The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-10-23
RED CLOUD
One Of the fierCest Of all
Our Indian Warriors.
FROM GEN. O. o. HowARD's SEA
NOUS INDIAN CHIEFS" IN
ST. NICHOLAS.

Far away in Wyoming lived the
Sioux Indians, a fierce and warlike
tribe. They called themselves Da-
kotas: but their enemies said that
when they fought they did every
thing in a mean, hidden way so 1t
was hard to know what to expect,
and they called them Sioux, which
means snakelike-ones. To this tribe
belonged young brave who want
ed very much to become chief. His
father was a fierce warrior and had
taught him how to fight, but he was
not satisfied to follow the leaders
of his tribe, for he wanted to lead
other Indians himself. When this
young man was only eighteen years
old he had already learned to use
the bow, could ride Indian ponies
and swim deep rivers, and was a
great buffalo hunter; besides, he Of
ten danced in war dances with older
braves. In some way he managed to
get a rifle which fired several times
without reloading, and after that he
began to feel of much more import
ance than other young Indians.
At first the young braves were an
cry with him, but he soon showed
them that he was a skillful warrior,
and before long many young Indians
chose him for their leader. Now he
could wear an eagle feather in his
war bonnet, and was real chief.
At this time Uncle Sam had prom
Used to give each Indian good blank
ct, and they were glad to get them.
The blankets were all bright red, and
when this young Indian and his fol-
lowers, each wearing red blank
ct, rode rapidly past, some one said,
''See the Red Cloud" From that time
on the young leader was called RED
Cloud" and so far as i know was
never after given any other name.
The Sioux Indians have a won
derful festival which they call the
sun dance. At this time all the
braves try to show how much pain
they can bear without f1inching, and
some people say it makes them ten
der-hearted. Certainly RED Cloud
always could bear more than any
other warrior, and yet his heart was
fierce and warlike. In time the In
dams came to fear him, and little by
little he was chosen war chief of all
the wild Dakotas or Sioux He hated
the white people, and when other
indians tried to make peace Red
Cloud always said: ''No; war, war;"
Perhaps he knew that just as soon
as there was peace he would no
longer be a chief; at any rate, he
would not listen to any plan to stop
fighting. #A
Fort Phil Kearney in Wyoming
was in the middle of the Indians
country. One day word came to the
major there that a party of soldiers
who had gone to get firewood had
been attacked. and some were killed,
the rest in great danger. The ma
jor at ONCE sent out a rescue party
under Capt Fetterman, but Red Cloud
was waiting with two thousand war
riors, and not one white man es-
capped.
Nobody could say now that Red
Cloud was not great leader, and
even Uncle Sam, however, he feared
him, had to confess. that he was
'Chief of all the living Sioux In
dams" All the Sioux chiefs whose
fathers had been chiefs before them
were willing to give some indian
lands to the white people and live
on reservation, but Red Cloud
said: mo, no; want war;" and the
young warriors followed him in spite
of the chiefs. He had many battles
and simply would not stop lighting.
At last, in 1874. the Indians came
to one of Uncle Sans army posts
for. q 'big talk" The result was
'~4t the Indians agreed to give up the
land they had fought for, and went
to live on what was called RED
Cloud Reservation" But still peace
did not come. They were always
ready tosbreak out. and every once
In a while houses were burned.
stages waylaid. and people killed It
was of no use to treat the tribe kind
ly so long as Red Cloud wanted war.