indian heroes & great chieftains-第2章

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Man…Afraid…of…His…Horse；　then　head　chief　of　the　Ogallalas；

took　council　with　Red　Cloud　in　all　important　matters；　and　the　young

warrior　rapidly　advanced　in　authority　and　influence。　　In　1854；　when

he　was　barely　thirty…five　years　old；　the　various　bands　were　again

encamped　near　Fort　Laramie。　　A　Mormon　emigrant　train；　moving

westward；　left　a　footsore　cow　behind；　and　the　young　men　killed　her

for　food。　　The　next　day；　to　their　astonishment；　an　officer　with

thirty　men　appeared　at　the　Indian　camp　and　demanded　of　old

Conquering　Bear　that　they　be　given　up。　　The　chief　in　vain　protested

that　it　was　all　a　mistake　and　offered　to　make　reparation。　　It　would

seem　that　either　the　officer　was　under　the　influence　of　liquor；　or

else　had　a　mind　to　bully　the　Indians；　for　he　would　accept　neither

explanation　nor　payment；　but　demanded　point…blank　that　the　young

men　who　had　killed　the　cow　be　delivered　up　to　summary　punishment。　

The　old　chief　refused　to　be　intimidated　and　was　shot　dead　on　the

spot。　　Not　one　soldier　ever　reached　the　gate　of　Fort　Laramie！　　Here

Red　Cloud　led　the　young　Ogallalas；　and　so　intense　was　the　feeling

that　they　even　killed　the　half…breed　interpreter。



Curiously　enough；　there　was　no　attempt　at　retaliation　on　the

part　of　the　army；　and　no　serious　break　until　1860；　when　the　Sioux

were　involved　in　troubles　with　the　Cheyennes　and　Arapahoes。　　In

1862；　a　grave　outbreak　was　precipitated　by　the　eastern　Sioux　in

Minnesota　under　Little　Crow；　in　which　the　western　bands　took　no

part。　　Yet　this　event　ushered　in　a　new　period　for　their　race。　　The

surveyors　of　the　Union　Pacific　were　laying　out　the　proposed　road

through　the　heart　of　the　southern　buffalo　country；　the　rendezvous

of　Ogallalas；　Brules；　Arapahoes；　Comanches；　and　Pawnees；　who

followed　the　buffalo　as　a　means　of　livelihood。　　To　be　sure；　most　of

these　tribes　were　at　war　with　one　another；　yet　during　the　summer

months　they　met　often　to　proclaim　a　truce　and　hold　joint　councils

and　festivities；　which　were　now　largely　turned　into　discussions　of

the　common　enemy。　　It　became　evident；　however；　that　some　of　the

smaller　and　weaker　tribes　were　inclined　to　welcome　the　new　order　of

things；　recognizing　that　it　was　the　policy　of　the　government　to　put

an　end　to　tribal　warfare。



Red　Cloud's　position　was　uncompromisingly　against　submission。　

He　made　some　noted　speeches　in　this　line；　one　of　which　was　repeated

to　me　by　an　old　man　who　had　heard　and　remembered　it　with　the

remarkable　verbal　memory　of　an　Indian。



〃Friends；〃　said　Red　Cloud；　〃it　has　been　our　misfortune　to

welcome　the　white　man。　　We　have　been　deceived。　　He　brought　with　him

some　shining　things　that　pleased　our　eyes；　he　brought　weapons　more

effective　than　our　own：　above　all；　he　brought　the　spirit　water　that

makes　one　forget　for　a　time　old　age；　weakness；　and　sorrow。　　But　I

wish　to　say　to　you　that　if　you　would　possess　these　things　for

yourselves；　you　must　begin　anew　and　put　away　the　wisdom　of　your

fathers。　　You　must　lay　up　food；　and　forget　the　hungry。　　When　your

house　is　built；　your　storeroom　filled；　then　look　around　for　a

neighbor　whom　you　can　take　at　a　disadvantage；　and　seize　all　that　he

has！　　Give　away　only　what　you　do　not　want；　or　rather；　do　not　part

with　any　of　your　possessions　unless　in　exchange　for　another's。



〃My　countrymen；　shall　the　glittering　trinkets　of　this　rich

man；　his　deceitful　drink　that　overcomes　the　mind；　shall　these

things　tempt　us　to　give　up　our　homes；　our　hunting　grounds；　and　the

honorable　teaching　of　our　old　men？　　Shall　we　permit　ourselves　to　be

driven　to　and　fro　　to　be　herded　like　the　cattle　of　the　white　man？〃



His　next　speech　that　has　been　remembered　was　made　in　1866；

just　before　the　attack　on　Fort　Phil　Kearny。　　The　tension　of　feeling

against　the　invaders　had　now　reached　its　height。　　There　was　no

dissenting　voice　in　the　council　upon　the　Powder　River；　when　it　was

decided　to　oppose　to　the　uttermost　the　evident　purpose　of　the

government。　　Red　Cloud　was　not　altogether　ignorant　of　the　numerical

strength　and　the　resourcefulness　of　the　white　man；　but　he　was

determined　to　face　any　odds　rather　than　submit。



〃Hear　ye；　Dakotas！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃When　the　Great　Father　at

Washington　sent　us　his　chief　soldier　＇General　Harney＇　to　ask　for　a

path　through　our　hunting　grounds；　a　way　for　his　iron　road　to　the

mountains　and　the　western　sea；　we　were　told　that　they　wished　merely

to　pass　through　our　country；　not　to　tarry　among　us；　but　to　seek　for

gold　in　the　far　west。　　Our　old　chiefs　thought　to　show　their

friendship　and　good　will；　when　they　allowed　this　dangerous　snake　in

our　midst。　　They　promised　to　protect　the　wayfarers。



〃Yet　before　the　ashes　of　the　council　fire　are　cold；　the　Great

Father　is　building　his　forts　among　us。　　You　have　heard　the　sound　of

the　white　soldier's　ax　upon　the　Little　Piney。　　His　presence　here　is

an　insult　and　a　threat。　　It　is　an　insult　to　the　spirits　of　our

ancestors。　　Are　we　then　to　give　up　their　sacred　graves　to　be　plowed

for　corn？　　Dakotas；　I　am　for　war！〃



In　less　than　a　week　after　this　speech；　the　Sioux　advanced　upon

Fort　Phil　Kearny；　the　new　sentinel　that　had　just　taken　her　place

upon　the　farthest　frontier；　guarding　the　Oregon　Trail。　　Every

detail　of　the　attack　had　been　planned　with　care；　though　not　without

heated　discussion；　and　nearly　every　well…known　Sioux　chief　had

agreed　in　striking　the　blow。　　The　brilliant　young　war　leader；　Crazy

Horse；　was　appointed　to　lead　the　charge。　　His　lieutenants　were

Sword；　Hump；　and　Dull　Knife；　with　Little　Chief　of　the　Cheyennes；

while　the　older　men　acted　as　councilors。　　Their　success　was

instantaneous。　　In　less　than　half　an　hour；　they　had　cut　down　nearly

a　hundred　men　under　Captain　Fetterman；　whom　they　drew　out　of　the

fort　by　a　ruse　and　then　annihilated。



Instead　of　sending　troops　to　punish；　the　government　sent　a

commission　to　treat　with　the　Sioux。　　The　result　was　the　famous

treaty　of　1868；　which　Red　Cloud　was　the　last　to　sign；　having

refused　to　do　so　until　all　of　the　forts　within　their　territory

should　be　vacated。　　All　of　his　demands　were　acceded　to；　the　new

road　abandoned；　the　garrisons　withdrawn；　and　in　the　new　treaty　it

was　distinctly　stated　that　the　Black　Hills　and　the　Big　Horn　were

Indian　country；　set　apart　for　their　perpetual　occupancy；　and　that

no　white　man　should　enter　that　region　without　the　consent　of　the

Sioux。



Scarcely　was　this　treaty　signed；　however；　when　gold　was

discovered　in　the　Black　Hills；　and　the　popular　cry　was：　〃Remove

the　Indians！〃　　This　was　easier　said　than　done。　　That　very　territory

had　just　been　solemnly　guaranteed　to　them　forever：　yet　how　stem　the

irresistible　rush　for　gold？　　The　government；　at　first；　entered　some

small　protest；　just　enough　to　〃save　its　face〃　as　the　saying　is；　but

there　was　no　serious　attempt　to　prevent　the　wholesale　violation　of

the　treaty。　　It　was　this　state　of　affairs　that　led　to　the　last

great　speech　made　by　Red　Cloud；　at　a　gathering　upon　the　Little

Rosebud　River。　　It　is　brief；　and　touches　upon　the　hopelessness　of

their　future　as　a　race。　　He　seems　at　about　this　time　to　have

reached　the　conclusion　that　resistance　could　not　last　much　longer；

in　fact；　the　greater　part　of　the　Sioux　nation　was　already　under

government　control。



〃We　are　told；〃　said　he；　〃that　Spotted　Tail　has　consented　to　be

the　Beggars'　Chief。　　Those　Indians　who　go　over　to　the　white　man　can

be　nothing　but　beggars；　for　he　respects　only　riches；　and　how　can　an

Indian　be　a　rich　man？　　He　cannot　without　ceasing　to　be　an　Indian。　

As　for　me；　I　have　listened　patiently　to　the　promises　of　the　Great

Father；　but　his　memory　is　short。　　I　am　now　done　with　him。　　This　is

all　I　have　to　say。〃



The　wilder　bands　separated　soon　after　this　council；　to　follow

the　drift　of　the　buffalo；　some　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Black　Hills

and　others　in　the　Big　Horn　region。　　Small　war　parties　came　down

from　time　to　time　upon　stray　travelers；　who　received　no　mercy　at

their　hands；　or　made　dashes　upon　neighboring　forts。　　Red　Cloud

claimed　the　right　to　guard　and　hold　by　force；　if　need　be；　all　this

territory　which　had　been　conceded　to　his　people　by　the　treaty　of

1868。　　The　land　became　a　very　nest　of　outlawry。　　Aside　from

organized　parties　of　prospectors；　there　were　bands　of　white　horse

thieves　and　desperadoes　who　took　advantage　of　the　situation　to

plunder　immigrants　and　Indians　alike。



An　attempt　was　made　by　means　of　military　camps　to　establish

control　and　force　all　the　Indians　upon　reservations；　and　another

commission　was　sent　to　negotiate　their　removal　to　Indian　Territory；

but　met　with　an　absolute　refusal。　　After　much　guerrilla　warfare；　an

important　military　campaign　against　the　Sioux　was　set　on　foot　in

1876；　ending　in　Custer's　signal　defeat　upon　the　Little　Big　Horn。



In　this　notable　battle；　Red　Cloud　did　not　participate　in

person；　nor　in　the　earlier　one　with　Crook　upon　the　Little　Rosebud；

but　he　had　a　son　in　both　fights。　　He　was　now　a　councilor　rather

than　a　warrior；　but　his　young　men　were　constantly　in　the　field；

while　Spotted　Tail　had　definitely　surrendered　and　was　in　close

touch　with　representatives　of　the　government。



But　the　inevitable　end　was　near。　　One　morning　in　the　fall　of

1876　Red　Cloud　was　surrounded　by　United　States　troops　under　the

command　of　Colonel　McKenzie；　who　disarmed　his　people　and　brought

them　into　Fort　Robinson；　Nebraska。　　Thence　they　were　removed　to　the

Pine　Ridge　agency；　where　he　lived　for　more　than　thirty　years　as　a

〃reservation　Indian。〃　　In　order　to　humiliate　him　further；

government　authorities　proclaimed　the　more　tractable　Spotted　Tail

head　chief　of　the　Sioux。　　Of　course；　Red　Cloud's　own　people　never

recognized　any　other　chief。



In　1880　he　appealed　to　Professor　Marsh；　of　Yale；　head　of　a

scientific　expedition　to　the　Bad　Lands；　charging　certain　frauds　at

the　agency　and　apparently　proving　his　case；　at　any　rate　the　matter

was　considered　worthy　of　official　investigation。　　In　1890…1891；

during　the　〃Ghost　Dance　craze〃　and　the　difficulties　that　followed；

he　was　suspected　of　collusion　with　the　hostiles；　but　he　did　not

join　them　openly；　and　nothing　could　be　proved　against　him。　　He　was

already　an　old　man；　and　became　almost　entirely　blind　before　his

death　in　1909　in　his　ninetieth　year。



His　private　life　was　exemplary。　　He　was　faithful　to　one　wife

all　his　days；　and　was　a　devoted　father　to　his　children。　　He　was

ambitious　for　his　only　son；　known　as　Jack　Red　Cloud；　and　much

desired　him　to　be　a　great　warrior。　　He　started　him　on　the　warpath

at　the　age　of　fifteen；　not　then　realizing　that　the　days　of　Indian

warfare　were　well…nigh　at　an　end。



Among　latter…day　chiefs；　Red　Cloud　was　notable　as　a　quiet　man；

simple　and　direct　in　speech；　courageous　in　action；　an　ardent　lover

of　his　country；　and　possessed　in　a　marked　degree　of　the　manly

qualities　characteristic　of　the　American　Indian　in　his　best　days。







SPOTTED　TAIL





Among　the　Sioux　chiefs　of　the　〃transition　period〃　on