CHAPTER 15
IT WAS THE spring of 1876. Many of the tribes had joined forces and set up camp in the Big Horn Valley. For several moons, they lived peacefully, hoping they would be left alone. When Minikajau learned that some rogue Indians had murdered several settlers, he knew the soldiers would be coming.
Then one morning, several braves charged into the village with news that an army had crossed the Rosebud River.
"Did you see who leads them?" Minikajau asked.
"Yellow Hair."
Nodding, the chieftain sent for Tanc and Brave Eagle.
"Choose your bravest warriors and focus on Yellow Hair. He must be destroyed."
"Wouldn't it be better to capture him?"
Minikajau rejected the idea. Better to destroy the enemy now than take a chance on him returning with more soldiers.
"No, we must send the Great White Father a strong message. We won't be forced from these sacred grounds."
"More will come," Tanc reasoned.
"Then more will die. Now go, and may the spirits watch over you!"
* * *
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse had planned for this moment. They had deliberately divided their numbers into small groups and ordered them to stay inside the tents during the day, hoping the white man's scouts wouldn't realize how many warriors were gathered. It worked.
When Custer received word of the encampment, he saw a chance to make a name for himself. If he could surprise the Indians, he was sure he could defeat them and break the back of the Sioux Nation. The colonel was known for his over-confidence and arrogance.
On June 25th, leading the 7th Calvary, he came upon an Indian camp. Only the Rosebud River stood between him and his target. Hoping to do a night crossing, he was quickly discouraged by his scouts, who informed him that it would be impossible. Eventually, he conceded and ordered his soldiers to cross at sunrise. They were spotted by several Sioux warriors. Custer knew he had no choice but to attack, although several of his junior officers tried to talk him into retreating so they could wait for the rest of the Army to catch up.
* * *
After receiving word that soldiers were nearing the village, Minikajau organized the braves into several units and sent them to strategic areas in the foothills of the valley. Little did Custer realize that he was greatly outnumbered until he was surrounded by hundreds of warriors, screaming their war cries.
* * *
While waiting for Minikajau's signal, Tanc, Brave Eagle, Little Deer and her braves circled a small group of soldiers that had been separated from the larger Army contingency.
"We will make them use up their bullets and then attack," Tanc said. "Tell the others to ride as swiftly as possible around them. Make them shoot."
Brave Eagle nodded, knowing many braves would die. Little Deer was the first to fall. Eventually, more than twenty of their warriors lay dead or wounded — but her plan worked. An eerie silence followed when both soldiers and braves no longer heard the sound of gunfire. Encouraged by their success, the Indians charged the white men, who huddled behind the dead bodies of their horses and their fellow soldiers. The battle was over and the Sioux survivors proudly displayed their trophies. Knowing that a battle was still going on elsewhere, Tanc ordered her braves away from the carnage and joined the rest of the tribe as they systematically destroyed the 7th Calvary.
* * *
Staring at the Indian encampment, Lt. Col. Custer summoned two of his most trusted scouts to make sure his soldiers outnumbered the villagers. He had learned his lesson well from his Civil War exploits. Back then, he had been more interested in victory than casualties. In the end it cost him his commission as General and he was demoted to Captain. The blow to his ego left him embittered and smarter, but no wiser. Now, he only took on battles he was assured of winning.
"How many warriors are there?" he demanded.
"Maybe a hundred. No more," Curly, his Crow scout replied. He had located the village two weeks before and watched them for the better part of a day.
"Good. We should be able to take them out without too much loss. I want the village burned afterward. These savages need to learn who is in control."
Confident that a hundred Sioux was not a match for the one thousand, well-armed soldiers under his command, Custer decided it was a waste to send out more scouts to confirm what he had just been told.
Dividing his men into three battalions, he ordered two to circle around the village so they could attack from different directions.
"We'll show them what a real army is," he threatened.
Custer waited a few hours and grew impatient. Unwilling to wait for the two battalions to get in place, he charged the village with his own group. Four thousand Indians poured from the tents. Less than six hours later, Custer and over two hundred soldiers had been killed.
* * *
Tanc watched the soldiers racing toward the village and shook her head.
"They have no respect for their ponies."
Little did she know how prophetic her words actually were. When Custer saw hundreds of braves pouring from the tents, he tried to halt the attack. Unfortunately, he was well beyond the point of no return and found himself surrounded. Ordering his bugler to sound retreat and then re-rally the troops, he summoned his senior officers for their final orders.
"Tell the men to close ranks, dismount and form a tight circle."
"Yes sir. What about the horses, sir?"
"Kill them!"
"Sir?" asked his second in command, sure he had misunderstood.
"I said kill them. We'll use their bodies as shields."
"But Colonel, sir, how will we get home?"
"The Indians have horses, Captain. Once we teach them a lesson, we'll take what we need."
"Begging your pardon, Colonel, but..."
"You have your orders, Captain. This isn't up for discussion."
Saluting, the officers departed, racing to relay their commander's orders. Reluctantly, the soldiers did as they were told. The most experienced knew it was a mistake but prayed they were wrong.
* * *
When Tanc saw the enemy circling and then dismount, she shook her head. Some might have escaped if they had run for the river. It was the slaughtering of the horses that convinced her that these white men were crazy. Indian and horse shared a special bond. Killing them to use them as shields was unthinkable, not to mention totally illogical.
Letting out the traditional war cry, she signaled her braves to attack. The small band joined the main body of Indians in their attack, focusing on the yellow-haired man in the center of the ring. Nudging Demon away from the circling braves, she located Brave Eagle and pointed to their target. Nodding, he called to several braves to follow him and charged the outer line of defense. Jumping over the dead bodies, he guided his horse straight at Yellow Hair. Two soldiers tried to pull him off his horse, but he kicked them away and pointed his rifle at his target. Even amongst the other gunfire, Tanc could separate that one sound from the others. In slow motion, she saw Brave Eagle fall from his horse, clutching his side.
Kneeing Demon, Tanc gripped his sides with her legs as he sailed over the heads of the white men anxious to get to her fallen friend. Already, soldiers were beating on him with their rifles. Tanc wanted vengeance. Diving off Demon's back, she landed on the backs of several men and began fighting her way toward Brave Eagle's body. Several braves had followed her and were forcing their way forward.
Reaching her goal, Tanc pulled her knife from her scabbard, stabbed two of the soldiers and shoved them to the side. Grabbing another by the hair, she sliced his throat. When the others realized they were being attacked from behind, they spun around and stopped. The sight of the tall, red-haired woman caught them by surprise, giving her and her fellow braves the opportunity they needed. Within seconds, the soldiers were dead.
Kneeling, Tanc ignored the fighting around her to check on her friend, expecting to find him dead. Surprisingly he wasn't, although she knew he was seriously injured. More Indians had succeeded in breaching the front line. Now Indian and soldier struggled in hand-to-hand combat. Tanc was torn between helping Brave Eagle and going after Yellow Hair. Looking around, she was just in time to see Rain In The Face complete the task.
Satisfied, Tanc leaned down to check Brave Eagle's injuries. Neither she nor her companions noticed the Crow scout lying a few feet away, pointing a gun, until they heard the blast. Immediately, he was attacked and killed.
Tanc felt as if she had been hit in the back by a club. Falling forward, she braced herself with one arm and reached around with her other hand to feel the area that was now burning like fire. A heaviness settled in her chest and she coughed. Blood spewed from her mouth, splattering over her friend's face and chest. Feeling weak and unable to support her weight, she shifted slightly to keep from falling on Brave Eagle, and then collapsed. The sounds of fighting grew faint. Tank felt cold. She was dying and wondered how many more times Death would take her before even he grew tired of her game.