Chief Red Cloud Research Paper

Chief Red Cloud was a chief for the Sioux. He led as chief from 1868 to 1909. He was born in 1822 And died on December 10th, 1909.

Red Cloud fought bravely, but was unsuccessfully to save his people and their land.

He led Native American warfare against the establishment of the Bozeman Trail. His leadership brought many wins in his conflict against the US government and the army. He was marked as one of the most important leaders of the 19th century.

While Red Cloud was young his tribe was always fighting neighboring tribe for land/territories.

While young he was taught how games to help him become a very skilled fighter.

The Bozeman trail was a big part of Red Clouds livelihood. The US army soon knew him as a chief. He forbade the whites to build a road on the Bozeman trail. Although they did it anyways he launched many attacks on their forts. He continued to attack the forts along the trail. He couldn’t stand seeing his land being pushed away. This was the most successful offense ever carried out by a Indian Nation.
He tricked the officer of the fort names Fetterman to protect a group of people to collect wood. Red Cloud sent out 10 decoys, one of them being Crazy Horse. (19 years old at the time) When they attacked the wood gatherers they lured the other soldiers in. Fetterman sent out 80 men to attack the 10 decoys. While they were distracting them, Red Cloud sent 2000 warriors to attack the fort. They won the ambush and no trooper survived. The battle upset the failure of the army’s Indian policy and gave them new impetus to calls for giving the Sioux peace, especially Red Cloud. Red cloud refused to accept this until the army abandoned the forts along the Bozeman