The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-01-28
RED CLOUD AND SPOTTED TAIL.

| III IL olu, wrnkled appearance " AuRYClIEFF.
RED CLOUD AND SPOTTED TAIL.
| Red Cloud, the celebrated Sioux chieftain.
who Is visiting this city this winter brought In his car
pet-bag Of grievances claim for hundred ponies
which ho alleges were unawfuy taken from him by
the United States forces In 1876 This chief has been
one ot the most powerful OF the many great warriors
OF the Sioux tribes, for thera many subdivisions
and tribes among the Sioux, Ogalalll, BrulG, Teton
and Uncapapas arc the names OF some OF the most
prominent. Red Cloud is an hereditary or tradl-
tionalchle but up to the time of Spotted Tails as
sasslnation the latter had grown and more pow
erfu untl Of late years he had become the most pow
! erfu OF all the Sioux chieftans. This was, ia q
great MEASURE due to Spotted Tail's fre ndship and
loyalty to the whites aud the confidence entertained
by the officers of the Army In his professions He'd
Cloud, on the contrary, lost the confidence of the
Army, and was generally sidered unreliable by
reason of what might be called his "fast
and .oosen policy. But the Indians them
selves, while greatly fearing and respecting
Spotted Tail account of his influence with the
whites and his unquestioned courage and ability had
the traditional regard which obtains among civ
ilized peoples for hereditary rank. Many of the
Sioux have therefore cung to Red Cloud through all
his ohecquered career. At the close of Civil War
we occupied line of military stations extending
across the Sioux reservation from the Upper North
Platte River to the Yellowstone. Red Cloud and his
warriors demanded that We should abandon these
posts, and upon onr failure to comply made their
vicinity the theatre of many bloody skirmlsh. This
state OF affairs finally culminated la the ambuscade
by Red Cloud and his braves of Col. Fetterman and
his command Of about eighty men and
several officers, all of whom were mas.
sacred. This occurred near Fort Phil Kearney
In 1860, and thereupon, and apparently the result
of this massacre, the Government abandoned Forts
Reno, Kearney, and G. f. Smith. II n concession of
this kind to have been made at all 1t should have
preceded, and thereby prevented, that bloody affair."
The result showed that Red Cloud had either out
witted In diplomacy out fou ght in war nation
/ that had Just brought to successful termination
negotiations of the most delicate character with the
most powerful nation on earth, and an internecine
war grand In Its proportions. Daring the hosttes
which, in ls75'76'77 were waged between the rene
gade bands Of Sioux and Cheyenne under the leader.
ship OF Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Dull Knife Little
Bad Man, and other redoubtabe Chiefs Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail remained upon the Sioux reservation
at the agencies bearing their respective names. But
while they were apparently personally friendly and
took no part In the hostilites, the young braves
FESTIVE, and In the case of Red Clouds band par
ticuary many undoubtedly left the reservation and
Joined the hostiles who already along the banks
of the Tongue and Yellowstone rivers engaged in open
war. The two columns of United States troops
operating against these bands commanded by
ls1erry and Crook respectively. The former
operated from the northeast, with the posts on the
Upner Missouri for his base, while the latter moved
north from the line of the Union Pacific Railway with
the posts the North Platte for his depots of supply
1t that these generals operat
ing upon exterior lines against willy foe, whose
numbers 1t was hard to correctly estimate and who
enjoyed not only the advantage of interior lines and
consolidated forces but close proximity to large
bsrs of their people In active sympathy with them
and from whom they were constantly In receipt OF
accessons to their numbers, supplies of ammuni-
tion and important Information as TO the movements
of troops. The campaign of the southern column
culmiuaed on the l7th OF June, 1875, In the affair
OF the " Rosebud 1t was a desultOry combat
whichlasted all day, night leaving Crook master OF
the field, but with large number Of dead aud
wounded on his hands aud the knowledge that he
was greatly outnumbered. The next day he moved
back and reioined his trains which were parked in
strong position two days march from the scene of
the fight. few days later detachment from
Terry's column, under Custer struck the trail of the
Indians near where Crook had fought them. The
Indians had moved from the banks of the Rosebud to
the Little Big Horn. Custer aud his command fol-
lowed, and on the 26th of June In sight of the
Sioux village. Here the dashing cavaryman made
the fatal error Of dividing his small force In the
presence OF an enemy superior In numbers, and, to
say the least his equal In 1t is doubtful If
there ever has been any light cavalry In the world
superior to the Sioux Indians. The history of this
affair need not be here repeated. Custer and his i'm
mediate detachment plunged Into the Sioux ranks
and landed In eternity. This terminated the first
stage oi the campaign OF the northern columns.
Later In the summer Terry and Crooks oolum n
Joined and together followed the trail OF the Indians
until they separated, one band going north and tn
other southeast. Terrys command followed the
band going north, but was obliged to abandon pur-
suit when the Indians crossed the border into British
Columbia. Crook followed the trails leading south,
but with the exception OF one small band which he
attacked and dispersed In the affair at Slim Buttes In
the Black Hills, no considerable number remained to-
gether. They broke up Into small squads and
AS these came near the reservations they, like the
witches before MaCbstb, made themselves air into
which they apparently vanished. Crook was now
thoroughly convinced that great numbers OF Red
Cloud band had been away from the agency and en-
gagged In the summers campaign. Winter was near,
and they preparing to enter upon the peace
and quiet Of the reservation where tho Government
would fatten them for the next campaign. IndIca-
tions were strong that II Red Cloud had not gIyen
actual aid aud comfort 10 tho hOses he had certainly
been cognzan of much of the dIsoyalty In his camp
Crook left his troops in the Black Hills and hurried
down to tho Red Cloud Agency. From this point he /
communicated his suspicious to General Sheridan to
whom he proposed that Red Cloud and his immediate
followers should be surrounded captured, and dis
armed Sheridan approved Of the project and Crook .
at once set about its execution lie communicated |
his design TO spotted Tail whose agency was adjacent
to and not many miles distant from the Red Cloud |
Agency Spotted Tail agreed that in case Of trouble
he would hold his warriors aoJf and IN accordance |
with his professions and loyalty, proceeded TO get his
people we'll In hand. The troops composing the Big
Horn and Yellowstone expedition were moved down
from the Black Hills TO the north side the reserya-
tion, and on the night preceding the coup closed In
Crook sent Colonel (now Brlgador General } .
Mackenzie with his regiment the Fourth
Cavalry, and supporting column, to RED