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He was born close to the forks of the Platte River, by the modern-day city of North Platte, Nebraska. His mother was an Oglala and his father (who died young) was a Brulé Red Cloud; he was part raised by of his maternal uncle, Chief Smoke.
As a youth, he fought against neighboring Pawnee and Sioux, gaining much military experience.
In 1866, he began the most successful war an Indian Indian nation ever waged against the American military (see Red Cloud's War). The American military was constructing forts along the Bozeman Trail straight through Lakota territory of modern-day Wyoming to Montana gold country from Colorado's South Platte River. Settlers and miners and started across Lakota land, and Red Cloud saw visions of the expulsion of the Lakota from Minnesota in 1862, and 1863 Red Cloud attacked.
Red Cloud attained spectacular victories. The government was forced into the Fort Laramie Treaty. The United States had to abandon all forts on the Bozeman Trail and give the Lakota possession (what is now) the Western half of South Dakota, including the Black Hills, and much of Montana and Wyoming.
But peace was only peace until the American military re-formed. In 1874, general George Armstrong Custer attacked Red Cloud. Red Cloud did not take part in the Lakota war of 1876 - 77 with Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and other war leaders.
Red Cloud continued to fight for the freedom of his people, even after being defeated. Later at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he fought corrupt Indian agents who stole from the Pine Ridge natives. He opposed the Dawes Act.
He never was part of the Ghost dance movement. Early life
Campaign against the Americans
A short-term peace
His last days