Red Cloud famous for not being a model minority

Cougar Face

   The expanding Sioux empire had attacked settlers traveling out West forcing the Westward expanding American empire to try to set out some agreement with these tribes. Red Cloud was one of the Indian leaders that waged war on tis empire and slowed the process of expansion in a brilliant  campaign that destroyed the experienced American army that had been fighting a civil war for some time. Bob Drury and Tom Clavin have written a book on Red Cloud called "The Heart Of Everything That Is" and culminates in Red Clouds war and a rare victor where the US army sued for peace after devastating defeats including the Fetterman massacre.

The American army had underestimated the fight prowess of the Indians thinking that the conflicts with the red man was over. What they experienced was incredible horrific enemy that had mastered the art of war and torture through centuries of evolutionary constant warfare among each other that knew no mercy. The soldiers of the American army didn't know what hit them and were astonished at the determination and fighting strength and bravery of the Sioux. Red Cloud was a killer of many men in his years and you don't get tlo be a leader in native American society without acquiring this skill and Red Clouds name was synonymous with fear throughout this era from both native and American settler on the prairies of the West.

This book gives a decent historical account of the migrations of this tribe and how they came to dominate the plains defeating their enemies through various raids that decimated many smaller tribes. Red Clouds name is synonymous with Indian bravery and his reputation grew with each enemy scalp he piled up fighting on the prairie. The shooting of a Mormon cow by a Sioux initiated strong American response belligerent the Indians and had the offender arrested. A blue coated commander ordered an attack and the resulting firefight saw many US soldiers floored and the start of a Sioux war hat would wind up costing the US treasury much mint. The war would lull for some time with numerous battles and residence in various states but the Red Cloud war of 1865 would show the excellent tactician this man was in fighting a better armed force. This book recounts the Indian uprising in Minnesota and the Chivington massacre as all preludes that helped motivate Red Clouds Indians but a resistive war of Victory in 1867 that would be short lived for future battles and war would continue on the prairie not involving Red Cloud. He saw the futility of continued resistance t a war with the Whites whose numbers continue growing and spreading and was among the first of the major Western Indian leaders to call for peace following his war.