On the Fact that Cavalry Soldiers Fighting Against the Plains Indians Were Frequently Told to "Save the Last Bullet for Yourself"

Yeah, apparently the Plains Indians were amongst the most brutal torturers on the planet and so it was generally deemed that a quick suicide was preferable. This from a Colonel Richard Dodge (source - Paul Wellman's book, "Death On the Prairie") - "He (an Indian captive) was stripped of his clothing, laid on his back on the ground and his arms and legs, stretched to the utmost, were fastened by thongs to pins driven into the ground. In this state he was not only helpless, but almost motionless. All this time the Indians pleasantly talked to him. It was all kind of a joke. Then a small fire was built near one of his feet. When that was so cooked as to have little sensation, another fire  was built near the other foot, then the legs and arms and body until the whole person was crisped. Finally a small fire was built on the naked breast and kept up until life was extinct."......Mmm, yeah, I'd probably go with the bullet, too...…………………………………………………………………………...P.S. And, yes, the cavalry perpetrated atrocities as well but for the most part they tended to be a) (save for the Sand Creek Massacre) not quite so brutal and b) mostly retaliatory. Different from "Dances with Wolves", in other words.