Descendants of
Red Hawk (---) and No Bow (---)

1. Red Hawk1 (---), born 1826 in Oglala Sioux Nation. He married No Bow (---), born 1830 in Oglala Sioux Nation.

Notes for Red Hawk (---)
Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 177
1887 Pine Ridge pg 155
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491
1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 191
1893 Pine Ridge pg 340

30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 373
30 Jun 1896 Pine Ridge pg 58
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 307
30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 385
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 526
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232
Pauline Pretty Weasel (wife of Pretty Weasel, close friend of Crazy Horse and member of He Dog's Soreback band of Oglala), was a sister of Red Hawk. Ephriam

Born 1854. First war-party in 1865 under Crazy Horse, against troops. Led an unsuccessful war-party at twenty-two against Shoshoni. First coup when twelve horse-raiding Blackfeet were discovered in a creek bottom and annihilated. Led another party against Shoshoni, but failed to find them; encountered and surrounded a white-horse troop. From a hill overlooking the fight Red Hawk saw soldiers dismount and charge. The Lakota fled, leaving him alone. A soldier came close and fired, but missed. Red Hawk did likewise, but while the soldier was reloading his carbine he fired again with his winchester and heard a thump and "O-h-h-h!" A Cheyenne boy on horseback rushed in and struck the soldier, counting coup. Engaged in twenty battles, many with troops, among them the Custer fight of 1876; others with Pawnee, Apsaroke, Shoshoni, Cheyenne, and even with Sioux scouts.
Red Hawk fasted twice. The second time, after two days and a night, he saw a vision. As he slept, something from the the west came galloping and panting. It circled about him, then went away. A voice said, "Look! I told you there would be many horses!" He looked, and saw a man holding green grass in his hand. Again the voice said, "There will be many horses about this season"; then he saw the speaker was a rose-hip, half red, half green. Then the creature went away and became a yellow-headed blackbird. It alighted on one of the offering poles, which bent as if under great weight. The bird became a man again, and said, "Look at this!" Red Hawk saw a village, into which the man threw two long-haired human heads. Said the voice,"I came to tell you something, and I have now told you. You have done right." Then the creature, becoming a bird, rose and disappeared in the south. Red Hawk slept, and heard a voice saying, "look at your village!" He saw four woman going around the village with their hair on the top of their heads, and their legs aflame. Following them was a naked man, mourning and singing the death-song. Again he slept, and felt a hand on his head, shaking him, and as he awoke a voice said,"Arise, behold the face of your grandfather!" He looked to the eastward and saw the sun peeping above a ridge. The voice continued,"Listen! He is coming, anxious to eat." So he took his pipe and held the stem toward the rising sun. This time he knew he was not asleep, or dreaming: He knew he was on a hill three miles from the village. A few days later came news that of five who had gone against the enemy, four had been killed; one returned alive, and followed the four mourning wives around the camp singing the death-song. Still later they killed a Cheyenne and an Apsaroke scout, and the two heads were brought into camp.
Dietmar

Notes for No Bow (---)
Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 177 Sans Arc
1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 No Bow Woman
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491
1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 191
1893 Pine Ridge pg 340
30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 373
30 Jun 1896 Pine Ridge pg 58
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 307
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 526

Children of Red Hawk (---) and No Bow (---) were as follows:
+ 2 i Pauline2 Red Hawk, born 1851 in Oglala Sioux Nation. She married Pretty Weasel (---).
+ 3 ii Cedar Woman2 (---), born 1852 in Oglala Sioux Nation. She married Kills Without Fear (---).
+ 4 iii Austin2 Red Hawk, born 1854 in Oglala Sioux Nation; died 29 Mar 1928 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. He married Alice (---).
5 iv Lights In House2 (---), born 1864 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 177
6 v Yellow Hair2 (---), born 1869 in Oglala Sioux Nation. She married Lame (---), born 1867 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 177 Yellow Hair 1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 Red Middle Face 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491 Red Face 1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 189 Red Middle Of Face 1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 137 Fool Face
7 vi Edw Brown2 (---), born 1874 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 177 1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 Short 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491 Sport 30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 373
8 vii Good Hearted2 (---), born 1883 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: Jun 1886 Pine Ridge 1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491

Generation 2

2. Pauline2 Red Hawk (Red Hawk1), born 1851 in Oglala Sioux Nation. She married Pretty Weasel (---), born 1854 in Oglala Sioux Nation; died 8 Jan 1927 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota, son of Iron Hawk (---) and Woman In Sight (---).

Notes for Pauline Red Hawk
1887 Pine Ridge pg 38 Her Good Horse

30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 369
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 509
30 Jun 1902 Pine Ridge pg 318
30 Jun 1918 Pine Ridge pg 49

Notes for Pretty Weasel (---)
1887 Pine Ridge pg 38

30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 369
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 509
1900 census Pine Ridge pg 55 married 23 yrs
30 Jun 1902 Pine Ridge pg 318
30 Jun 1918 Pine Ridge pg 49
1920 census Shannon pg 28a b 1857 his sister Annie Kills At Night b 1860is living with him

Children of Pauline Red Hawk and Pretty Weasel (---) were as follows:
9 i Susan3 Pretty Weasel, born 1877 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: 30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 369 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 509
10 ii Owen3 Pretty Weasel, born 1891 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. He married Bessie Shane, born 1895 in Crow Nation. Notes: 30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 369 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 509 30 Jun 1902 Pine Ridge pg 318 30 Jun 1918 Pine Ridge pg 49 30 Jun 1922 Pine Ridge pg 380 1 Apr 1933 Pine Ridge pg 436


3. Cedar Woman2 (---) (Red Hawk1), born 1852 in Oglala Sioux Nation. She married Kills Without Fear (---), born 1857 in Oglala Sioux Nation.

Notes for Cedar Woman (---)
1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 Iron Cedar Woman
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491 Iron Cedar
1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320
4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 96
1893 Pine Ridge pg 485
1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101
30 Jun1895 Pine Ridge pg 391
30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232
30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546
1900 US census pg 179 Fights Over b 1881 niece is with her
30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge
30 Jun 1901 Pine Ridge
30 Jun 1902 Pine Ridge

30 Jun 1907 Pine Ridge granddaughter Lizzie with her and next to Austin Red Hawk her brother

Notes for Kills Without Fear (---)
1887 Pine Ridge pg 155
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491

Children of Cedar Woman (---) and Kills Without Fear (---) were as follows:
+ 11 i James3 Kills On Horseback, born 1875 in Oglala Sioux Nation. He married (1) Brave (---); (2) Eliza Bissonette.
12 ii Sarah3 Fights Over, born 1882 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: 1887 Pine Ridge pg 155 Daylight 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491 Daylight 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546 30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge 30 Jun 1901 Pine Ridge 30 Jun 1902 Pine Ridge
13 iii Wano3 (---), born 1887 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. Notes: 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 491


4. Austin2 Red Hawk (Red Hawk1), born 1854 in Oglala Sioux Nation; died 29 Mar 1928 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. He married Alice (---), born 1860 in Oglala Sioux Nation; died 20 Mar 1938 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.

Notes for Austin Red Hawk
Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 195 Red Hawk Jr
1887 Pine Ridge pg 167 Red Hawk Jr
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 503 Red Hawk Jr
1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 172
1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320 Red Hawk Jr
4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 96
1893 Pine Ridge pg 485
1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101
30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 391
30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232
30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546

Notes for Alice (---)
Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 195 Chief Woman
1887 Pine Ridge pg 167 Chief
30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 503 Chief
1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 172 Chief
1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320 Chief Woman
4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 96
1893 Pine Ridge pg 485
1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101
30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 391
30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232
30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546

Children of Austin Red Hawk and Alice (---) were as follows:
14 i Runs In The Center3 (---), born 1883 in Oglala Sioux Nation. Notes: Jun 1886 Pine Ridge pg 195 Goes In Middle 1887 Pine Ridge pg 167 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 503 1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 172
15 ii Susie3 Red Hawk, born 1887 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. Notes: 30 Jun 1888 Pine Ridge pg 503 Knocks Off 1 Jul 1890 Pine Ridge pg 172 Knocks Off 1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320 Knocks Them Off 4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 96 1893 Pine Ridge pg 485 1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101 30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 391 30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69 30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232 30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546
16 iii James3 Red Hawk, born 1889 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. Notes: 1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320 John 1893 Pine Ridge pg 485 1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101 30 Jun 1895 Pine Ridge pg 391 30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69 30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232 30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546
17 iv Noah3 Red Hawk, born 1895 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. Notes: 30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 409 30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge pg 546

Generation 3

11. James3 Kills On Horseback (Cedar Woman2 (---), Red Hawk1), born 1875 in Oglala Sioux Nation. He married (1) Brave (---), born 1881 in Oglala Sioux Nation; (2) Eliza Bissonette, born 27 Jul 1886 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota, daughter of John Joseph Bissonette and Julia (---).

Notes for James Kills On Horseback
Full blood
1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 320 Kills Enemy
4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 96 Kills Enemy
1893 Pine Ridge pg 485
1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 101
30 Jun1895 Pine Ridge pg 391 nephew of Austin Red Hawk & Alice
30 Jun1896 Pine Ridge pg 69
30 Jun 1897 Pine Ridge pg 232 nephew of Austin Red Hawk & Alice
30 Jun 1898 Pine Ridge pg 407
30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge pg 508

30 Jun 1905 Pine Ridge with Sophia
30 Jun 1907 Pine Ridge alone next to father-in-law

Notes for Brave (---)
Full blood
30 Jun 1892 Pine Ridge pg 357
4 Mar 1893 Pine Ridge pg 136

30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge pg 508 Sophia

Notes for Eliza Bissonette
3/4 blood
1 Jul 1892 Pine Ridge pg 351
1893 Pine Ridge pg 351
1 Jul 1894 Pine Ridge pg 141
30 Jun 1899 Pine Ridge

Children of James Kills On Horseback and Brave (---) were as follows:
18 i Millie4 Kills On Horseback, born 1898 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. Notes: Full blood 30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge 30 Jun 1905 Pine Ridge
+ 19 ii Sallie4 Kills On Horseback, born 1900 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married (1) Moses Iron Elk; (2) Roger Never Missed A Shot.

Children of James Kills On Horseback and Eliza Bissonette were as follows:
+ 20 i Eva4 Kills On Horseback, born 7 Sep 1911 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married Louis Stabber.
+ 21 ii Hannah4 Kills On Horseback, born 1 Dec 1912 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married unknown.
22 iii Enoch4 Kills On Horseback, born 18 May 1915 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
23 iv Stephen4 Kills On Horseback, born 1917 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
24 v Dora4 Kills On Horseback, born 1919 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
25 vi Martha4 Kills On Horseback, born 11 Jan 1922 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota; died 21 Jan 1928 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
26 vii Andrew4 Kills On Horseback, born 13 Feb 1925 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.

Generation 4

19. Sallie4 Kills On Horseback (James3, Cedar Woman2 (---), Red Hawk1), born 1900 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married (1) Moses Iron Elk, born 1901 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota, son of Eugene Iron Elk and Alice Shell Boy; (2) Roger Never Missed A Shot, born in Rosebud Agency, South Dakota.

Notes for Sallie Kills On Horseback
Full blood
30 Jun 1900 Pine Ridge
30 Jun 1905 Pine Ridge Lizzie
30 Jun 1907 Pine Ridge with her grand mother Cedar Woman
30 Jun 1913 Pine Ridge with her grand mother
30 Jun 1923 Pine Ridge

Notes for Moses Iron Elk
30 Jun 1923 Pine Ridge

Children of Sallie Kills On Horseback and Moses Iron Elk were as follows:
27 i Mary Beulah5 Iron Elk, born 17 Nov 1925 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.


20. Eva4 Kills On Horseback (James3, Cedar Woman2 (---), Red Hawk1), born 7 Sep 1911 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married Louis Stabber, born 1907 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota, son of Crandle Stabber and May (---).

Notes for Eva Kills On Horseback
7/8 blood

Children of Eva Kills On Horseback and Louis Stabber were as follows:
28 i Louis Warren5 Stabber, born 29 Jun 1934 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
29 ii Alvia James5 Stabber, born 9 Dec 1935 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.


21. Hannah4 Kills On Horseback (James3, Cedar Woman2 (---), Red Hawk1), born 1 Dec 1912 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota. She married unknown.

Children of Hannah Kills On Horseback were as follows:
30 i Christina5 Kills On Horseback, born 18 Dec 1933 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.
31 ii Thomas Albert5 Kills On Horseback, born 19 Jul 1935 in Pine Ridge, Shannon, South Dakota.

LaDeane

[ephriam]

Interview from the Meany Papers:

Wounded Knee
Manderson S.D. 19 July 1907
Joseph Pourier, Interpreter

Red Hawk
Che-tan-Lu-ta
Ogalala.
53 years old

11 years old when he went on the first war party, under Crazy Horse, against the soldiers. Three soldiers and about three Sioux were killed.

He was about 22 when he led his first war party. It was against the Shoshones. They were not successful against the Shoshones but they met soldiers who were on a campaign against the Sioux. There was a big force of soldiers and only 8 Sioux. They had a skirmish nobody was killed but the Sioux got some horses away from the soldiers.

He was engaged in twenty battles mostly against the whites, the Pawnees, Crows, Shoshones, Cheyennes and even Sioux who were scouts with Miles and others.

In his opinion Crazy Horse was the greatest leader of the Sioux and that Generals Crook and Miles were greatest leaders of the whites and that Miles was greater of the two.

He counted coup on the Blackfeet who came to war. They were going to steal horses and were in a creek when discovered and the skirmish began and the Blackfeet began to run. The Sioux charged and one Blackfoot was shot down and then another and Red Hawk got to him as he was sitting and struck him with his gun in the chest. He had his gun in his hand and Red Hawk after striking him took his gun. The enemy was then shot down and Red Hawk scalped the right side of his head. They killed the whole party of twelve.

The second coup was on the Rosebud against the soldiers and the Shoshone and Crow scouts. They were fighting with the scouts and charged on them and the scouts fled. The soldiers scattered and were fired on by the Sioux. One tall soldier was on foot and an Indian charged to kill him when the soldier shot down the Indian's horse. Red Hawk got there while the soldier was reloading his gun and shot him in the breast. The Shoshone and Crow scouts returned to charge on the Sioux who returned the fire and the scouts retreated.

He went with a Sioux war party against the Shoshones. They had no engagement with them but met soldiers all on white horses and had a fight with them. The Sioux had the soldiers surrounded. Red Hawk was on top of a hill overlooking the fight. The soldiers got off their horses and started towards the Sioux on foot. The Sioux fled and he was alone on the hill. One came close to him and fired on him but missed. He also missed the return fire. The soldier had a carbine and was slow in loading but he had a Winchester and fired and heard something thump and heard "Oweee!" A Cheyenne boy on horseback rushed in and counted coup on the soldier because Red Hawk was on foot and did not venture out.

They had another fight on the Little Big Horn. The Indians were in breast and Crazy Horse was ahead. One soldier on a sorrel horse attacked Crazy Horse. The soldier had a gun in his hand. Crazy Horse charged. The soldier fired but missed. The soldier turned and Crazy Horse shot his horse. Red Hawk then got after the soldier and tried to stick him in the back with his lance. The soldier fired his pistol twice the powder burning Red Hawk's face. He pushed against the soldier and struck him with the butt of his Spenser gun on the side of the head.

In the same battle the soldiers got on a hill and were shooting. Red Hawk's cousin, a brave man, suggested that the two go up and count coup on those soldiers. They started and the soldiers fired and as the two got closer the soldiers went down the hill. The cousin was ahead but in the dust Red Hawk saw a soldier with a big hat pointing his gun. Red Hawk warned his cousin and dropped. The soldier fired and the cousin fell in Red Hawk's lap. He got up and saw the soldier loading and shot him through the breast. One of the Indians rushed in and counted coup. Red Hawk rushed in and the soldier, raising up, was shot down with his six shooter.

After this the soldiers came up from the other hill and he rolled down in a buffalo road and the soldiers knocked dust in his mouth and all over him. He was afraid to raise up but he fired his gun a number of times toward the soldiers. Then he heard an Indian yell and bone whistles and later a stampede and then he got up and saw Crazy Horse who asked if he was hurt. He said no but his cousin was killed. He looked away and saw a soldier aiming and he shot him just as he was firing and as he went toward the soldier he saw another with ornaments on his breast. The soldier fired and he heard the bullet whiz but he fired and shot the soldier. He went up to this one who was on his knees but he pushed him down with his gun. The soldier got a hold of his legs and he could not get away. He pulled out his knife and struck the whole blade into his breast.

That day the loss of his cousin made him desperate and ferocious.

20 July 1907
Nicholas Rouleaux, Interpreter

Sometime after this he led a war party of 9 warriors against the Shoshones. After they crossed the Big Horn river he went out as a scout. He saw a war party of 70 or 80 enemies coming. They had camped on a creek. He returned to his party with this good news. During that night he and his friend, Iron Magpie, stole 28 horses, all the enemy had with them.

After they brought the horses in he sent four men home with the horses while he and his band went on after the Shoshones, and found [them] camped around their agency. There were five tipis close together and they sneaked up close watching the people. They waited for a chance and waited all night until about dawn when the Shoshones turned their horses loose when they charged on the village. They got away with 41 horses. They brought the horses home.

Some of the Indians with Sitting Bull and others were in Canada. Red Hawk went up there when the whole village went on a hunt for buffalo. After they secured plenty of meat they started home and met General Miles with Sioux, Ree, Assiniboines, Cheyenne and Crow scouts on Little River not far from Goose Creek. There was a fight with this force on a big flat. This was one of the biggest fight they had with the soldiers. He fought very hard as they did not want any of the women or children captured. He had a Winchester with two belts of cartridges and fought desperately. The scouts were trying to capture the women and children but he protected them against great odds. At this time a number of warriors came to help him. He said: "My friends, try to do your best. The earth and the sky remain the longest in the world. Let us charge on the soldiers and scouts before the women exhaust themselves by running."

They charged on the scouts, some of whom stood their ground. As they drew near Red Hawk was wounded by one of the scouts and this was the first time he was ever beaten in any battle. He did not fall from his horse and so he escaped.

There were more soldiers and scouts than in the Sioux party. Sitting Bull was chief in the battle.

He fasted twice. The first time for two days and nights without success. The second time for two days and one night and got a vision. His friend Iron Magpie got sick and he told him if he got well he would worship the Great Mystery. A Sioux by the name of Four Foot Bone filled his pipe held it to the Great Spirit and said: "Great Spirit look at this poor Indian Iron Magpie. He is sick and if he gets well his friend Red Hawk will fast for two days and one night." This was the way they interceded with the Great Spirit. A tipi was erected near the village. In the evening they made a sweat house near that tipi. He sweat himself and when dawn came he went a long ways off and stood up on a hill. A pipe was filled with kinnikinick and tobacco and sealed with buffalo tallow. The pipe stem was painted with white clay and wrapped with sweet grass. He was naked and wrapped in a buffalo robe while he stood holding the stem aloft. While he stood there there were four poles to the four points, each holding a dressed buffalo calf skin as offerings to the Great Spirit. Four Foot Bone was a fasting priest and he told Red Hawk to stand as long as he could for a vision would come when he was tired. So he stood up all day. When night came he lay the pipe on the ground he lay the pipe down with the stem toward the west. He lay down and slept but soon heard something loping and panting from the west. It circled around him and went off to the west again. He did not know what it was. In his dream he heard some one say: "Look at this. I told you that at this time there would be many horses. What have you done?"

He looked up and saw someone holding a little green grass in his hand. Again the voice said: "There will be many horses about this time." He looked up and saw it was a rose hip half red and half green. When the speaker had finished he went off and it was a yellow headed blackbird and it lit on one of the poles which bent down as though the small bird was very heavy. Then the bird was a man again and said: "Look at this. These people have no ears so I have brought these for them."

So he looked and saw a village full of people and the man threw something toward the village twice and they were human heads with hair on, which disappeared in the circle of the village. The man said: "I came to tell you something and I have now told you. You have done right and that is why I have come to talk with you."

The man rose and became a bird again and gradually disappeared toward the south.

Then he was sound asleep. Someone said: "Look at your village." He looked and saw the village with four women going around with their hair on the top of their heads and their legs aflame. A naked man was followed these women around the circle of the village. The man was singing the death song for a young man.

He slept again and heard a man announcing many buffaloes. There were no buffaloes near but heard some when this announcement was made. They were bellowing. He did not see the buffalo.

After this he heard a voice from above: "You have done this good deed. All over the sky and all over the earth you have made their hearts good." He did not know who was meant.

Some one put his hand on his head and shook him. When he awoke a voice said: "Get up and see the face of your grandfather."

He awoke and looked east and saw the sun just peeping above a ridge. He saw a bird like a "big no-eyes." He did not know but he thought that the bird had spoken to him. As he turned away a voice said: "Hurry up. He is coming anxious to eat." He thought it meant the pipe so he took the pipe and held the stem toward the rising sun. This time he knew he was not asleep or dreaming and he knew he was on a hill three miles from the village.

He stood until noon but had no more visions. At noon they came after him and he went home.

After he got home he told the people of his dream and vision. A couple of days later there was stir in the village and they were told that a war-party of 5 Sioux had gone against the enemy and 4 were killed. One returned alive. Thus the death song portion of the vision came true. The leader of that unfortunate party was Hawk Soldier. Soon after the big battle on Little River a Cheyenne and Crow scout were killed. The meaning of this in the vision was the two heads thrown into the circle of the village. The buffaloes were far from that village but soon afterwards the country was full of buffaloes, bringing another of the dream to pass. Later he decided to go on the warpath to get horses to fulfill the prophecy of many horses spoken by the rose-hip but the others filled a peace pipe and decided not to go. Soon after Kicking Bear and some Nez Perces started on the warpath from the Sioux village and brought home some Crow horses so the vision was fulfilled.

[v8m8i]

I can add one more story concerning Red Hawk when he was serving as an Indian Scout in January 1891. It is perhaps one of the most tragic of stories to emerge from that tragic winter. It was written by news correspondent George H. Harries and appeared on page 6 of the 27 January 1891 edition of the Washington Evening Star.

A Prairie Tragedy 

How a Sioux Squaw and Her Three Little Ones Met Death. 

Tracing the Murderers. 

A Sad Scene Near Pine Ridge

The Discovery and Burial of the Victims of a Brutal Assassination

Cowardly Crime by Men Wearing the Blue

PINE RIDGE, S. D., January 22,.—War, barbaric at the best, is legitimate, but there can be no possible excuse for assassination. Today I witnessed the last scene in the earthly history of four of God’s creatures. They were Indians and they lacked much. Education had done nothing for them and the softening touch of religion had not smoothed their way to eternity, but they had souls, and those who killed them as the assassin kills are murderers of the most villainous description. No one who looked upon that scene can ever forget it, and not a man or woman who is acquainted with the facts but regards the bloody circumstances with anything save horror. An Indian woman, comely in life, with her three children were brutally murdered at about the time of the Wounded Knee fight and within three miles of the battlefield. Yesterday their bodies were discovered by an Indian policeman; today the remains of the unfortunate quartet were placed in the bosom of mother earth.

When it became known at division headquarters yesterday that four dead Indians had been found Capt. Baldwin of the fifth infantry and now on staff duty was instructed to proceed to the spot accompanied by a sufficient force for the purpose of identifying and burying the deceased. Sunshine and frost combined to make this morning pleasant enough to make South Dakota a reputation as a winter resort. Ordinarily two or three men would be able to inter four people, but these are still times of war and the revengeful Indian will lose no opportunity to wreak a portion of his vengeance on weaker parties than the one he commands.

For that reason company A, first United States infantry, was ordered to perform escort duty and also to furnish a burial party. Lieut. Barry and his men have only recently been mounted on Indian ponies and there is perhaps a little friction because men and cayuses do not yet understand each other, but the command was ready before the hour specified—7 a.m.—and after a slight and unavoidable delay on the part of others who were to go along the column moved out of the settlement and to the eastward. Two ladies—one of them a newspaper correspondent, the other simply morbidly curious—were with the little expedition, the latter daughter of Eve being in a buggy commanded by Dr. Gardner, the former on one of Gen. Miles’ pet horses.

The scene was a picturesque one. Soldiers, scouts, ladies, unattached Indians and an interpreter. At the head of the column rode the official undertaker or funeral director, or whatever else you may please to call him—Capt. Baldwin—and by his side was Mrs. Dean, the Chicago Hearld’s correspondent. A couple of Indian police and a sergeant of Taylor’s scouts gave a semi-savage appearance to things, ably assisted by War Bonnet, an aged Sioux, whose emaciated pony seemed barely able to hobble along beneath even the light weight of his attenuated proprietor, but who was never anywhere but in the lead. Then came the mounted infantry with rifles slung on their backs over the brown canvas and blanket lined overcoats. Not all of these men were expert horsemen, but the great majority of them were just aching for an opportunity to shoot an Indian, even if they had to bury him afterward. So far as this campaign is concerned the infantry have not been “in it.”

Every one who has seen the prairies of the great northwest knows what they are like; those who have not seen them can gain no conception of the apparently boundless stretch of country from reading any attempt to describe it. A limitless succession of green-brown waves, an ocean of verdure-topped soil even at this season. No matter where you move you are always in the center and until you reach the mountains you are like Sterne’s starling—“You can’t get out.” Suddenly the russet hue gives place to intense blackness, for the prairie fire has burned all color out of a great section of the landscape; then again the wagon trail has stopped the flames, and on one side there is vegetation, on the other enough vegetable charcoal to clean the teeth of every man and woman who thinks he or she could settle this Indian question in five minutes. It would take a good many tons to do this, but the material is here.

Twelve miles from the agency was the spot to which our guides led us, the place where Red Hawk, an Indian policeman, had yesterday found the bodies of his sister and her children. Red Hawk, the scouts, Interpreter Frank White and myself rode ahead of the column and arrived there some minutes in advance, leaving the main trail and our destination over a bridle path that narrowed at times to a dangerously insufficient footing even for a careful horse. Red Hawk went alone to the little patch of brush in which lay those he loved, the remainder of the advance guard considerately halting on the bank above the bloody scene until it might be regarded as proper for them to approach and see for themselves what a cowardly deed had been done.

Oh, it was a pitiful sight. Mother and children had never been separated during life and in death they were not divided. Prone and with the right side of her face frozen to the solid earth was the squaw “Walks-carrying-the-red.” Snow almost covered an extended arm and filled the creases in the little clothing she wore. Piled up alongside of her were her little ones, the youngest with nothing to cover its ghastly nakedness but a calf buffalo robe, which is before me as I write. The positions of the children were changed somewhat from those in which they were found, the discoverer putting them together that he might cover them with a blanket.

The first body to be examined was that of a girl about nine years of age. In the horrible moment preceding dissolution she had drawn her arms up and placed them across her face—a pretty face, say those who knew her—and as the features molded themselves on the bony arms and froze her visage became frightfully distorted. A black bead necklace was embedded in the flesh of her throat. The victim was killed by being shot through the right lung, the ball entering high in her breast and making its exit at the right of her back, near the waist.

Her sister—less than seven years old—was almost naked. She, too, was facing the murderers when they took such deadly aim and, like the other girl, she had tried with her arms to shut out the sight of the unwavering rifle muzzles. The ball entered her right breast, went through the right lung downward and came out near the spine and just above the left kidney.

Seventy grains of powder drove 500 grains of lead through the brain of the boy—a sturdily built twelve-year-old. Of all the horrible wounds ever made by bullets none could be more frightfully effective than that which forever extinguished the light of life in this boy. The wound of entrance was on the upper part of the right side of the head; the wound of exit was beneath the right eye, tearing open the cheek and leaving a bloody hole as large as a dollar. There must have been at least a few seconds of agony before death came, for the right arm was thrown up to and across the forehead and the fingers of the left hand stiffened in death while clutching the long, jet-black hair near the powder-burned orifice in his skull.

And the mother. Gentle hands loosened the frosty bands which bound her to the soil and fingers which tingled with the hot flow of blood from indignant hearts tenderly removed from her flattened and distorted face the twigs and leaves and dirt which in the death agony had been inlaid in the yielding features. Her strong arms were bare and her feet were drawn up as the natural consequence of a wound which commenced at the right shoulder and ended somewhere in the lower abdominal region. From the wounded shoulder a sanguinary flood had poured until her worn and dirty garments were crimson-dyed; the breasts from which her little ones had drawn their earliest sustenance were discolored with the gory stream. It was an awful sight; promotive of sickening thought and heartrending memories.

While Dr. Gardner, Capt. Baldwin and Lieut. Barry were satisfying themselves as to the direct causes of death a detachment from the escort had prepared a shallow grave. It was on the brow of the hill immediately above the scene of crime. Red Hawk had selected the spot and it did not take long for half a dozen muscular infantrymen to shovel away the light soil until the bottom of the trench was about three feet below the surface. In one blanket and covered by another the bodies of the three children were borne up the slope and laid alongside their last resting place. When the detachment returned for the mother Red Hawk took from under his blue overcoat a few yards of heavy white muslin, which he shook out and placed over his sister’s body. Then everybody went up the hill. The mother was first placed in the grave, and upon and alongside of her were the children. Not a sound of audible prayer broke the brief silence. The warm sun shone down on the upturned faces of Elk Creek’s widow and children and searching January breeze played among their ragged garments.

“Fill her up, men,” said Lieut. Barry, and that broke the spell. In five minutes a little mound was all that denoted the place from whence the four bodies shall rise to appear before the judgment seat, there to face four of the most despicable assassins this world ever knew.

Who were these murderers? There is where the shame comes in. They were and still are soldiers in the army of the United States; “things” who wear the honorable blue and who claim the protection of a flag under which women and children enjoy more rights and are accorded greater privileges than man gives to the weaker and the younger in any other part of the world. The chain of evidence is complete, even to the identity of the individuals who committed the deed. Indian eyes found most of the testimony; military precision supplied the rest. The first link was the finding of an empty Springfield cartridge shell near the dead bodies. Had the killing been done by Indians and had the Indians thrown out the useless shells they would have been of the Winchester variety. Upon the trail near the little patch of brush were the tracks of sharp-shod horses. No Indian’s horse wears shoes. The tracks were made on the day following the battle, for they were in the direction of Wounded Knee, and snow had covered them up in places. On the day of the battle no troops moved in that direction; on the day after some did; then came the snow. In the bank on which the villains laid down to pour a plunging volley into the bodies of the refugees, who were about two or three feet below them, are the marks of boot toes. Out in the road and partially covered by snow was a little doll. String the testimony together and you will find that on the 30th day of December, 1890, this woman and her three children were on their way to the agency. They had escaped the slaughter which on the previous day had included the husband and father, in whom they were most interested. When near this place in which their bodies were found they saw the coming soldiers, and it was most natural that they should seek the shelter of this half acre or so of thick brush. But the soldiers saw them and neither sex nor helplessness could save the footsore wanderers. Unarmed and without protection of any description they were wantonly and knowingly slain. Not one of the men who fired those shots can say that he was unaware of the character of his victim, for each wound shows that the rifle muzzles were within a few inches of the individuals at whom they were aimed. Hair and clothing is not burned by the explosion of a cartridge, which is in a gun a hundred yards away from the object that is hit. Burnt powder only flies a short distance and its flame travels but a couple of feet at most.

Gen. Miles knows what soldiers passed that way that morning. They were few in number and he can easily ascertain who the wretches were. What is he going to do about it?

G. H. G.

For more on the tragedy at White Horse Creek see: Samuel L. Russell, “Investigation of the White Horse Creek Tragedy,” Army at Wounded Knee, updated 18 July 2014, accessed _______, wp.me/p3NoJy-ju.