Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-08
From J%ulesburg.
(Correspordenes OF tho Denver Ns-hl


Fort SgDgwIcK, Col, Feb. 10.
EDS. NEws:-So much interest is CEN
tered in the coming Indian campaign,
and so little is really known Of the
Northern Indians, that n sketch Of their
daring and able leadermay not be amiss.
| have gathered the following informa-
ton from traders who have been among
the Indians for years. Fifty years ago
fighting (Mah-to-io-ma) was the great
chief of all the Sioux. He was killed
by Captain Curian in an ARRAY near
Laramie. His successor was Little
Thunder Extraordinarily, who
fought General Harvey at Ash Hollow.
By disease he was unable longer to lead
his braves to battle, and he requested
that Young Spotted Tail (Son-ta-ga-lis-
ga) should be chosen in his place, which
was done. Spotted Tail was a brave
warrior and a wise counselor, but in
time he became too conservative for
them, and advocated peace with the
whites.
Red Cloud (Mah-pi-lu-tan), a young
chief Of the Red Face (Eteh-se-cah)
band of the (Ogal-la-lah) Sioux, was
his opponent, as q champion Of war to
the knife against the 'pale-faced dogs"
At first the reputation of Spotted Tail
as a warrior and q wise man, and his
authority as principal chief of all the
Sioux, gave him such an advantage over
Red Cloud, that the latter was generally
overruled, but after a time the daring
bravery exhibited by Red Cloud in war
with surrounding tribes, and his vehe-
ment %eloquence in council, gave him
more influence in the tribe, till he pre-
vailed upon them to fight, which they
did in l863--5.'
He is now about thirty-ive years old,
is physically one of the finest specimens
Of a wild, untamed Indian, fully six feet
tall, straight as an arrow, and active rs
a panther, rides q beautiful, half-breed
gray horse, and is as fine a horseman as
the world can produce.
He was the fighting Sioux chief in the
Powder river campaign of 1865, and
came out feeling entirely urwhipped.
When he came into Laramie last spring,
at the repeated requests Of the Peace
Commissioners, he it was, who, with
such naughty arrogance, and in social
indifference, offered them the choice OF
the peace pipe, or the three arrows OF
war.
When they made the Powder river
road, their ultimatum he instantly with
drew, and declared that the whites
should never occupy his country, nor
have a road through it. He went back
to his hunting ground with his little
band Of Badfaces, who could not be Sc
duced away from him by squaw, cloth,
beads or paint. His braves did not
number more than three hundred, but
with such uneIampled odds against
him no commenced the contest against
the whites ; declaring every white a
dog, he killed all those who had traded
with or married into his tribe. When
ever q white made his appearance on
the Powder river road, anywhere of its
FIVE hundred miles in length, he was
sure to meet the seemingly omnipresent
Red Cloud, on his gray horse. Trains
were surprised by night and ambushed
by day. Government herds were
stampeded at every point. Troops
were surprised and slaughtered by
scores. Communication between posts
were cut of. Wood and hay parties
were driven in, and at last the military
posts were in q state of siege.
But Red Clouds little band has be-
come an army. His hot incursions,
his high deeds, his great name in arms"
has drawn daring and warlike spirits
from his own aid surrounding tribes,
till at last all tie Northern Indians are
in arms. Such Is the character given
by the mountaineers to Red Cloud, the
Pontiac of the Plains.
I have given. you before a sketch Of
the officers who are to lead Jul troops
into the Indian. country the coming
summer. Red Cloud will lead the In
dian warriors. Upon these leaders of
both sides, all the interest of the COM
ing campaign centers. If it was all
honor for the British Generals to con-
quer Pontiac, and our Generals to yan
quish the great Tecumseh, it will be
equally so for Generals Augur, Palmer
and Pattee to meet and subdue Red
Cloud. He is a fosmsn worthy Of their
steel. ~