Saddlebags: A Short Story

The sound of gun fire echoed across the central plains like deafening crashes of thunder. The rich green grass was slowly turning red with blood, as Native Americans and the United states army were waging war at the battle of the Little Big Horn. Many people know that the Native Americans were victorious over the United states army, which was under the command of General George Custer, but few people know that Custer’s long journey to the Little Big Horn started in the heart of North Dakota, at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Today this beautiful Fort has been reconstructed to have both historical significance as well as a variety of recreational activities, and has been renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln state park. I will be talking about the reconstructed

Do you ever wonder who made the thing you carry your books to school in, called a backpack probably not but this is really interesting. The backpack started off as something fun and started with selling 29 one year now turned into a multi million dollar buisness.

In 1854 Curly visited the Brules' camp with his tribe. There he was introduced to the Brule Chief Conquering Bear. While visiting, a young Brule warrior shot an old near death cow belonging to a man from a Mormon wagon train. The Mormon was furious and demanded the warrior be turned over. Conquering Bear refused and soon Second Leuteneant John Grattan, 29 soldiers, two Howitzer cannons, and an interpreter were sent to retrieve the young Indian. Conquering Bear still refused to turn him over. During all of this Curly is watching atop a cliff. The soldiers began firing into the Brule camp. Conquering Bear fell to the ground mortally wounded (McMurtry 48-62).

When Reno and his company crossed the river the lakota and cheyenne was surprised and rushed to defend their village from the oncoming attackers. Reno then held his troops and formed them into a skirmish line, in which they began to fire upon the oncoming attackers. Reno had to retreat two times, the first time was when his left flank was endangered, and the second time he had to retreat to the east side of river. During the retreat Lakota and Cheyenne warriors rode down the troops inducing heavy casualties to Reno’s men. Reno’s company regrouped with the main the group after Benteen confirmed that there was no Indians following. A written message from Custer was sent by a messenger to Benteen stating “ Come on, Big Village. Be Quick. Bring Packs. P.S Bring Packs.” para. 11 (Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument). Captain Weir’s company made an effort to locate and communicate with Custer’s men after heavy gunfire was heard. (Little Bighorn Battlefield National

Never have the men seen Lewis this mad and they never seen them whip an Indian. The soldiers had threatened the Old man with the rifles and they also had gave him a few hit with a switch. The Chinooks show Lewis and Clark their flaws. They had such a bad reputation. They wasn’t just known as thieves they was known as one of the best thieves. They was so good that the men could turn their back for one second and something would be missing. The Indians tended to upset Lewis. They had stolen his dog (Seaman) and that was the last straw for Lewis patience with these Indians. Lewis ordered three men to go out and follow them and if they become any type of difficult to fire at

Wiping the sweat from my brow I called a halt to the crew. Phil and I dumped our packs and found a comfy boulder to rest on. I looked back to where the last guys were coming from back down the trail. They had stopped talking a while back and marched slowly along the dirt trail. Phil produced an energy-bar he’d saved from breakfast and began to munch on it as I drained another water bottle. After the refreshing drink I laid back against the rock and stared up at the pine trees. But a moment later, hearing grumble about sore legs, I sat up, grinning, “By the map we only have another couple hours.”

Using an ancient tactic of warfare, the Sioux waited until troops thought the fighting had halted. Setting up decoys and the strategy plans, Red Cloud was ready to see the white man’s blood fall on the plains. When US Calvary men began to advance outside their fort range in search of a plea or peace treaty. Red Cloud gave the order for Crazy Horse to commence a raid. White men were butchered like cattle on the battlefield where

After moving 42 miles in three days, Custer realized that “directly west, in his front, are the very Indians the columns [were] searching for.” He massed his forces and deployed scouts to confirm the enemy's position. Before dawn on June 25th, they found “6,000 to 7,000 natives . . . encamped about 15 miles away . . . in the expansive Little Bighorn Valley.” Post-battle analysis confirmed “at least 2,000 warriors” in a settlement that “cover[ed] nearly two miles.” During this reconnaissance, Custer believed the enemy had discovered his column, and hastily began his attack, “fearing the natives might escape.”

Though existing accounts of the incident vary the misfortune considered to have commenced a day earlier with the murder of two Mingos. Furious over the killings several tribesmen traveled over the Ohio to Baker’s tavern and trading post where the group of whites headed by Greathouse appeared and supplied them with whiskey12. As the Mingos were in an inebriated state, Greathouse and his men killed the Indians13. Their slaughter turned Logan, an old ally, into a merciless adversary, capturing around thirteen scalps in

We didn’t mean to bring the bear to the area where we settled. We hadn't thought about going a different route to lose the bear. We were mortified; we ran straight home. By the time they fought back the bear, most of the Indian and our harvest were destroyed. Some of the Indians blamed me, saying that if I was never with Yuma this would have never happened; while my mother and the group leaders thought that Yuma was the cause.

The Indians held out for two hours, but when they ran out of ammunition, the soldiers surrounded them and the battle became a massacre. “Approximately 250 Shoshoni were slain, including 90 women and children” (Madsen). Connor’s men ended the misery of the wounded by bashing their heads in with an axe. After the slaughter, the soldiers pillaged the village, taking 1,000 bushels of wheat and flour along with 175 Shoshoni horses (Madsen). When the murderers finished collecting the spoils, they burned down 75 lodges. After their gruesome acts, Colonel Connor and his troops walked away celebrating their victory while the bodies of the massacred Indians were left to the wolves and

The survivors came to the decision that they should to migrate elsewhere. At the time Sitting Bull was murdered, there were not many horses at Standing Rock. Children were the only ones on horse, while the adults walked. They traveled to the Cheyenne River Reservation, which was led a man named Big Foot. Big Foot had once been a firm believer in the Ghost Dance, but after discovering what happened at Standing Rock, he no longer had faith in it. He took the leaderless people under his wing, offering them shelter. After hearing the story of Sitting Bull’s death from the Lakota themselves, Big Foot made a decision. They needed to reconcile. The Lakota, now led by Big Foot, made a journey to Pine Ridge, in an set on righting their wrongs. However

The group all agreed that we should keep moving and try and find some food. A little while later we arrived at the river, hoping and praying that we would find something to eat or drink. We were driving up the bank of the river when I spotted something shiny behind a few of the trees. I pulled up closer and figured out that there was a bunch of supplies and food! I yelled at the others to come over and see what I had found. We all got off our vehicles and started rading through the pile of stuff. We found quite a few weapons, a bunch of tasty food, and a water filter device. After a quick snack we started thinking about what to do next. We all came to an agreement and decided that we should camp out another night and then head out in the

Zipper. The best thing to put on your mouth to keep shut the whole time. Concealing what's inside my mind and end up regretting. Staring blankly into a space, shrinking in a corner of nothingness and swallowed by a monstrous anxiety. Not always but I do it and often happens. My timid side always eats me for like years, and guess what? I have this weird power, I could withstand not talking to anyone for a whole day. Such a fool thing right? and that's not only, I'm talking to myself too anytime, anywhere. So therefore, I am mentally strange. But even though I'm not capable of talking to anyone that never last, I found myself in the middle of nowhere and in that place I realized I have this side, the side of being bold. It is just buried to the

Dunbar knows that the arrival of American troops in the frontiers will only be a matter of time. Soon, he has to make the decision whether he wants to stick to his new friends or go back to his fellow soldiers and fight against the Indians. When Dunbar rides back to his post to get his journal, American soldiers are gathered around his post. They see him coming and shoot his horse. Since Dunbar is wearing a Sioux gown, the troops look at him as a trader and treat him brutally. When the soldiers are on their way to the next village to have Dunbar hanged, the Sioux attack, and rescue their friend, Dunbar. Back at the Indian camp, Dunbar and his wife decide to leave the Sioux. John Dunbar knows that he is a wanted man now.