Chief+Red+Cloud

= Red Cloud (1822- Dec. 10, 1909,) =

= = Red Cloud was the Chief of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. He fought bravely, both on the battle field and off to protect the lands and rights of his people. While he was not born into a position that set him on a path towards becoming a chief, his bravery and obvious love of his people earned him this honor. (9,15) He is best known for leading a successful campaign against the United States Army in what became known as Red Cloud’s War, which took place between 1866 and 1868.(2)

Birth and Childhood
Red Cloud was born in 1822 near the Platte River in Southwest Nebraska to a mother of the Oglal a Sioux tribe and a father of the Brule Sioux tribe. Upon his father's death in Red Cloud's youth, he went to l ive with his uncle named Chief Smoke. Red Cloud was raised by Chief Smoke to become a skilled hunter and a ferocious warrior. He had learned break and ride horses without saddle by the age of six and partook in his first buffalo hunt when he was 12 years old.(1) He took his first scalp on a raiding party of the Pawnee tribe at the age of 16.(10)

Birth and Childhood
Red Cloud was born in 1822 near the Platte River in Southwest Nebraska to a mother of the Oglala Sioux tribe and a father of the Brule Sioux tribe. Upon his father's death in Red Cloud's youth, he went to live with his uncle named Chief Smoke. Red Cloud was raised by Chief Smoke to become a skilled hunter and a ferocious warrior. He had learned break and ride horses without saddle by the age of six and partook in his first buffalo hunt when he was 12 years old.(1) He took his first scalp on a raiding party of the Pawnee tribe at the age of 16.(10)

= Red Cloud's War =

Precursor
In June of 1866, Red Cloud met with the United States in a peace conference. The United States sought permission for settlers to pass through their lands as well as to build three forts along the Bozeman trail. Even though the chiefs in attendance denied their request, soldiers began their march to begin building the forts. Red Cloud stormed out of the meeting upon seeing the marching soldiers.(3)

War
For two years, Red Cloud led attacks against the American soldiers and loggers. Due to the Americans gross underestimation of Sioux forces and their capabilities, Red Cloud led his forces to win most of the battles that took place during the war. In April of 1868, General Sherman called for another meeting with Red Cloud and other Sioux chiefs, this time retracting all previous demands. (5)

Treaty of Fort Laramie
In 1868, Red Cloud and several other prominent chiefs met at Fort Laramie in an effort to bring peace between the Sioux and whites. The Sioux agreed to settle in the Black Hills area on a reservation in the Dakota Territory.(7) Red Cloud was very well known for his efforts to help his people deal with the transition to life on the reservation.(13)

Great Sioux War of 1876-1877
In 1875, Red Cloud went to meet with President Grant in an attempt to get him to honor previous treaties and keep settlers from mining gold on their lands. The government did not keep the miners out of their territory and attempted to remove the Sioux from the land they were moved to. When bands of Sioux refused to quit hunting on and leave the reservation, military expeditions were sent out to collect them and force them to conform. Expeditions led by Generals George Cook and Alfred Terry, including the Seventh Calvary commanded by Colonel George Custer destroyed Sioux villages in an effort to leave them no choice but to go to the reservation. When a large band of Indians was spotted, Custer’s cavalry was sent after them on a scouting mission that ended in slaughter for the Americans when Custer attacked 2,000 Sioux and Cheyenne Indians with a force of 600 men. (8)

Late Life


La ter in his life, Red Cloud continued his efforts to stifle the attempts of exploitation of the Sioux people from his home at Pine Ridge Reservation. He continually preached to his people about the importance of opposing entering into agreements that would partition their land into individual portions, which he foresaw breaking down tribal unity. (12) He and his wife eventually became baptized and took the baptismal names of John and Mary.(15) Red Cloud was baptized and publicly adopted many customs of the white man in order to be seen as more cultured and acceptable to the white man to help aid his negotiations.(19) Upon his agreement to live at the reservation and adoption of American customs, he lost the following of many tribal members, including his own son who left to continue to fight the Americans. (18)He lived until the age of 87, outliving the other Sioux leaders from the time of the Sioux Wars.(14)