American Indian Culture and Research Journal

In September 1899, Crow Dog submitted a claim to the United States Army for fifty dollars, for a horse killed at Wounded Knee. He stated that he had served as a scout for Lieutenant Colonel Smith of the 8th Infantry and that Indian agent Major Wright had promised him he would be paid. The commissioner of Indian affairs asked J. George Wright, who was then serving as the United States Indian inspector for Indian Territory, to verify the claim. In the National Archives-Southwest Region, buried among thousands of pages of records relating to Wright's accounts, is his reply, which gives some interesting background on Crow Dog and his claim. According to Wright, "[I]t seems highly improbable that Crow Dog, always recognized as a leader in the hostile element would have been engaged as a scout." Wright noted that Crow Dog had been sentenced to hang for killing Chief Spotted Tail in 1882 but was eventually released and "was always considered a disturbing element and was the leader in all troubles.” Like a good federal bureaucrat, Wright closes by passing the buck and suggesting that the commissioner contact Lieutenant Colonel Smith.