Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1932-10-06

cred the hillsides like a cloud-and |
from this fact he gained the name we
know him by7-Red Cloud.
Such ii man could not be lightly |
brushed aside when he had business |
on foot, us the white men discovered. |
Buffalo range was growing scarce. and
the Oglaas had but one really good
hunting ground remaining. Through
this territory it was proposed to build
Il railroad from TT. Laramie, Wyo,
to the gold lands In Montana, by way
Sof Powder river.
Red Cloud opposed this railroad.
Travel through the buffalo range
would destroy its value and work hard
ship on the tribe The Oglala agreed
with their chief, and he made ready
to act.
As the first move, the government
sent out small detachment Of troops
to start construction work. The Ogla-
la. strengthened by some Cheyenne
warriors, stopped then, and kept them
under surveillance SO that they could
| not continue. After several weeks.
however, the young. hot-blooded In
| dams threatened harm to their cap
| tives, and Red Cloud let them proceed.
| This was move number two.
The governments turn was taken by
/ commissioners who came to the
Oglala with requests that they allow
| the road to be built. Red Cloud would
not attend the council. but forbade his
| people to negotiate
1t was necessary for the govern
| ment to make a stronger move An
| other council was called. Red Cloud
was there. this time, and spoke against
endangering the hunting grounds.
/ While he was speaking, however,
large number OF troops came up, say
Inc that they had been ordered to open
the way to Montana. At this, the
Oglala chief withdrew his people from
the council. defiant.
1t looked as Il the soldiers had won
the game Work was started anu
forts were built. Protests from the
Indians fell on deaf ears 1t was Red
Clouds time to moye--if he could
and he decided to try an effective one.
Two thousand warriors surrounded
the force at Fort Kearny. They con
stantly harassed the besieged men,
who did not even dare to 90 out for
meat, though game was plentiful ana
J near. Al load OF hay for the horses
in the fort must be taken from the
prairie under escort. No wagon could
mass over the road. and work was COM
pletely stopped. Two severe battles
took place, also, in one OF which an
. entire detachment Of 81 men was
killed.
Red Cloud had won. There was
| nothing to do but come to terms, when
the powerful chief named: the limits
of the Sioux country must be deflned
; the posts must be abandoned. and the
road also the garrlsons must be with
drawn. Red Cloud declined even &c
appear until the soldiers had gone
/, when he signed the treaty November y
: 1868. This game of red against Whl's
had taken more than two years Z
! play.
r Once committed to peace, lied Clout
lived IN to his promises. He was Sill
/ NOT In favor OF civilization, but MI
! resistance to 1t was not backed D.
/. Eforce On account of his well-knoWl
a prejudices, it was thought by man.
O that he secretly favored the uprisihl
q az 1876, but ii Is certain that he dl'
;. MT aid the hostile Sioux, for Re'
; cloud was d man Of his word, an
!. had sworn friendship to the WHITES
= Also IN n later outbreak, his neutra
!. attitude brought him In danger frot
\ his own race, who resented his 10y
q altv to the United States. But a ma
. WIN Ind counted 50 coups In the prlm
4 ~ his life, did not fear threats.
!. lie was an old man now, and III
n evesirht was failing. lie knew tha
n The yenomous outbreaks Of the slou
"A we're but prolonging trouble, and fhi
= tho sooner they submitted TO the
10 fate. the better. This. too, was u
q COUNSEL of the other old men TO Il
or warriors, out lhc Pahh1S
q aghters held out as long as they coul
- col Charles w. Taylor tells u
! story Of Red Clouds visit TO him
u mis- time. The old chief still had po'
"A or over his people, and he kept the
- from joining in the fight, WINE ne =
all he could to terminate lt- VI
cold. wet night, he eluded ms 'ripe
- men and came to Colonel lasio'
"a camn. Here he discussed the STU
49, tion and told his belief that sure
- ,,ar was imminent. This proved 10
!, trno md the hostile Sioux gave
~ ana came to the agency shortly art
- ward The man who had outwitt
Ia General Carrlngton's troops more III
80 20 years previously, knew that .ne .
:. come OF this war would be diiiere
=, He died December TO- 1903, at
40 as ape Of elghty-seven. Mooney declal
=. that no was probably the most
i 10. nous and powerful chief In the histe
Isb Of the tribe
'sn e. 1914. w.-t.r, H.~~ap'~ uni'na