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Celebrate Famous Battle
Semi-Centennial Being Held at Fremont
Several Pioneers Attend the Celebration
Trenton,
Nebraska, August 8. – Half a
century ago last Sunday the Pawnee Indians of Nebraska engaged in their final
battle with the Sioux Indians from the north, and in commemoration a semi-centennial
celebration is being held here and at Culbertson, Nebraska about eight miles
east of Trenton.
A feature of the celebration of the pioneers of the state
and older residents among whom is J. W. Williamson of Genoa, Nebraska, who was with the Pawnees and
took part in the fight.
Mr. Williamsons account of the battle he gave here today
follows:
On the second day of July 1873 the Pawnees to the number of
700, left Genoa
for the hunting grounds of this number 350 were men, the balance women and
children. Most of the men were armed
with bows and arrows old fashioned muzzle loading rifles a few had seven shot
Spencer Carbines, and some carried Colts powder and ball pistols.
All were mounted, and in addition took with them some 800
extra ponies to pack home the meats and hides.”
The speaker told of his selections as trail agents and
representative of the Indian office to accompany the Pawnees. He told of how the band hunted buffalo and
packed the skins and meat on ponies to take it back to the agency at Genoa.
Then he told of how the rumors of the Sioux were spread thru
the camp and finally came to the battle itself.
The following morning, August 5, we broke camp and started
north up the divide between the Republican and the Frenchman Rivers. Soon after leaving camp Sky
Chief rode up to me and extending his hand said, “Shake brother.”
He recalled out little unpleasantness of the night previous
and said he did not believe there was cause for alarm and was so impressed with
the belief that he had not taken precaution to throw out scouts in the
directions of the Sioux were reported to be.
A few minutes later a buffalo scout signaled that buffalo
had been sighted in the distance and Sky Chief rode on to engage the hunt. I never say him again. He had killed a buffalo and was skinning it
when the advance guard of the Sioux shot and wounded him. The chief attempted to reach his horse, but
several of the enemy surrounded him. He
died fighting. A Pawnee who was skinning
a buffalo a short distance away but managed to escape, told me how Sky Chief
died.
“We had not proceeded more than a mile after the departure
of Sky Chief when I noticed a commotion at the head of the procession which had
suddenly stopped. I started to ride up
where three of the chiefs were talking when a boy sixteen rode up and stopped
me. Dismounting, he tied a strip of red
flannel to the bridle of my horse, and after remounting told me that the Sioux
were coming. What significance was
attached to the red flannel on the bridle I was never able to learn.
We were only about a hundred yards from the head of the
canyon or draw that extended down to the river when the Sioux were reported
coming and orders were shouted down the line for the squaws, children and pack
ponies to take refuge in the canyon.
The warriors were preparing to ride forth to meet the
enemy. Coming to Chief Terra Recekons,
who was surrounded by several leading men of the Skeede Band, I suggested that
we fall back down the canyon about two miles where there was a small grove of
timber and make a stand.
The chief was in
favor of the suggestion but Fighting Bear, of the Kitahos rebelled. He had fought the Sioux before and said we
could whip them in and open fight.
It seemed but a short time when the first Sioux appeared in
the distance. As the Sioux cam over the
hill it was apparent that they outnumbered the fighting men of the Pawnees four
to one.
I afterwards learned that there were between 1,200 and 1,500
in the band under command of Chief Snow Flake a Brule Sioux.
The Lincoln
State Journal – Thursday,
August 9, 1923
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