Rain in the Face, a Hunkpapa Lakota chief and warrior, admitted in a firsthand account that he did not know who killed Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer during the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn. The battle saw the defeat of Custer and his entire Seventh Cavalry Regiment at the hands of Lakota and Cheyenne fighters. Rain in the Face was known for his courage and power in combat, and he was widely believed to have held a personal grudge against Custer. He accused the officer of killing his brother and sister in an earlier conflict, but this assertion is contested by historians, and the exact details of Custer’s death remain uncertain.
Following his release from prison, Rain in the Face became an advocate for Native American rights and a celebrated performer in Wild West shows, where he narrated his wartime experiences. In his account, he explained that he did not see Custer with long yellow hair during the fighting. He recalled that when he saw the soldiers were left behind with their long hair, he was pleased because it reminded him of a promise he had made. He said, “When we observed the rescuers had remained behind with long yellow hair, we were pleased.
” He described his actions after the initial attack, saying, “Then we revealed our line, and the soldiers attacked. ”
Rain in the Face described the chaos of the battle, noting that the soldiers’ weapons jammed, leaving them vulnerable. He said, “Their rifles could only fire once, with cartridges jammed inside. I know I observed dozens of firearms on the battlefield with shells still lodged in them.
” He continued, “When we saw their guns were not working, we used our war clubs to strike them down. ” He recounted that during the fighting, he saw an officer he believed to be Custer, but he could not be certain. He said, “We saw some officers conversing and gesturing, but they all appeared similar. I did not see long yellow hair at that time or afterward.
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Rain in the Face admitted that he did not know who killed Custer, and he noted that Custer had cut his hair short and wore no officer’s coat, making him hard to identify. He said, “They looked for long yellow hair’s scalp, but could not identify him as he wore no officer’s coat and had shortened his hair. ” He also mentioned that he had no memory of the exact moment of the killing, and he did not participate in the final attack on Custer’s position. He said, “I did not participate in the battle.
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The account also revealed tensions between Rain in the Face and Sitting Bull during the battle. He said, “You only performed magic. ” This created friction between them, and he claimed that an argument between himself and Sitting Bull prevented them from destroying the remaining soldiers on the hill. He said, “Both wished to be the sole leader, and various Indians supported each one.
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Rain in the Face described his life after the battle, including his capture and imprisonment. He said, “They put me in a room, chained me, and gave me only one blanket. The snow blew through the cracks and onto me all winter long. ” He also spoke of his reputation as a warrior, saying, “I was a dangerous man before I needed to walk with crutches.
The troops feared me, and the rees and crows would check each morning to confirm their hair was still attached to their heads when I was near. ”
He recounted an incident where he was challenged by a woman who called him a coward. He said, “She declared, ‘A courageous man is not scared. If you are a coward, do not go.
I will ask another who is not afraid, someone who has danced in the Sundance. ‘ That was a provocation I could not refuse. ” He went on to describe how he waited for two days for an opportunity to shoot a soldier, and when he did, he shot them full of arrows and cut off some buttons. Rain in the Face also spoke about his lack of understanding of English, saying, “His knowledge of English words is small, but he can grasp the majority of what is spoken to him.
He is able to sign his name in English but does not comprehend its meaning. ” He described himself as powerful and physically impressive, even at sixty years old, and he was known for keeping his promises. He said, “His one good quality is that you can rely on any commitment he gives, but it takes a great deal of patience to get him to agree to anything. ”
The account ends with Rain in the Face reflecting on his actions and his promise to avenge his family.
He said, “I have never shared it with white men before now. ” He did not provide further details about the aftermath of the battle, but he maintained that he had kept his word.