Article Summary of Conquest of the West

Pioneers after Civil War went to lands between California and Mississippi River. People moved here to start a new life, seek glory and adventure, or to strike it rich. These pioneers were violent to the Natives calling them "ignorant nomads.

" Whenever battles occurred between them, the government sent African American troops to defend whites, and soldiers helped whites and not enforce the treaties. A parodox of whites having control of Native land existed as they wanted to segregate Natives while that same Congress wanted to give equal rights to blacks.

Most of the Natives sought to stop white expansion, and the Lakota tribe under "Sitting Bull" did this. His tribes name was hunkpapa Lakota.

Utley's book, "The Lance and Shield", tells of the treaties in the Lokota country, with the Red Cloud of Oglala Sioux accepting reservation and non reservation Indians did not and fought in U.S. army to do this. Bull defeated George Custer and his 262 men of Seventh Cavalary in the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana. In a few months, army would trap them and they would go to Canada.

Due to the army's increase power, and them starving since army killed buffalo, the other Native tribes surrendered. The government destroyed Native culture, and they ordered Natives to become Farmers. They settled in the lands of Dakotas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.

By 1890 there was 200,00 Natives, less than 2 million by Columbus's time.

He returned from Canada and then surrendered which put him in Standing Rock Reservation as prisoner of war. He only accepted schooling but denied everything else, saying it was "imitation of whites."

The Natives turned to religion for comfort, with a sacred ritual called "The Ghost Dance" which told of old days, (lots of buffalo and no whites.) The government was frightened and banned it, but Sitting Bull still did it.

He surrendered on July 20, 1881 with his men at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory.

He had little clothes and eye infection. Major David wrote the surrender, but there were no terms at all. Bull was with his son *Crow Foot* Sitting Bull sad that surrendering rifle marked end of soldier, and did this so son could have education. There were between 15k and 20k Sioux Natives and the Hunkpapa tribe was one of 7. It was between Missouri and Bigborn mountains. When bull was young, he was called jumping badger but had nickname *Hunkensi* which meant *slow* .

He would go with party of 10 and scouting enemy Crow territory to learn war. One day they spotted Crow men and Slow attacked one on father's grey horse. Sioux killed all but 4, and in ceremony he got white eagle feather, mother gave feathered lance, father have shield, and he got name *Tatanka-Iyotanka*, Sitting Bull. When bull became adult, he had large muscular build, crimson paint. Even though he was agile, people saw him as clumsy.

He became admired because he had 4 virtues of Lokatas *bravery, fortitude, generosity, and wisdom.*

1. Warrior and Huntsman (boastful of techniques in hunting as well as high rank.)2. Holy man (communing with Wahantanka -Great Mysterious as well as carrying out ceremonies, and sacrificing buffalo.)3.

Good Tribesman. (he was kind, generous, had humility, singer, and friends of all people.)All these gave him merit.

Only at beggining of 19th century did Lakota ride on horses and use guns. They became master of bison hunting. The irony of the use of these is the whites make Lakota way of life and then destroyed it.

The Lakota did not know of whites, only those in Missouri or intermediaries. Their hostility centered on Crows, Flatheads, Assinibiones, and Ariakaras. By sitting Bull's 30th birthday (1850's and 60's) whites threatened Hunkpapas. government started to make treaties, as well as gold emigrants killed buffalo, and steamboats boilders burnt timber. By this time, sitting Bull was a proud soldier due to his battles, and the people would yell in battle "we are sitting Bull's boys!"

Sitting Bull and boy's fought for control of hunting grounds, defense against aggression, revenge, plunder (horses) as well as glory.

In all batles, the Hunkpapas fought in a honor method, using muskets or arrows. Every person had escapades to show bravery. Bull and others *did not command natives* but were used to inspire them.

Lakota's most memorable fight, it began when 2 hunkpapa boys returned from hunting and 30 crows suprised them, killing 1 and other ran to warn others. Bull camped in Montana along Missouri River.

The Hunkpapas with 100 men, then attacked the Crows, with each fighting for themselves. Crow had advantage of defense in Big Dry Creek. The Hunkpapas finally charged, and 13 died as a result.

First confrontation of Lakotas with U.S troops was in 1863-64.

General Sibley and Sulley had expeditions to push the Lakotas. Sitting Bull was in battle of Whitestone Hill and Killdeer Mountains were Natives relied on traditional techniques which did not work.

There were 2,200 U.S cavalry under Sully and 2,000 Natives, and in the Natives view, they had advantage since terrain has wooded mountains (seemed like fortress.

) The Natives came out to meet them but when each met, they fired at each other. The Natives had no advantage, even with numbers due to their method of attack. Sitting Bull saw uncle called * Chief Four Horns* get shot. Sitting Bull used nephew White Bull and helped uncle as he gave him medicine and water.

The Soldiers won the battle and burned everything that natives could use and 100 Natives died, but sully only reported 2. As a result of this, Sitting Bull saw how whites fought in formation and had better weapons cannons and muskets than them. He then realized they need to equip better weapons. He called the whites *Long Knives.*

White moved to the Great Plains and soldiers were put in to protect them as a result.

They lived on "war houses". Sitting Bull sought to rid of all whites except traders. He then went on offense against them and utilized the weapon, the lance.

The Sioux wanted to go after military posts of the Missouri; Forts Rice, Stevenson and Buford.

The Naitives believed the attack was not worth the risk, but still did it with Fort RIce on July 28th, with "Galvanized Yankees"-Confederate Prisoners who defended territory. then on December 24th against Fort Buford where natives seized outbuildings until attack by infantry and artillery.

Red Cloud's Ogla tribe fought over same issues in Powder River Country, in the bozeman trail to get rid of the forts. They, unlike Sioux were successful and in Fort Laramie the U.S made Treart of 1868.

This treaty said all Sioux land was in SOuth Dakota west of Missouri and all Sioux would go here eventually.Sitting Bull scorned them, and would not associate with whites trade good *-ammo and weaponry-* and refused to sign treaties. As a result Red Cloud became chief of Agency Lakotas that wanted to live on reservation, and Sitting Bill as chief of non reservation Lakotas that wanted to live on country. Followers called him *supreme chief*

The whites called the Native forces "Northern Indians" or "hostiles" and there were 4,000 people but 800 fighting men. In summer, tribes got together for annual sun dance or war expidition but in winter they scattered.

They ranged from Yellowstone Valleys and its tributaries. After treaty of 1868, Bull would only fight whites to defend his land, Power and Yellowstone country and would not go on offense against forts. His last raid on Buford was in 1870, his shield symbolized role of Lakotas and not lance.

Crazy horse was the best of Lakota war leaders and he was of the Ogalas. He was 2nd to Sitting Bull. They fought against army units having surveyors making a rail route since this was used as hunting grounds.

During this battle, the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors struck engineers and cavalry in upper Yellowstone valley. Sitting bull famously walked into the open valley and smoked his pipe and asked for other natives to join (white bull did it and Get-s the best of and 2 Cheyeness.) He smoked pipe and passed it around to others, while being fired at, and once it was done calmly walked back. This action added to his feat of being brave and answered those that mocked his pretensions.

They stopped battling agaisnt Northern Pacific Railway in 1873 due to the Panic of 1873 making production stop at Bismarck on the Missouri.

In "Thieves Road" few Sioux fought the whites and same in Custer expidition of 1874.

Gold lay in the Black Hills, was in Great Sioux Reservation, so Grant knew that they could not go, yet miners still went. Sitting Bull did not let reservation chiefs sell the land. The governement in Treaty of 1868 told Natives could not attack whites, but the leaders never signed it, but the government said they did giving a reason to make Natives relocate or go to war.

On March 17, 1876, cavalry stormed village on Powder River killing 2 and injuring which started the war.

By June, the Sioux had numbers of 1800 warriors as he made winter camps go together for self defense. Sitting Bull was old, so he did not set example but was seen as holy man and crazy horse led. In the sun dance, Bull predicted soldiers coming and Bull said "these soldier have no ears and are to die." 3 armies came from different directions led by General Terry, Colonel GIbbon, and "3 stars Crook. Custer was with Crook. The Crow and Shoshone came and stopped Crooks forces from being overrun.

The battle of Rosebud did not fulfull Bull's prohpecy as Crooks soldiers did not fall in Sioux camp and die but those in Custer in Bighorn.

The New York Herald cald him "Napoleon of the Sioux". There were many contempories of him, and one said Pierre JEan de Smet taught Bull how to speak French, so he studied Napoleonic wars and he learned strategies of Napoleon. Other lies included he went to West Point.

They did this to explain how Custer's 7th cavalry fell, but truth was there was no order since soldiers fought for themselves. They won because they were determine to win, outnumbered 3:1, saw Custer as threat to women and children, and in "Last Stand" discpline of Custer's soldiers fell. in a decade whites no longer said he was general but said he made medicine during battle or fled. Truth was at Battle of Little Bighorn, Bull as a chief was only to fight in protection of noncomabtants (did that against Major Reno who threatened women.) He did not retreat but stayed and yelled encouragement to his soldiers. His real impact in this battle was in his wise leadership of putting order in Natives, and this would be Natives major victory.

Custers nickname was *Long Hair Custer* By spiring of 1877 most hunting bands surrendered and went to reservations, which allowed government to take Black Hills.

He crossed "medicine road" into land of grandmother where he made close ties with the white men. Buffalo in Canada were also disappearing and "Bear Coat" General Miles watched the boundary like a hawk. James McLaughlins goal was to make Natives at Standing Rock agency like whites (chirstianity, americanism.

) Bull did not accept anything except education. The Ghost dance occurred in 1890s because of cultural breakdown so Natives longed for no more whites. Governmet removed Bull to military post since he was high priest at Standing Rock.

Indian Policment went to his cabin on Grand River to arrest him, and ghost dancers, inculding Crow Foot (son) were there and taunted Bull for giving up. This confrontation ended in gunshots and Bull was shot *ceska maza* (police badge) and Crow Foot also died.

Hunkpapas do not like Mclaughlins portrayal of Bull as hey remeber him as a warrior and well as holy man.

The world remembers him for battle agaisnt westward movement of Americans. This is because Bull fought against whites since he believed land belonged to Lakotas and cant be taken. Bull fought even after failing, to then defend land. He lost not because of lakc of leadership but because of impersonal forces he had no control over.