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Red Cloud
Red Cloud
(Makhpiya-luta,
`scarlet
Cloud,' frequently known among his people
as Makhpia-sha,
`Red Cloud’). A
principal chief of the Oglala Teton Sioux of Pine Ridge
reservation, the largest band of the
Sioux nation, and probably
the most famous and
powerful chief in the history
of the tribe. The
origin of the name is
disputed, but is said by ex-agent McGillycuddy
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(inf'n,1906)
to refer to the way in which his scarlet-blanketed
warriors formerly covered the
hillsides like a red
cloud.
If this be true, the name
was bestowed after he had obtained recognition
as a leader.
Red Cloud was born at the forks of Platte River, Nebr.,
in 1822, and died at Pine
Ridge, South Dakota,
Dec. 10, 1909.
He was a
member of the Snake family,
the most distinguished
and forceful of his tribe, and
rose to prominence by his own
force of character, having no claim to hereditary
chiefship, which in the
Oglala band rested
with the family represented by
They-fear-even-his-horse
(“Youngman-afraid-of-his-horses"), the latter being
more conservative and more
friendly toward
civilization.
Red Cloud's
father died of
drunkenness brought about by
the introduction of liquor
into the tribe without stint, commencing about 1821.
When
in 1865 the Government undertook
to
build a road from Ft. Laramie, Wyo, on the North
Platte,
by way of
Powder
River to the
gold regions of Montana, Red
Cloud headed the
opposition for his tribe, on
the
ground
that
the
influx
of travel along
the trial
would destroy the best remaining
buffalo ground of the Indians. The
first small detachment of
troops sent out to
begin construction work were intercepted
by Red Cloud with a large party of Oglala Sioux and
Cheyenne, and held
practically as prisoners for more than two
weeks, but finally were
allowed to proceed
when it seemed to the chief that they
might be massacred by his
young men. In the
fall of the same year commissioners
were sent to treat with the
Oglala for permission
to build the road, but Red Cloud
forbade the negotiations and
refused to attend the
council.
On June 30, 1866,
another council for
the same purpose was called at Ft Laramie, Red Cloud this time
attending and
repeating his refusal to endanger the
hunting grounds of his
people. While he was
speaking, a strong force of troops
under Gen. Carrington
arrived, and on being
told, in reply to a question, that they had come to build forts
and open the road to
Montana, he seized his rifle
and with a final defiant
message left the
council with his entire following. Carrington
then set out on his mission,
which included the
rebuilding and garrisoning of Ft Reno, on powder River, and the
establishment of Ft
Phil Kearny and Ft C.
F. Smith, the last named being on
Bighorn River, in Montana.
Another protest to Carrington himself proving
ineffectual, Red Cloud
surrounded the troops and
working force at Ft Kearny
with perhaps 2,000
warriors and harassed them
so constantly that not even
a load of hay could be
brought in from the prairie except
under the protection of a strong
guard, while it was made
impossible to venture
out after the game that was
abundant all around. On
Dec. 21, 1866, an
entire detachment of 81 men under
Capt. Fetterman was cut off
and every man killed.
On Aug. 1, 1867,
another severe engagement occurred near the post.
In all this time not a
single wagon had been
able to pass over the road, and in
1868 another commission was
appointed to come to
terms with Red Cloud, who
demanded as an ultimatum the
abandonment of the
three posts and of all further
attempts to open the Montana
road.
A treaty was
finally made on this basis,
defining the limits of the
Sioux country as
claimed by the Sioux, Red Cloud refusing
to sign or even to be present until
the garrisons had actually
been withdrawn, thus
winning a complete victory
for the position which he
had taken from the
beginning. He finally affixed his
signature at Ft Laramie, Nov.
6, 1868.
From that date he seems to
have kept his promise
to live at peace with the whites,
although constantly resisting
the innovations of
civilization.
He took no active
part in the Sioux war of
1876, although he is
accused of having secretly aided and
encouraged the hostiles.
Being convinced of the hopelessness of attempting to hold
the Black Hills after the
discovery of gold in
that region, he joined in the agreement
of cession in 1876.
In
the outbreak of
1890-91 also he remained
quiet, being then an
old man and partially blind, and
was even said to have been
threatened by the
hostiles on account of his loyal attitude
toward the Government.
As a warrior Red
Cloud stood first
among his people, having counted 80
coups (q. v.) or separate
deeds of bravery in
battle. As a general and statesman he
ranked equally high, having
been long prominent in
treaties and councils, and several times a delegate to
Washington, his
attitude having been always that of a patriot from the Indian
standpoint. Unlike
Indians generally, he had but one
wife, with whom he lived
from early manhood.
Personally he is described by
one well acquainted with him
as a most courtly
chief and a naturalborn gentleman
with a bow as graceful as that of a
Chesterfield. For some years
before his death he
was blind and decrepit, and
lived in a house built for
him by the Government.
His immediate band is
known as Iteshicha (q. v.) |
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