Conflict with Natives never came here

I heard as a child that the Morris area never had any permanent Native American settlements. We might joke that even then, people thought of better places to be than in Morris! Today we have the "magnet" of the Alexandria lakes area to siphon people from here. We may have lost our annual Prairie Pioneer Days celebration because of that siphon or magnet. 

Historically we depend on the start of the new school year to "jump-start" Morris. For a time, my church of First Lutheran went through summer with one Sunday service - as we acknowledged the slowdown - then went back to two. But I could see the writing on the wall. So sure enough my church capitulated to the long-term pattern of decline and went to one service permanently. 

We must admit that we cannot assume that things get better with the start or school. 

I am prepared at any time to leave for Faith Lutheran - if they'll have me - if First Lutheran shows signs of complete collapse which is possible. It is Sunday morning as I write this. We'll see how things go today. 

So Native Americans never spent much time hanging out in these parts. Yet they are a fundamental part of our local campus history and thus of our overall community history. Fortunately the great Indian war of Minnesota in 1862 didn't extend to here. In fact, I don't think there were any European civilization inroads until 1866. Am I right on that? The Civil War was over. The Indians had to move aside for the Europeans who were flooding in. 

You can debate "Manifest Destiny" but it was truly inevitable. The Indians with their loose concept of property were never going to have a chance. 

We like to romanticize Indian culture today. The movies certainly embrace this. UMM has hosted an annual "Powwow" that showcases the ornamental and ritualistic Indian culture. I haven't been to the Powwow in many years. One year I insisted that my parents attend. I think they found it to be a little loud! 

All the feathers and colors must have had spiritual significance. The Indians like showing us all this now. In the mid-19th Century, the mood was different. The Natives began resenting how the European culture and values were bulldozing them. The Minnesota conflict was major. It coincided with the U.S. Civil War. Morris once had a dentist who wrote a pretty celebrated book about the Minnesota Indian war. It is at our public library: "Birch Coulee." 

It was out in Montana where the conflict came to a head. The military engagement is one of the most studied of world history. Just think of all the books. Scholars have delved into the weeds from every conceivable angle. "Sitting Bull" became a household name. And my, look at the bigger-than-life Custer. His posthumous fame owed itself in large part to his widow working feverishly the rest of her life to build it up. My, she certainly succeeded. 

 

"Reno and Benteen"

Custer's subordinates at the Little Bighorn, "Reno and Benteen," came close to being household names too. Custer's company was completely annihilated. Separate units did survive as did Reno and Benteen. But the unit that assembled for the so-called "Last Stand" was completely doomed down to the last man. 

Sitting Bull

Over time we came to see Custer and his men as so undaunted. I'm sorry to tell you this but it's myth. In the end the soldiers simply tried to flee. Custer himself may have taken his own life or had a comrade do it for him. The soldiers knew that if the Natives got ahold of them, terrible things would be done to them. Custer's body was found with an arrow thrust up his male parts. Yes, the Indians wanted to be left alone. Their encampment along the Little Bighorn River was more of a "last stand" than what Custer's unit did. It was all downhill for the Indians after the battle. 

 

Nomadic life

The Great Plains Indians had survived by following herds of bison that migrated from place to place. These Indians needed homes that could be quickly taken down and rebuilt again. So they lived in tent-like structures called "teepees" made of buffalo skins. 

Our campus on the edge of Morris had an original purpose of helping the Natives. The conventional wisdom is that it did not go well. The intentions were good, I guess. 

It is questionable if we really ought to romanticize Indian culture. It is tempting to do this when you're at the UMM "Powwow." But what did all the accoutrements accomplish? I recall the famous CBS News commentator Andy Rooney in effect saying "balderdash" to the romanticized image. He said the Indians' religion was meaningless. 

I personally like the simplicity behind the Indians' spiritual concepts. They acknowledge, and are in awe of, "the creator." I could drink to that. I attend a church named for Martin Luther, one of the worst anti-Semites in world history. Why in hell do we countenance that? 

I got drawn into the subject of Custer and the Little Bighorn by the movie "Son of the Morning Star." It was well made and historically accurate. I don't think it did well commercially. Down deep it was depressing. Civil War movies leave us with the satisfaction that all of the violence eradicated slavery. As for the Little Bighorn, the Indians won the battle but lost the war. 

Sitting Bull monument

Had Custer shown simple good judgment and restraint, not attacking with such a limited force, all those volumes of historical analysis would never have been produced. Custer could have waited for General Terry. He did not. 

Isn't it obvious? I mean, that Custer was impulsive because of wanting to re-capture the fame he had coming out of the Civil War? 

His poor men: many were young Irish immigrants who joined military service because of a lack of options. Irish people were being discriminated against. Hard to fathom today. History can be strange. That is because we can be so human an animal. 

The other day I was in one of my moods for writing poetry or song lyrics. Actually all of my "poetry" can be sung. So I wrote some verse inspired by the Battle of the Little Bighorn. I call it "Reno and Benteen." I recycled the melody I wrote in connection to the great baseball pitcher Vida Blue recently. 

The large majority of my lyrics will never be recorded. From time to time I do have a song recorded, but it has been a while. Maybe I can afford it better now that banks are paying more interest on savings again!

 

"Reno and Benteen"

by Brian Williams

 

It was summer way out West

Our nation was a fledging one at best

Could the Indians find their place?

Or would they have to brace

For hate?

So the Civil War was done

No more was heard the thundering of guns

But the soldiers donned in blue

Had work they had to do

Get through

From Fort Lincoln they did ride

They looked around at barren countryside

They were sent to pave the way

For settlers come what may

So pray

And with Reno and Benteen

They tried to make their mission swift and clean

They were able men of war

But could they slam the door

Once more

General Custer

There was Custer at the top

Impatient and pugnacious to a fault

He was searching for the fame

That helped him make his name

It's plain

All the soldiers were just pawns

So typical, it's how a war is fought

How they'd like to just survive

And go on living life

No fight

But it's how the world turns

Our human conflict bubbles and it churns

We seek heroes through it all

And some will take the fall

Tough call

No one really wants to die

So look beyond the legends by and by

Even Custer had to fear

His death when it was near

So clear

With his long and flowing hair

He may have looked so sharp and debonair

And his image was in tow

But was it just a show

You know?

He stepped right into the trap

That Sitting Bull had woven with such craft

It was now up to the braves

To simply win the day

Make hay

It was Custer who was vain

Who thought he could prevail in any game

Make the Indians come to heel

He just could not get real

No deal

How did Custer meet his end?

We wonder if he let his courage bend

If he ended his own life

With pistol or with knife

He might

In the end the soldiers died

'Cause there was simply nowhere they could hide

All the Indians were too much

Determined and so tough

With guns!

Look up Reno and Benteen

Two men who saw so many soldiers bleed

Did they have a clear-eyed view

As loyal soldiers do?

What's true?

We were left with mixed accounts

In war the truth will sometimes bounce about

If you lived through Vietnam

You saw a total con

So wrong

So with Reno and Benteen

We ought to keep their reputations clean

Just remember fog of war

And how it leaves us torn

Forlorn

Even though the Natives won

Their way of life would surely soon be done

They would soon capitulate

The future did not wait

Just fate

So with Custer in the ground

His widow worked to bring him more renown

But with Reno and Benteen

What truth is there to seize

Or tease?

There was history left behind

So many clues for sleuths to go and find

Yes it was so long ago

We simply try to probe

To know

There's the icon Crazy Horse

His battle cry would resonate of course

But his win was just one day

There simply was no way

To stay

All the West would grow and grow

With progress that would be a steady flow

While the past is just dispensed

The future won't relent

No end