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indian heroes & great chieftains-第2章

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Red Cloud returned to his party and told his story; adding that he

had divulged nothing and had nothing to report。  Some were inclined

to censure him for not fighting; but he was sustained by a majority

of the warriors; who commended his self…restraint。  In a day or two

they discovered the main camp of the enemy and fought a remarkable

battle; in which Red Cloud especially distinguished himself



The Sioux were now entering upon the most stormy period of

their history。  The old things were fast giving place to new。  The

young men; for the first time engaging in serious and destructive

warfare with the neighboring tribes; armed with the deadly weapons

furnished by the white man; began to realize that they must soon

enter upon a desperate struggle for their ancestral hunting

grounds。  The old men had been innocently cultivating the

friendship of the stranger; saying among themselves; 〃Surely there

is land enough for all!〃



Red Cloud was a modest and little known man of about

twenty…eight years; when General Harney called all the western

bands of Sioux together at Fort Laramie; Wyoming; for the purpose

of securing an agreement and right of way through their territory。 

The Ogallalas held aloof from this proposal; but Bear Bull; an

Ogallala chief; after having been plied with whisky; undertook to

dictate submission to the rest of the clan。  Enraged by failure; he

fired upon a group of his own tribesmen; and Red Cloud's father and

brother fell dead。  According to Indian custom; it fell to him to

avenge the deed。  Calmly; without uttering a word; he faced old

Bear Bull and his son; who attempted to defend his father; and shot

them both。  He did what he believed to be his duty; and the whole

band sustained him。  Indeed; the tragedy gave the young man at once

a certain standing; as one who not only defended his people against

enemies from without; but against injustice and aggression within

the tribe。  From this time on he was a recognized leader。



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 brie
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