Red Cloud: Oglala Legend (South Dakota Biography)

No Indian of modern times can compare with him in ability, courage and statecraft. Denver Times, 16 April 1902 A celebrated warrior who led his people to victory on the battlefield, Red Cloud was also a skilled diplomat who transitioned the Oglala Sioux to reservation life. In Red Cloud: Oglala Legend, John D. McDermott examines Red Cloud s early years, his rise to prominence, and his struggle to protect his people from cultural domination. McDermott goes beyond Red Cloud s War to focus on the Oglala chief s time as a statesman. Chronicling the chief s diplomatic trips to the United States capital, the author examines the changes in Red Cloud s vision of armed resistance and his long-term strategy for maintaining Oglala life and culture. Through negotiation, passive resistance, and selective integration, Red Cloud worked to defend his people s interests in the face of change. As the only American Indian leader to win a war against the United States Army, Red Cloud is a larger-than-life figure in the history of the West. McDermott adds new layers to the story of the chief, illuminating his early youth and worldview through little-used sources. Red Cloud: Oglala Legend is the fourth book in the South Dakota Biography Series, which highlights some of the state s most famous residents.