RED CLOUD (MAKHPYIA -LUTA)

THIS OGLALA CHIEF WAS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED SIOUX OF ALL TIMES. HE LIVED FROM 1821 TO 1909. SOME FACTS ARE OBSCURE BUT HE WAS BORN NEAR THE PLATTE RIVER IN 1821.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO DOCUMENT HIS EARLY LIFE. HE DEVELOPED LIFE AS A BRAVE AND CRUEL MAN ESPECIALLY AGAINST THE PAWNEES. BY THE MID 1860'S HE WAS A LEADING OGLALA WARRIOR AND WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE ANGLOS AS A CHIEF.

HE MADE FOUR TRIPS TO WASHINGTON TO VISIT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TRIPS WERE COVERED BY THE PRESS. HE CRITICIZED THE GOVERNMENT INDIAN POLICY. HE WAS LIKED BY MANY REFORM GROUPS BUT WAS NOT LIKED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S PEACE POLICY. RED CLOUD WOULD NOT AGREE TO LET HIS PEOPLE RELOCATE AWAY FROM THE PLATTE RIVER VALLEY.

IN 1878 HE AGREED TO LOCATE ON THE PINE RIDGE RESERVATION IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. HE DID KEEP PEACE HE HAD AGREED TO AT FT, LARAMIE IN 1868. ON ONE TRIP TO WASHINGTON HE WAS APPRECIATED AS HAVING AMAZING POWER OVER THE ANGLOS. HE OPPOSED THE NUMEROUS MINERS IN THE BLACK HILLS. HE ALSO RETAINED AN INFLUENCE OVER CRAZY HORSE. HE PERSUADED CRAZY HORSE TO GO TO WASHINGTON. IN 1890 RED CLOUD DISCOURAGED HIS TRIBE TO DO THE GHOST DANCE AND TRIED TO AVERT TROUBLES THAT LED TO THE WOUNDED KNEE MASSACRE. YOUNGER PEOPLE WERE REBELLIOUS AND THEY WANTED HIM TO LEAD THEM BUT HE WOULDN'T HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EROSION OF THE TRAD


RED CLOUD'S ACHIEVEMENT WAS IN FORCING THE NATIVE SIOUX TO ABANDON THE BOZEMAN TRAIL BETWEEN THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER AND MONTANA. IN 1866 THE FORT LARAMIE CONFERENCE WAS A FAILURE TO THE INDIANS. THEY SLOPPED ALL TRAVEL ON THIS TRAIL. IN 1866 THE SIOUX MASSACRED LT. COLONEL FETTERMAN AND EIGHTY MEN SENT OUT FROM FORT KEARNEY TO PROTECT A TRAIN SENT OUT FOR WOOD. RED CLOUD REFUSED TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE ANGLOS AND THE BOZEMAN FORTS WERE ABANDONED. IN 1868 IN NOVEMBER HE ARRIVED IN LARAMIE. AFTER THREE DAYS OF MEETINGS HE SIGNED THE TREATY. THIS TREATY MEANT THAT THE SIOUX HAD TO GIVE UP MAKING RAIDS ON ANY GROUPS.

HE ALSO HAD INFLUENCE OVER CRAZY HORSE. HE PERSUADED CRAZY HORSE TO GO TO FORT ROBINSON. IN 1890 RED CLOUD DISCOURAGED HIS TRIBE TO DO THE GHOST DANCE AND TRIED TO AVERT TROUBLES THAT LED TO WOUNDED KNEE MASSACRE. YOUNGER PEOPLE WERE REBELLIOUS
AND THEY WANTED HIM TO LEAD THEM BUT HE WOULDN'T. HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EROSION OF THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE, AND HE WAS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY.

FREDERICK HOXIE











FREDERICK HOXIE