Rain-In-The-Face - A noted Sioux warrior and chief of the Hunkpapa tribe.  He was born in 1835 near the forks of the Cheyenne River in North Dakota.

He received his name after fighting all day in the rain.  It had been his habit to paint his face half red and half black to represent the sun when covered by darkness.  The rain caused his red and black paint to run and his face became streaked.

Rain-in-the-Face went on the warpath many times, but his first important experience as a warrior was in the attack on Fort Phil Kearney, Wyoming, in December, 1866, when Captain Fetterman and his command of eighty men were killed.

Rain-in-the-Face was arrested once by Colonel Tom Custer, brother of General Custer, and after escaping he swore he would some day cut out Tom Custer's heart "and eat it."  he was with Sitting Bull at the Custer battle and it was claimed he killed both General Custer and Tom Custer.  he denied killing General Custer, but did admit in an interview at Coney Island years later that he killed Tom Custer and cut out his heart.  In more sober moments he is said to have denied this, also.

Rain-in-the-Face fled to Canada with sitting Bull, but finally surrendered in 1880.

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[ Custer's Last Stand ][ Dakota ][ Indian Names ][ Red Cloud ][ Sitting Bull ]