JUNE 9, 1870

LAKOTA CHIEF MAȞPÍYA LÚTA (RED CLOUD) MEETS WITH PRESIDENT GRANT AT THE WHITE HOUSE TO HAVE FORT LARAMIE TREATY HONORED

The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie ending Red Cloud’s War (1866-68) had established the Great Sioux Reservation encompassing all of western South Dakota, including the Black Hills. However, settlers and gold prospectors soon invaded the territory. At the meeting, Red Cloud is purported to have stated to President Grant: “Look at me – I am poor and naked, but I am the chief of the nation. We do not want riches, but we want to train our children right. Riches will do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches. We want peace and love. They made us many promises, more than I can remember. But they kept but one–They promised to take our land…and they took it.” Red Cloud kept his promise of maintaining peace. However, increased incursions of prospectors and settlers led to a 2^nd meeting between Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, and others in 1875 in which Grant offered to buy the Black Hills for $25,000. The offer was refused. What followed was the Lakota War of 1876-77.

Sources:
  “June 9, 1870: Chief Red Cloud meets with Ulysses S. Grant at the White House,” The Daily Dose. Retrieved 11/16/2021, June 9, 1870: Chief Red Cloud meets with Ulysses S. Grant at the White House | The Daily Dose (awb.com)
Untitled entry, U.S. Grant National Historic Site, National Park Service, 6/9/2018.  Retrieved 11/16/2021, (20+) Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site - Posts | Facebook
Photo: John Karl Hillers (1843-1925), circa 1880. Public Domain. Source: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale Library.