The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1919-12-27
The Thrills of History:
:. The Indian of 200 Battles

The greatest of all the fighting In
dams of the Sioux tribe was the
Ogala chief known as Red Cloud.
He was given the name for the fiery
colored shoulder covering that he
wore by one Of his braves, who said
He looks like a flying red cloud, Z"
which so pleased the chief that from
that time on he adopted the name
"Maq-pelu-ta," the Indian word for
''red cloud"
Born in 1918, he was of obscure
lineage, but by sheer genius for war
fare and leadership he soon made
himself sub-chief. His early wars
were waged against the Pawnees,
Crows and other tribes, who. hated
the fierce Sioux. Then, in 1848, al
ready a noted warrior, he. began
conflict with the white men that
waged off and on for more than
thirty years.
Pioneers began to invade his
realm. Many of them were white
men of the most daring, lawless sort,
who did not scruple to cheat, rob or
kill any Indian who crossed their
path. Red Cloud regarded these new
corners as a hostile tribe and treat
ed them as such. When the white
men began their depredations upon
the Indians and their property, Red
Cloud and his braves retaliated. The
government rushed to the protection
of the settlers and Red Cloud found
himself opposed by trained soldiers
instead of by lawless frontiersmen.
But he fought on as fearlessly as
ever against these greater odds.
A body of regulars were sent to
garrison Fort Phil Kearney, in Wyo-
ming, and on December %, 1866, !
Red Cloud with band of Sioux at
tucked foraging party from the
fort. Captain Fetterman with one
hundred soldiers was sent out to the |
party's rescue. Red Clouds say
ages, in a terrific battle, killed Fet-
terman and every one of his hundred !
men.
Encouraged by this feat Red Cloud
next attacked detachment of sol
diers under Major Powell, who was
crossing the prairie with a consign-
ment of metal wagon bodies. Using
these wagon bodies for a bullet-proof
fortificatiOn, the troops defended
themselves so CALAMITY that Red
Cloud could make no Roadway
against them. He lost more than
three hundred men before he would
consent to withdraw.
Some of the older Sioux chiefs
wanted to yield to the government
and to sign a peace treaty. Red
Cloud was asked to join them. He
replied furiously: "No, l want WARP
The more valiant young warriors ]
echoed his defiant shout. And war
hey had for years thereafter. Red
Cloud kept the frontier ablaze with
excitement. Among the famous sol {
liers who fought against him from
ime to time were Geenrals Sherman, I
Sheridan, Miles and Custer. More
han once he proved too willy for the |
,est of them. !
But one leader, be he ever so in =
pired, can not with 5000 savages, G
efy whole country forever. So,
n course Of time, Red Cloud and his !
raves were cooped up on a reserva- :
ion. But again and again they /
roke out, committing fearful raw |
ges against the settlements, and I
we're brought back to the agency a
My to burst forth again at the first c
nance. c
In 1880, when Red Cloud was 62 =
ears old, his warriors having been s
cry much thinned, he saw the bitter |
opelessness of it all and consented Z
, sign what he called a "peace
aper." The old savage had been in p
xo hundred pitched battles during il
is stormy career. Now-penniless, Z
Id, helpless-he laid down his wea-
ons. Nor did he, outwardly at least, c
YER break the treaty he had so re- Il
made He lived on for some =
ears, at the governments expense, D
ithout a shadow of his former r.
reatness, becoming at last blind, ls
eaf and almost childish. - u