River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-10-14
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accounting. Red Cloud, it is said, is -
still living.
Sitting Bull had 5000 fighting men
with him when he the Seventh cavalry under the
"Yelowhaired Chief who the valley of death
with less than three hundred following troopers is
the custom of the whites to speak of every battle with
the reds in which the pale face loss severe as
massacre. The Custer affair was a massacre, but it
of the few fights in which the whites were
defeated which rightly could be called.
Red Clouds is suggestive of the warrior, and
In the that he made its significance
ribe. With his braves swept the settlements and
gave battle sodiery rarely giving heed to the
odds that might be against him.
Red Cloud Sioux Of the pure blood. There
always of the tribe Sitting
had trace of white in him. and to the fullblood this
the equivalent of discredtng him with "streak of
yellow. But this only the Indian way of looking
at it and Sitting Bull probably showed towards
face to any foe matter what may the opinion of
him painsman general
In his old age Red Cloud is said to be object of
pity, but 1t different story in the earlier days,
when his strong and his heart vengeful.
Almost Immediately after the civil Red Cloud met
in battle the edried heroes of that conflict they
found in him foe worthy of their skill and steel.
Mineral wealth had been discovered in Montana and
the rush of prospectors and settlers made necessary
for the government to begin the erection of military
posts along the trail leading over the prares to the
mines On the trail to the Powder river built Fort
Phil Kearney. While the troops ordered to the
post were the march overland riding
in the column if he had death at his heels Col
Fetterman was in command, and after hurried talk
with the scout the two rode forward leaving the column
at halt. officer and skirted a patch of timber
the banks of a small prairie stream from
which the view was unbroken for miles To the front
and about 600 yards distant they solitary Sioux
warrior standing plain with his spear thrust into
the ground at his side while from the end of the
handle fuered a bit of colored cloth. 1t needed
little frontier knowledge to make Interpretation of
signal easy the Sioux sign of warning that
there must be trespassing the lands which
they held dominion
Warning Is spurned.
Red Cloud the chief had ordered the warrior to
rrI1of at nnfjp nd mons and
he took terrible vengeance because his warning
had been spurned.
Col Fetterman rode back to his command knowing
well what the signal of the planted spear meant but
soldier like fully determined disregard it's conveyed
threat. He pushed ahead with his men, throwing out
scouts to feel the way. The Indian sentinel had
ished but spear with its pennant cloth
to stand forbidding sign Not another Sioux was
the march to the post, but the scouts knew
that Red Cloud not far off and bding his time
few hours after the occupation of the fort detail
of soldiers out with small train to cut
to bring in needed timber. Two hours later
courier rode in and had barely time to tell his story
before he sank into Inconsistencies from the pain of
his wounds The timber detail surrounded by Sioux
and was in imminent danger of death.
In the fort many and children, the
and and daughters of the officers and en-
listed men. Col Fetterman knew that he must leave a
strong guard the protection of the post for the
attack the timber party might be but diversion to
draw away the troops, and taking but so with
him. the commanding officer rode out to the of
the surrounded soldiers Not one man Of the gallant
band rode back
That Fetterman and his eXacted heavy price
for their lives goes without saying, but how many of
the savage followers of Red Cloud fell that day
man ever knew will know unless the chief
in the hour his dotage may day babbe the tale.
To the memory OF Fetterman fort bearing his name
the Wilderness but even the remembrance OF the
memorial passing News of the killing of
the troops gone the aid of their fellows only
to die was sent the nearest garrison by courier, who
made his way through the hostile country with peril
besettng every hoof stroke the path He euded Red
Cloud only by matching cunning against cunning and
the white craft the red.
Relief reached the post but by this time the whole
Sioux nation had declared for and the northwest
was afame did the fires of conflict kindled by Red
C1oud die out for than of years, the last
flicker of the lighting the battle field of "The
Mission" near Pine Ridge, S. D, in the year 1891.
Red Cloud at the agency the scene of the last
fight saw the wounded brought in from the field He
had seen the beginning of the and he the
witness of its end