Chief of the Brules Sioux tribe

The Sioux spelling of Spotted Tail's name was Sinte-Galeska. He was born in
1823 on the White River west of the Missouri River in South Dakota. His father
was Cunka (Tangle Hair)of the Sioux and his mother was a Brule, called
"Walks With the Pipe". His sister was married to Crazy Horse. By 1839 Spotted
Tail was a scout. He was released from Ft.Leavenworth in Spet 1856 and home to
Little Thunder chief of the Brueles. He learned to read and write in English and
watched and learned from the white traders. On June 8,1864 Spotted Tail was
sent as a delegate for Chief Little Thunder for an attempt at a treaty at
Cottonwood. He went with his friend Two Strike.

Spotted Tail led the battle of Julesburg Jan. 6th and 7th, 1865 on the Platte
river against the whites in retaliation for the raid on Black Kettle's camp by
Col. J. M. Chivinton of the Colorado volunteers. After the battle Spotted tail
became the chief.

In 1866 the year of the Ft, Phil Kearny massacre in the
Powder River country, Spotted Tail, who was not in the battle, was bringing his d
aughter to Ft. Laramie for buriel with full military honors. When she was ill,
this was her wish as she had lived in the Fort when her parent's were captives
there and had become friends with the troops. In the spring of 1866 Spotted Tail
and Swift Bear rode on the Uniin Pacific train. In 1867 Spotted Tail received
passes and white flags stating that he was a friendly band, which he carried
while hunting. He signed a treaty in 1868 and led his people to White River
west of Whetsone Creek on the Missouri River. There he argued for better
rations and cattle. The Sioux learned that he could talk with the whites.

In 1870 he went with Red Cloud to Washington and from then on he became a
great Indian statemen. He resisted efforts to make Indians into farmers and
succeeded in getting his people to a location on the Beaver Creed on the south
bank of the White Riverin 1872.

In 1874 Custer march from Fort Abraham
Licoln into Dakota territory which led to Walter P. Jenney being sent to the
Black hills to verify reports of gold. All this was in violation of the 1868
treaty. The Soiux were offered six million dollars for the Black Hills which
they refused. On Dec 3, 1875 President Grant ordered all Sioux into Indian
agencies or be considered hostile. Spotted Tail kept his people under contril
after word of Custers Little Bighorn Battle reached them. Spotted Tail agreed
to go to Crazy horse and ask him to surrender if the Ogalas would be treated on
good terms. He found Crazy Horse who agreed to come to Fort Robinson but gave his
wife to Spotted Tail for protection first. It was there that Crazy Horse tried
to excape and was killed. The Sioux became very distrustful of the white man when
they were told to move to the Missouri River. Spotted Tail and Red CLoud went to
Washington to object but only got a promise of more negotiations. Spotted Tail instead
took his people to Rosebud Creek in southwest Dakota.

Captain R. H. Pratt opened a school for Indians at Carlisle in Pennsylvnia
and Spotted tail enrolled his sons, Stays at Home "Wiliam", Talks with Bear
"Oliver", Bugler "Max", Little Scout "Pollack", Running Horse "High Standing
Soldier", and his daugher "Red Road", and her husband "Charles Tackett" and
his granddaughter.

Crow Dog started trying to arouse the Brules to replace Spotted Tail after
finding that he could not collect from white cattlemen using reservation lands
because Spotted Tail had already been collecting. Spotted Tail and Red Cloud
opposed the railroad crossing their lands and Crow Dog used this as a way of
opposing Spotted Tail. They insisted that he take orders from the new agent
and several Sioux signed a petition. He ignored the petition and went to visit
his homesick sons at Carlisle. After learning of the stict dicipline and that
they were not learning English but farming, he took his sons home.

Crow Dog still opposing Spotted Tail threatened to shoot him at an Independence
celebration but backed down. He later ambushed and shot him on August 5, 1881,
returning home with his wife from delivering a load of wood. Crow Dog was
arrested in Deadwood, South Dakota but told a story of Spotted Tail making
advances to his wife making him within his rights to shoot him. Historians
insist that he was killed as a political plot to unseat him as Brule chief.

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