pIp.No/lsf FORT PIERRE H — SMITH 103 



The facts leading to the slaying of Bear's Rib are not entirely 

 clear, but it is probable that the activities and methods of the traders 

 (the immediate beneficiaries of money payments under annuity pro- 

 visions) played a part. It is not difficult, in any event, to under- 

 stand the murder of even a prominent tribal leader, particularly one 

 known to be favorable to the AVliites, by adherents of some other 

 leader. 



Charles Primeau, agent of the Chouteau firm in charge of Fort 

 Pierre at the time, was a witness of this murder, and a letter has been 

 preserved, written by him to his employers and thence forwarded to 

 the Indian Office, which supplies some further details of the incident 

 (Robinson, 1954, pp. 305-306, appendix to report of 1862). On 

 June 5, 1862, Primeau stated, a party of Miniconjou and San Arcs 

 arrived at the fort "from the prairie" (i.e., a party of hostiles). No 

 other Indians were there at the time, except some of Bear's Rib's 

 young men (themselves on the watch for an Arikara war party), 

 who had moved down to the Bad River the day previous. There 

 were about one hundred lodges under Bear's Rib, comprising Mini- 

 conjou, Sans Arcs, and Oohenonpa Sioux. According to Primeau, 

 these Indians had, when occasion arose, "protected us" (i.e., the 

 traders) from the Indians of the prairies. For this reason, he re- 

 ported, and because they were accustomed to receive presents, they 

 were not on good terms with the other Indians. The latter an- 

 nounced that they had come to kill Bear's Rib and five principal men 

 of the "friendlies." Hearing of this, Bear's Rib decided to try them, 

 and appeared alone at the post on June 6. "He was traitorously 

 shot down by the Sans Arcs," wrote Primeau, but before dying he 

 killed the Indian who had shot him, while another Indian was shot 

 by his men. Bear's Rib was quoted as having said that Harney had 

 promised to aid him, but that the Government had not done so, that 

 he had often been warned that he would die at the hands of his own 

 people, that he hoped the Great Father would now protect his 

 (Bear's Rib's) people, and that he had never desired that soldiers 

 be sent into the area, though now he hoped they would be, in order 

 to protect his friendly people. 



Primeau added numerous other statements attributed to Bear's Rib. 

 It is clear that Primeau was much alarmed, and the points made in 

 the chief's statement express many of the fears of the traders as well. 

 Fort Pierre II, said Primeau, was so situated that its employees were 

 obliged to allow the Sioux to enter the fort, not knowing whether the 

 Indians came with good or evil purposes. "They not only abuse and 

 insult us but also the Government." The troops at Fort Randall, 

 downriver, which he numbered at four hundred, were of "no earthly 

 use" in that place, he felt; the summer and fall were the time for 



