Rain in the Face
Rain in the Face was a prominent Hunkpapa Sioux war chief known for his significant role in Native American resistance during the mid to late 19th century. His name originates from childhood experiences where blood and war paint marked his face. Not of hereditary lineage, he gained his status through acts of valor in warfare, particularly during the conflicts surrounding the Bozeman Trail from 1866 to 1868, where he led numerous raids. He is notably remembered for his involvement in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, where he is said to have killed General George Armstrong Custer. Rain in the Face was arrested in 1873 for the murder of a white surgeon but managed to escape with the help of a guard. He later fought in the Black Hills War and retreated to Canada with Sitting Bull after the wars concluded. Eventually, he returned to Montana and surrendered at Fort Keogh in 1880. His personal life included having seven wives and many children, reflecting aspects of Sioux culture and family structure.
Rain in the Face
- Born: c. 1835
- Birthplace: Forks of the Cheyenne River, North Dakota
- Died: September 14, 1905
- Place of death: Standing Rock, North Dakota
Category: Chief
Tribal affiliation: Hunkpapa Sioux
Significance: During the Sioux Wars of the 1860’s and 1870’s, Rain in the Face was a leading war chief
His name came from childhood incidents in which blood, along with red and black war paint, streaked his face. Not a hereditary chief, Rain in the Face earned his reputation and status in war. During the wars for the Bozeman Trail (1866-1868), Rain in the Face was a leading war chief, participating in numerous raids. At Fort Trotten, North Dakota, he was severely wounded.
Arrested in 1873 for the murder of a white surgeon, Rain in the Face, though admitting his guilt, was aided by a white guard, who permitted his escape. He thereafter participated in the war for the Black Hills (1876-1877) and in the last great Indian victory, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which he was reputed to have killed George Armstrong Custer. At war’s end, he retreated with Sitting Bull to Canada, returning with him to Montana in 1880 and surrendering at Fort Keogh. Rain in the Face had seven wives and numerous children.