864 THE GH08T-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann.14 



iiud were consequently undecided as to what they should do. The 

 captain replied that he had come as a friend; that if they would sur- 

 render their arms and go back with him to Fort Bennett, they would 

 1>e provided for and would not be harmed; that he could make no 

 promises as to their future disposition; that if they chose to join Big 

 Foot's camp, only a few miles up the river, the result would be their 

 certain destruction. After deliberating among themselves until mid 

 night, they came in a body, delivered a number of guns, and said they 

 would go back to the fort. Accordingly they broke camp next morn- 

 ing and arrived at Fort Bennett on December 24. The entire body 

 numbered 221, including 55 belonging on Cherry creek. These last 

 were allowed to join their own people camped near the post. The 

 Sitting Bull Indians, with some others from Standing Rock, number- 

 ing 227 in all, were held at Fort Sully, a few miles below Fort Bennett, 

 until the close of the trouble. Thirty-eight others of the Sitting Bull 

 band had joined Big Foot and afterward tied with him. ( War, 11.) 



After the death of Sitting Bull and the enlistment of Hump in the 

 government service, the only prominent leader outside of the Bad 

 Lands who was considered as possibly dangerous was Sitanka or Big 

 Foot, whose village was at the mouth of Deep creek, a few miles below 

 the forks of Cheyenne river. The duty of watching him was assigned to 

 Lieutenant Colonel E. V. Sumner of the Eighth cavalry, who had his 

 camp just above the forks. Here he was visited by Big Foot and 

 his head men, who assured the officer that they were peaceable, and 

 intended to remain quietly at home. Friendly relations continued until 

 the middle of December, when Big Foot came to bid good bye, telling 

 Sumner that his people were all going to the agency to get their annui- 

 ties. A day or two later the order came to arrest Big Foot and send 

 him as a prisoner to Fort Meade. Believing that the chief was acting 

 in good faith to control his warriors, who might easily go beyond con 

 trol were he taken from them, Colonel Sumner informed General Miles 

 that the Indians were already on their way to the agency; that if Big 

 Foot should return he (Sumner) would try to get him, and that other- 

 wise he could be arrested at the agency, if necessary. Soon after, 

 liowever, the report came that Big Foot had stopped at Hump's camp 

 on the way to the agency, to meet the fugitives coming south from 

 Sitting Bull's camp. 



On receipt of this information, Sumner at once marched down the 

 river with the intention of stopping Big Foot. When about halfway 

 to Hump's camp, Big Foot himself came up to meet him, saying that he 

 was friendly, and that he and his men would obey any orders that the 

 officer might give. He stated that he had with him 100 of his own 

 Indians and 38 from Standing Rock (Sitting Bull's band). When 

 asked why he had received these last, knowing that they were refugees 

 from their reservation, he replied that they were his brothers and rela- 

 tions; that they had come to his people hungry, footsore, and almost 



