EXCERPT FROM RAPID CITY DAILY JOURNAL – JULY 16, 1893
A GOOD INDIAN GONE
THE BEST INDIAN FRIEND TO THE WHITES GOES TO HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS - - YOUNG MAN AFRAID OF HIS HORSES DIES WHILE RETURNING TO HOME FROM A VISIT
Word was received by The Journal yeasterday from Newcastle, Wyoming that the white man’s best friend among the Indians, Young Man Afraid of His Horses, had died at that place on Friday morning after but a few hours’ illness. He had returned with a party of his tribe from a visit to the Crow Indians in Montana, and was enjoying the best of health up to a few hours prior to his sudden death. His remains will be taken to Pine Ridge agency where they will be buried. The letter states that the cause of this death is a mystery.
Dr. V. T. McGillycuddy, of this city, a warm personal friend of the noted chief, furnishes the follow short sketch of the life of Young Man Afraid of His Horses:
The above name was a misinterpretation, his true name being in Indian “Tasunka Kokipa,” which is – in itself an abbreviation of the Sioux Indian name, Man of Whose Horses They are Afraid, i.e. He is so brave that the enemy are even afraid of his horses.
This noted chief was known among the whites as Young Man Afraid, to distinquish him from his father, Old Man Afraid, who died at Pine Ridge agency in 1889, at the age of seventy-five years, the “young man’s” age being about fifty years.
As successor of his father, he was hereditary chief of the Ogalalla Sioux the Young Man Afraid having held the hereditary chieftainship for many generations. This long line of blue-blooded succession gave him more prominence, influence and authority in the Sioux nation generally than any chief living.
Young-Man-Afraid was always the firm and unwavering friend of the government and the whites.
The following incident proved his friendship: In September, 1876, during the exploration of the Black Hills, twenty thousand of the Sioux nation were assembled on Chadron creek, Nebraska, twenty-five miles from Fort Robinson, the nearest military pose, there was being held a general council of the Sioux with a United States commission sent from Washington to treat with the Indians for the purchase of the Black Hills.
Among the commissioners were General Terry and Senator Allison, og Iowa. To protect the commission there was present but one company of soldiers, Captain Egan’s troop of the Second Cavalry, numbering about fifty men.
On the second day of the council there suddenly appeared from the direction of the Black Hills a party of mounted Indians number three-hundred warriors in full was regalia under the leadership of the famous northern chief, Little-Big-Man. He announced that by any old division of the hunting grounds the Black Hills had been apportioned to the Northern Sioux, and that he had been sent down from the north by Sitting Bull not to sell the Black Hills, but to kill the white commissioners.
On this announcement, Captain Egan at once placed his company immediately in the rear of the commissioner’s tents, with their carbines loaded.
Little Big Man immediately stationed his warriors in the rear of Eagan’s men, who they outnumbered seven to one. Captain Egan at this move ordered his first sergeant to cover Little Big Man with his carbine and at the signal from the Indian chief to fire. This was the tableau with the commissioners experiencing a rapidly increasing attack of the ague.
The tableau was now changed by the appearance of Young-Man-Afraid with a large number of warriors also in full rig, he forced or wedged his men in between the northern warriors and the cavalry, than addressing Little-Big-Men said: “My friend for the northeast look at me, I am Man-Afraid, chief of the Ogalalla. You are now on the hunting grounds of the Ogalallas and Brules, those white men come from the great father on a mission of peace, they are under my protection. If you fight them you must also fight me. I have no more to say.”
The fight did not come off. Little Big Man and his warriors disappeared as rapidly to the north as they had come. Man-Afraid had saved the commissioners.
During the Indian war that succeeded the following year, 1876, by reason of the influx of whites into the Black Hills and which resulted in the Custer massacre and the death of many a Black Hiller in 1876 and 1877, while Red Cloud and many of the agency Indians aided the hostiles by sending warriors and arms north, and attacked the Black Hills settlers, “Young-Man-Afraid” and his immediate band never wavered in their freindship for the whites.
It was through his aid and friendship with a few others that the government was enabled to keep the Indians during the succeeding years in check at Pine Ridge without the aids of troops, and offset Red Cloud and other hostiles in their war like attempts.
And finally it was through the aid and influence of Young Man Afraid in January, 1891, that what promised to be a dangerous Indian war was averted.
Should trouble again arise with the Sioux nation, Young Man Afraid will be missed.
