White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-12-22


from this fact he gained the name we
know him by-Red Cloud.
Such man could not be lightly
brushed aside when he had business
on foot, as the white men discovered.
Buffalo range was growing scarce, and
the Oglalas had but one really good
hunting ground remaining. Through
this territory it was proposed to build
railroad from FIT. Laramie, Wyo.,
to the gold lands in Montana, by way
of Powder river
Red Cloud opposed this railroad.
Travel through the buffalo range
would destroy it's 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
dians 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. a
large number of troops came up, say
ing that they had been ordered to open
the way to Montana. At this. the
Oglaa chief withdrew his people from
the council. defiant.
1t looked as if the soldiers had won
the game. Work was started and
forts were built. Protests from the
/ Indians fell on deaf ears. 1t was Red
| Clouds time to move-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 go out for
meat, though game was plentiful and
near. A load of hay for the horses
in the fort must he taken from the
prairie under escort. No wagon could
pass over the road, and work was com
pletely stopped. Two severe battles
entire detachment Of 81 men was
killed.
Red Cloud had won! There was
nothing to do but come to terms, which
the powerful chief named: the limits
Of the Sioux country must be defined;
the posts must be abandoned. and the
road also; the garrisOns must be with
drawn. Red Cloud declined even to
appear until the soldiers had gone,
when he signed the treaty November 6.
1868. This game of red against white
had taken more than two years to
play.
Once committed to peace. Red Cloud
lived up to his promises He was still
not in favor of civilization, but his
resistance to it was not backed by
force. On account of his well-known
prejudices, it was thought by many
that he secretly favored the uprising
of 1876, but it is certain that he did
not aid the hostile Sioux, for Red
Cloud was man of his word, and
had sworn friendship to the whites.
Also, in a later outbreak, his neutral
attitude brought him in danger from
his own race, who resented his 10y
atty to the United States. But man
who had counted so coups in the prime
Of his life. did not fear threats.
He was an old man now, and his
eyesight was failing. He knew that
the venomous outbreaks of the Sioux
were but prolonging trouble, and that
the sooner they submitted to their
fate, the better This too, was the
counsel of the other old men to the
warriors but the pugnacious young
fighters held out as long as they could.
Col. Charles w. Taylor tells the
story Of Red Clouds visit to him at
this time. The old chief still had pow.
err over his people. and he kept them
from joining in the fight, while he did
all he could to terminate 1t. One
cold, wet night, he eluded his tribes
men and came to Colonel Taylor's
camp. Here he discussed the situa.
ton and told his belief that surren
der was imminent. This proved to be
true, and the hostile Sioux gave UP
and came to the agency shortly after
ward. The man who had outwitted
General Carrington's troops more than
20 years previously, knew that the out
come of this war would be different.
He died December 10. 1909, at the
age OF eighty-seven. Mooney declares
that he was probably the most To-
nous and powerful chief in the history
Of the tribe"
&c. 1882. Western Newspaper Union,