“Then, again, let me tell you about the battle that we had between the
Sioux and the Flatheads about twenty miles north of where Billings now
stands: In this battle the Sioux numbered about one hundred and fifty, and
the Flatheads consisted of the entire tribe. We sent three spies across
the Yellowstone, and they came back with the location of the Flatheads.
They reported that the entire tribe was camped there. We were afraid
because of their great numbers that they would beat us. We debated as to
whether we should go back home or make the attack. Finally the chiefs
selected thirty of the bravest men to go on ahead. The rest of the war
party remained in camp. I was numbered among the thirty who were chosen
to go ahead. We left there in the dark of the night. We journeyed on in
silence until daybreak, when we first got a view of the enemy’s camp.
When daylight came we found that ten of our thirty had deserted from fear.
When we got in sight of the camp another ten left us, so that only left
ten to advance on the camp. We made a fool charge at the camp at the
rising of the sun. None of us expected to come back when we made the
charge. After we made the charge, there were about four who backed out
again, so that left us only six in number. We ran our horses up to the
side of the tents and then ran back again to the hills. The women were
just getting out to get breakfast ready. We took about fifty horses with
us, as we rode back, as a challenge for the enemy to come after us. The
firing began from the camp and frightened the horses so that we only got
about twenty out of the fifty. There was one horse, a spotted animal,
that pleased me very much, and out of the six of us in number I rushed
back to get that horse. When I went back after this horse the enemy came
upon me so strong that I was obliged to flee to the hills. They came
right behind us firing at us. The enemy chased us for miles and miles,
shooting at us but never killing any of us. We turned in our saddles
every once in a while and fired back, and then went on. We were
reinforced by the last ten that left us. Just at this time a horse under
one of our men was shot, and he was on foot running. We made a whirl
around this man who was on foot, which seemed to check the enemy. At this
time one of the enemy was shot off his horse. This man who was shot from
his horse was surrounded by two of his friends who dismounted to defend
him. As soon as I saw this man lying on his back, I made a hard charge at
him; I struck at his head. An enemy standing near discharged his gun at
me, and took the butt of the gun to strike me on the head. Just at this
moment my horse stumbled and fell forward which saved me from receiving
the blow. As I did so I made a circle and came back again to my own
people. But I was mad at him in my heart because he had struck at me. I
took my bow and arrow and shot an arrow right through his cheek. As I hit
this enemy through the cheek I whipped up my horse and made a charge at
him. One of my friends came riding up with me, and we both charged
together. Our horses turned just as we reached this enemy whom I had shot
through the cheek, and the enemy ran right in behind us. He got hold of
my friend’s horse’s tail and shot him through the back with his revolver
and he fell right over my horse. I got off my horse, holding my friend
tight, and one of my friends saw the enemy at this time and shot him.
This man who had been shot by my friend got up again as his wound was only
a skin wound. I let go of my dead friend and got off my horse and charged
at this fellow. Just as I charged at him there were two angry Sioux who
laid their coup sticks on him. They went on by him and that left him for
me to fight. Just as I reached him the enemy was very close behind me.
They had shot at me at very close range. I could smell the smoke. He
aimed his gun right at me, but he was so bewildered that he did not fire.
I took the gun away from him and knocked him down. I got on my horse,
taking his gun with me, at which time my horse was shot across the nose,
but he kept on going toward my friends. The bullets whizzed around me,
bewildering me for a moment. At this time it seemed as though the enemy
were defeated, but the rest of our band came up at this moment. The enemy
retreated when they saw our friends, but they pursued us all the way back
to the Yellowstone. The dead numbered about a hundred in this battle. I
did not go back, because my horse was exhausted. I have five more just
such thrilling stories, including the one in which I was wounded.”
[The Swirl of the Warriors]