Edward Parmelee Smith was educated at Yale and ordained as a pastor in 1856. He became a general field agent of the American Missionary Association, and then served as Indian Agent for a Minnesota Chippewa tribe. He was appointed U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1873.

Smith traveled to Dakota from Washington, arriving at Ft. Abraham Lincoln on August 1st. The Bismarck Tribune referred to him as Major Smith when covering his meeting with the Mandans, Hidatsa and Arikaras. “The Chiefs of the three nations,” the story read, “were as elaborately dressed as we have ever seen Indians under any circumstances; and were all fine looking men; and delivered their orations in a very impressive manner.”

Major Smith began: “Came to see you; heard of your being friendly; sorry you are shut in by Sioux; great change coming over Indian tribes. There are two kinds of men, white men and red-skins; heard you wanted say something to me; that you had been waiting ten days.”

Hidatsa Chief Crow Breast was a descendent of Sheheke, the chief who accompanied Lewis and Clark back to Washington. He said, “We are three tribes at Ft. Berthold all very poor; been waiting long time to see you; want to see Great Father in Washington.”

Arikara Chief Son-of-Star descended from Star, who was painted by artist George Catlin. He told Smith, “[We] want our rights; all our men, women and children starving...buffalo and antelope... are driven off; expected to go to Washington at once; want to know if can go or not.”

Smith responded by telling them he was as close to a Great Father as they’d ever see, and they should either become better farmers or leave Dakota and move down into Indian Territory.

Chief Bad Gun descended from the famous Mandan chief, Four Bears. “We are alone in the world,” he said. “Great Father promised us help...three tribes are poor in flesh, starving...[The Sioux] kill our people; take everything from us...villages going into the ground; want enough to supply our wives and children; want to talk to Great Father; think he will help us.”

They pointed out they’d befriended the whites from the very beginning, supplied them with soldiers, helped protect their railroad workers, were decimated by diseases they brought. Now, if and when their promised food rations arrived, they received only a tiny portion – only what the agents couldn’t sell elsewhere. The agents even stole their grain and tried to sell it back to them.

Crow Breast said, “Commissioners and agents told [us we] we were going to have a good place to stay; that houses were to be built and furnished...and plenty of food. Promises were lies, they did not do it. Whites are cutting wood all around, sell wood for many dollars; keep everything; don’t give any to us; they cut and sell hay also, all on our land, we get nothing for it. Sioux do the same thing, take all we have; you pay us nothing for it.”

Small Back, an Arikara Scout, said, “We soldiers go fight, have nothing; we feel ashamed...; [I can’t] look my boy in the face.”

They weren’t the only ones who were angry. The Tribune reported: “Much bad has been perpetrated upon these bands...” “…while their agents have become rich, fat and jolly, they have grown poor, lean and dejected...” “Mr. Smith, of whom they had never heard, came and told them he was their Great Father...Smith was unnecessarily severe and short with them and did not succeed in gaining their confidence or respect.” “They say [he] is a hard man, the worst they have ever met.”

Sources: Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887-1889 and 1999.
“Maj. Smith and the Indians.” The Bismarck Tribune. 6 Aug 1873.
“The outraged Redman.” The Bismarck Tribune. 13 Aug 1873.

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