Red Cloud by Carina Kuczynski

Red Cloud

Throughout history, many native American tribes of the Wild West felt pressured by the white settlers' need to claim more and more land and resources. There were many different Indian tribes in the Wild West during the 1800s, one of which was the Sioux tribe. While many tribes were easily suppressed, others chose to fight to keep what was theirs, though without much success. One great Sioux leader, known as Red Cloud, however, proved that the white man could be defeated. 

Red Cloud, also known as Makipiya-Luta, was one of the most celebrated of the Lokota leaders. Makipiya-Luta was born in 1822 in Nebraska. Most of Red Cloud's early life is unknown, since his mother and father passed away when he was only a boy. His mother named him “Red Cloud,” which means “Scarlet Cloud.” The name was significant for her, because there were scarlet clouds on the western horizon the day he was born. He was raised by his uncle, an Oglala headman named Smoke. It was clear early on that Red Cloud would become a strong leader. He was very cunning and bright. He loved to take on any kind of leadership role. Most of his early life was spent at war with the Pawnee and Crow tribes. Red Cloud's ambition and dominance first came forward when he killed his uncle's rival. This event allowed Red Cloud to gain the trust and respect from the Lakota nation. 

He was the first Indian leader of the West to ever win a war against the United States. For this achievement, he was so trusted and loved not only by his tribe but by many others as well. Red Cloud did not simply want to sit back and let the Americans take their land. He wanted to do whatever it took to protect his people and keep his way of life. Red Cloud was mostly at peace with white settlers traveling through the region, but things changed in the years of the gold rush. People from every part of the country, even immigrants from other countries, settled in the West. The settlers were starting to build forts on Red Cloud's land and all over the Lakota hunting grounds. This passageway would become known as the Bozeman Trail. The trail was directly linked to the Oregon Trail, and many more would use this trail reach Montana to find gold. A lot of new problems developed during this time for the Indians living in these areas. The white settlers were taking up more land and driving away wildlife. It soon became a problem and Red Cloud wanted to regain control over his land. Red Cloud was asked to sign a non-aggression treaty, which he refused. He was disgusted by how the white settlers just took the Indians' land and drove the buffalo away. Red Cloud decided that it was time to act. For two years, the Indians occupied many forts, including Fort Phil Kearney, and had control over their main food source. They were no longer going to “play nice.” The naïve and arrogant white settlers thought that they would send Captain William J. Fetterman and his troop of only eighty men to destroy the Sioux nation, a tribe of more than 30,000. How very wrong they were. Red Cloud sent a clear message to the settlers, when they saw those eighty mutilated bodies of the Calvary. “Red Cloud's victory brought instant and surprising results” (Herman, J. Viola).

The results were instant: the federal government decided that they were going to handle this civilly. They negotiated with Red Cloud and agreed to “improve the way the nation's Indian affairs were being managed” (Herman, J. Viola). Soon after, in 1867, the government shut down not only the Bozeman Trail but also the surrounding forts. This was one of the only times in history where the “white man” retreated and the Indians won. The Treaty of Fort Laramie, signed a year later, declared the establishment of the great Sioux reservation. Soon after, Red Cloud signed the second Treaty of Fort Laramie, in which he gave up arms. Many of his followers did not side with him and his agreement with the white men. In later years, Red Cloud traveled to Washington D.C. where he openly talked about his views on past Indian and American interaction, particularly the greed and violence that was involved.

Red Cloud was one of the most courageous Indian leaders of his time and died in 1909. He inspired his people to fight for their land, their heritage, and their beliefs and later invested great time and effort as a communicator between the U.S. government and Indian tribes. Later, however, he withdrew to Pine Ridge, where he later died at age 87. He was one of the few who saw the natives of the Wild West thrive in the early 1800s and suffer to near-extinction in the years leading up to the 20th century. This man will always be remembered as the great leader of the Sioux nation.

Sources:

"Biography of Plains Indians: Red Cloud." American Indian Relief Council. N.p.,
     n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. <http://www.nrcprograms.org/site/
     PageServer?pagename=airc_bio_redcloud>. 

"Red Cloud." pbs. The West Film Project and WETA credits, n.d. Web. 18 Oct.
     2013. <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/i_r/redcloud.htm>. 

Yenne, Bill. The Encyclopedia of North American Indian Tribes. New Jersey:
     Crescent Book, 1986. Print. 

Larson, Robert W. "Red Cloud:The Warrior Years." The Magazine of Western
     History. N.p.: Montana Historical Society, 1997. 22-31. jstor. Web. 24
     Oct. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/45/9945>. 

"Red Cloud." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web.
     31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/494165/
     Red-Cloud>. 

Viola, Herman J. After Columbus The Smithsonian Chronicle of the North 

     American Indians. New York: Crown Publishers, 1990. Print.

Pictures:

Picture 1:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Cloud

Picture 2:

http://www.indianz.com/News/2012/006353.asp