Where to begin? This book was written by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin and was a history of the Indian Wars in the mid 1800s. Red Cloud played a huge role in trying to preserve the land for the Indians and much of the story tells about his life, his challenges, successes, and hopes for his family. It is a book worth reading and gives us glimpses into the good, the bad, and the ugly that existed on both sides of the battles. Although we have much to be proud of in America we also have much that doesn't involve our finest moments. Red Cloud said "The white man made me a lot of promises, and they only kept one. They promised to take my land, and they took it." The interesting part of the story to me was in the end Red Cloud knew that no matter what they did it would not stop the migration to the west from coming and when he moved onto the reservation in South Dakota his concern turned to his children and grandchildren. He declared, "God made this earth for us and everybody; there is good streams, good lands; and I wish you to take me to a good place to raise my children....I also want schools to enable my children to read and write so they will be as wise as the white man's children. I have the same feelings as all the white men have for their families; they love their children, as I do mine, and I would like to raise my children well." His son, grandson, and then great grandson would succeed him as the tribes's Head Man after he died in 1909.
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