When the Union Pacific railroad was built these Indians were scattered over eastern Wyoming, parts of the Dakotas and western Dakotas. The government from time to time sent its officials to visit and confer with them first in one place and then in another. When regular or permanent agents were appointed they established themselves at the camps or headquarters which Spotted Tail and Red Cloud had set up for themselves and named the agencies after those chiefs.

The Brule Sioux virtually effected their own removal to the Rosebud country north of Gordon, Rushville and Valentine. For sometime as individuals they kept drifting in that direction until a large portion of them resided there and in order that the agent might keep in touch with them he was instructed to move. By the middle of the summer of 1877 the old Spotted Tail agency on White river had become only a memory.

In October, 1877, about 12,000 of the Ogallala Sioux were removed from Red Cloud agency to the Missouri river at Bijou hills but they were moved back to the present Pine Ridge agency a year later.

Neither the cowmen or the early settlers were ever molested by the Indians except that occasionally a few horses were stolen from the ranches. Red Cloud and the lesser chiefs frowned upon such acts which were in the most instances committed by young men who wanted the excitement and adventure to break the monotony of camp life.

After the establishment by the Indian agent, Dr. McGillycuddy, of the Indian police under Captain Sword, in 1880 or 1881, these acts of lawlessness entirely disappeared.