One can imagine the impetuous youth of sixteen, with the love of color and action, and indifference to consequence, riding like a whirlwind, silhouetted against the golden red of the sunset sky, and his sire seeing in him the Red Cloud of Destiny, prophetically cried out, "Marpiya Luta, Marpiya Luta." Ah! that was a name for an Indian.
At twenty-five Red Cloud had a difficulty
Red Cloud was war chief, but Spotted Tail was his opposite by nature.
Spotted Tail, whose Indian name was Sin-taga-las-ca, spelled variously from Sentegaleska to Shantagolisk, came up from the ranks, and attained the greatest distinction recorded in the annals of red men. He was born near Fort Laramie in 1833, or a year or so before the first rude stockade was built.
At the age of eighteen years he engaged a sub-chief in mortal combat, but he is said to have no reputation for provoking conflicts. While nominally the head of all the Sioux during the great wars along the Trail, the activities were largely in the hands of the war loving members of the tribe, who with their independent bands moved without orders from the supreme head.
HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA
The experience of the United States at the close of the Black Hawk wars in the valley of the Mississippi, was so successful, that the same plan was followed with Spotted Tail. In 1872, he was taken to Washington by our military, and there he met General Grant, who was then President of the United States.