886 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [etii.ann.h 



as soon as they came iu sight a number of soldiers surrounded theui and butchered 

 them there. 



Of course we all feel very sad about this affair. I stood very loyal to the govern- 

 ment all through those troublesome days, and believing so much iu the government 

 and being so loyal to it, my disappointment was very strong, and I have come to 

 Washington with a very great blame on my heart. Of course it would have beeu 

 all right if only the men were lulled ; we would feel almost grateful for it. lint the 

 fact, of the killing of the women, and more especially t he killing of the young boys 

 and girls who are to go to make up the future strength of the Indian people, is the 

 saddest part of the whole affair and we feel it very sorely. 



I was not thereat the time before the burial of the bodies, but I did go there with 

 some of the police and the Indian doctor and a great many of the people, men from 

 the agency, and we went through the battlefield and saw where the bodies were 

 from the track of the blood. 



TURNING Hawk. I had just reached the point where I said that the women were 



killed. We beard, besides the killing of the men, of th islaught also made upon 



the women and children, and they were treated as roughly and indiscriminately as 

 the men and boys were. 



Of course this affair brought a great deal of distress upon all the people, but 

 especially upon the minds of those who stood loyal to the government and who did 

 all that they were able to do iu the matter of bringing about peace. They espe- 

 cially have suffered much distress and are very much hurt at heart. These peace- 

 makers continued on iu their good work, but there were a great many fickle young 

 men who were ready to be moved by the change in the events there, and conse- 

 quently, in spite of the great lire that was brought upon all, they were ready to 

 assume any hostile attitude. These young men got themselves in readiness aud 

 went in the direction of the scene of battle so they might be of service there. They 

 got there and finally exchanged shots with the soldiers. This party of young men 

 was made up from Rosebud, Ogalalla (Pino Ridge), and members of any other 

 agencies that happened to be there at the time. While this was going on iu the 

 neighborhood of Wounded Knee*— the Indians and soldiers exchanging shots— the 

 agency our home, was also tired into by the Indians. Matters went on in this strain 

 until the evening came on. and then the Indians went off down by White Clay creek. 

 When the agency was fired upon by the Indians from the hillside, of course the shots 

 were returned by the Indian police who were guarding the agency buildings. 



Although lighting seemed to have been in the air, yet those who believed in peace 

 were still constant at their work. Young-Man-Afraid-of-his-Horses, who had beeu 

 on a visit to some other agency in the north ornorthwest, returned, and immediately 

 went out to the people living about White Clay creek, on the border of the Had 

 Lands, and brought his people out. lie succeeded in obtaining the consent of Un- 

 people to come out of their place of refuge and return to the agency. Thus the 

 remaining portion of the Indians who started from Rosebud were brought back into 

 the agency. Mr Commissioner, during the days of the great whirlwind out there, 

 those good men tried to bold up a counteracting power, and that was "Peace.'' We 

 have now come to realize that peace lias prevailed and won the day. While we were 

 engaged in bringing about peace our property was left behind, of course, and most 

 of us have lost everything, even down to the matter of guns with which to kill ducks, 

 rabbits, etc. shotguns, and nuns of that order. When Young-Man-Afraid brought 

 the people in and their guns were asked I'm. both men who wen- called hostile and 

 men whostood loyal to the government delivered up their guns. 



