The Heart of Everything That Is : The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAn astonishing untold story of the American West The great Sioux warrior-statesman Red Cloud was the only American Indian in history to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the government to sue for peace on his terms. At the peak of Red Cloud’s powers the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States and the loyalty of thousands of fierce fighters. But the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. Now, thanks to the rediscovery of a lost autobiography, and painstaking research by two award-winning authors, the story of our nation’s most powerful and successful Indian warrior can finally be told. Born in 1821 near the Platte River in modern-day Nebraska, Red Cloud lived an epic life of courage, wisdom, and fortitude in the face of a relentless enemy—the soldiers and settlers who represented the “manifest destiny” of an expanding America. He grew up an orphan and had to overcome numerous social disadvantages to advance in Sioux culture. Red Cloud did that by being the best fighter, strategist, and leader of his fellow warriors. As the white man pushed farther and farther west, they stole the Indians’ land, slaughtered the venerated buffalo, and murdered with impunity anyone who resisted their intrusions. The final straw for Red Cloud and his warriors was the U.S. government’s frenzied spate of fort building throughout the pristine Powder River Country that abutted the Sioux’s sacred Black Hills—Paha Sapa to the Sioux, or “The Heart of Everything That Is.” The result was a gathering of angry tribes under one powerful leader. “The white man lies and steals,” Red Cloud told his thousands of braves at council fire. “My lodges were many, now they are few. The white man wants all. They must fight for it.” What came to be known as Red Cloud’s War (1866–1868) culminated in a massacre of American cavalry troops that presaged the Little Bighorn and served warning to Washington that the Plains Indians would fight, and die, for their land and traditions. But many more American soldiers would die first. In The Heart of Everything That Is, Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, the New York Times bestselling authors of Halsey’s Typhoon and The Last Stand of Fox Company, restore Red Cloud to his rightful place in American history in a sweeping and dramatic narrative based on years of primary research. As they trace the events leading to Red Cloud’s War they provide intimate portraits of the many and various men and women whose lives Red Cloud touched—mountain men such as the larger-than-life Jim Bridger; U.S. generals like William Tecumseh Sherman who were charged with annihilating the Sioux; fearless explorers such as the dashing John Bozeman; and the warriors whom Red Cloud groomed, the legendary Crazy Horse in particular. And residing at the heart of the story is Red Cloud, fighting for the very existence of the Indian way of life. This fiery narrative, fueled by contemporary diaries and journals, newspaper reports, eyewitness accounts, and meticulous firsthand sourcing, is a stirring chronicle of the conflict between an expanding white civilization and the Plains Indians who stood in its way. The Heart of Everything That Is not only places the reader at the center of this remarkable epoch, but finally gives Red Cloud the modern-day recognition he deserves. The great Sioux warrior-statesman Red Cloud was the only American Indian in history to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the government to sue for peace on his terms. At the peak of Red Cloud's powers, the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States and the loyalty of thousands of fierce fighters. Born in 1821 near the Platte River in modern-day Nebraska, Red Cloud lived an epic life of courage, wisdom, and fortitude in the face of a relentless enemy -- the soldiers and settlers who represented the "manifest destiny" of an expanding America. He grew up an orphan and had to overcome numerous social disadvantages to advance in Sioux culture. Red Cloud did that by being the best fighter, strategist, and leader of his fellow warriors. As the white man pushed farther and farther west, they stole the Indians' land, slaughtered the venerated buffalo, and murdered with impunity anyone who resisted their intrusions. The final straw for Red Cloud and his warriors was the U.S. government's frenzied spate of fort building throughout the pristine Powder River Country that abutted the Sioux's sacred Black Hills -- Paha Sapa to the Sioux, or "The Heart of Everything That Is." The result was a gathering of angry tribes under one powerful leader. What came to be known as Red Cloud's War (1866-1868) culminated in a massacre of American cavalry troops that presaged the Little Bighorn and served warning to Washington that the Plains Indians would fight, and die for their land and traditions. Despite his fame, the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. With this book, the story of our nation's most powerful and successful Indian warrior is finally told and it restores Red Cloud to his rightful place in American history. In a sweeping and dramatic narrative, based on years of primary research, the events leading to Red Cloud's War are traced as he fights for the very existence of the Indian way of life. It also provides intimate portraits of the many men and women whose lives Red Cloud touched, including mountain men, such as the larger-than-life Jim Bridger; U.S. generals, like William Tecumseh Sherman who was charged with annihilating the Sioux; fearless explorers, such as the dashing John Bozeman; and the warriors Red Cloud groomed, including the legendary Crazy Horse. This stirring chronicle of the conflict between an expanding white civilization and the Plains Indians who stood in its way places the reader at the center of this remarkable epoch in American history and finally gives Red Cloud the modern-day recognition he deserves. -- Publisher description This acclaimed New York Times bestselling biography of the legendary Sioux warrior Red Cloud, is " a page-turner with remarkable immediacy...and the narrative sweep of a great Western" ( The Boston Globe ). Red Cloud was the only American Indian in history to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the government to sue for peace on his terms. At the peak of Red Cloud's powers the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States and the loyalty of thousands of fierce fighters. But the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. Now, thanks to the rediscovery of a lost autobiography, and painstaking research by two award-winning authors, the story of the nineteenth century's most powerful and successful Indian warrior can finally be told. In this astonishing untold story of the American West, Bob Drury and Tom Clavin restore Red Cloud to his rightful place in American history in a sweeping and dramatic narrative based on years of primary research. As they trace the events leading to Red Cloud's War, they provide intimate portraits of the many lives Red Cloud touched—mountain men such as Jim Bridger; US generals like William Tecumseh Sherman, who were charged with annihilating the Sioux; fearless explorers, such as the dashing John Bozeman; and the memorable warriors whom Red Cloud groomed, like the legendary Crazy Horse. And at the center of the story is Red Cloud, fighting for the very existence of the Indian way of life. "Unabashed, unbiased, and disturbingly honest, leaving no razor-sharp arrowhead unturned, no rifle trigger unpulled....a compelling and fiery narrative" ( USA TODAY ), this is the definitive chronicle of the conflict between an expanding white civilization and the Plains Indians who stood in its way. The great Sioux warrior-statesman Red Cloud was the only American Indian in history to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the government to sue for peace on his terms. At the peak of Red Cloud's powers, the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States and the loyalty of thousands of fierce fighters. But the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. Born in 1821 near the Platte River in modern-day Nebraska, Red Cloud lived an epic life of courage, wisdom, and fortitude in the face of a relentless enemy -- the soldiers and settlers who represented the "manifest destiny" of an expanding America. He grew up an orphan and had to overcome numerous social disadvantages to advance in Sioux culture. Red Cloud did that by being the best fighter, strategist, and leader of his fellow warriors. As the white man pushed farther and farther west, they stole the Indians' land, slaughtered the venerated buffalo, and murdered with impunity anyone who resisted their intrusions. The final straw for Red Cloud and his warriors was the U.S. government's frenzied spate of fort building throughout the pristine Powder River Country that abutted the Sioux's sacred Black Hills -- Paha Sapa to the Sioux, or "The Heart of Everything That Is." The result was a gathering of angry tribes under one powerful leader. What came to be known as Red Cloud's War (1866-1868) culminated in a massacre of American cavalry troops that presaged the Little Bighorn and served warning to Washington that the Plains Indians would fight, and die, for their land and traditions. But many more American soldiers would die first. - Jacket flap. In the bestselling tradition of Empire of the Summer Moon , this is the untold story of Red Cloud, the most powerful Indian commander of the Plains who witnessed the opening of the West. The great Oglala Sioux chief Red Cloud was the only Plains Indian to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the American government to sue for peace in a conflict named for him. At the peak of their chief's powers, the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States. But unlike Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, or Geronimo, the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. Now, thanks to painstaking research by two award-winning authors, his incredible story can finally be told. Born in 1821 in what is now Nebraska, Red Cloud grew up an orphan who overcame myriad social disadvantages to advance in Sioux culture. Through fearless raids against neighboring tribes, like the Crow and Pawnee, he acquired a reputation as the best leader of his... THE PRAIRIE: First Contact -- Guns and Badlands -- The Black Hills and Beyond -- "Red Cloud Comes!" -- Counting Coup -- "Print the Legend" -- THE INVASION: Old Gabe -- The Glory Road -- Pretty Owl and Pine Leaf -- A Blood-Tinged Season -- A Lone Stranger -- Samuel Colt's Invention -- A Brief Respite -- The Dakotas Rise -- THE RESISTANCE: Strong Hearts -- An Army in Shambles -- Blood on the Ice -- The Great Escape -- Bloody Bridge Station -- The Hunt for Red Cloud -- Burn the Bodies Eat the Horse -- THE WAR: War Is Peace -- Big Bellies and Shirt Wearers -- Colonel Carrington's Circus -- Here Be Monsters -- The Perfect Fort -- "Mercifully Kill All the Wounded" -- Roughing It -- A Thin Blue Line -- Fire in the Belly -- High Plains Drifters -- THE MASSACRE: Fetterman -- Dress Rehearsal -- Soldiers in Both Hands -- The Half-Man's Omen -- Broken Arrows -- "Like Hogs Brought to Market" -- Fear and Mourning. Prologue : Paha Sapa Part 1 : The prairie. First contact Guns and badlands The Black Hills and beyond "Red Cloud comes!" Counting coup "Print the legend" Part 2 : The invasion. Old Gabe The glory road Pretty Owl and Pine Leaf A blood-tinged season A lone stranger Samuel Colt's invention A brief respite The Dakotas rise Part 3 : The resistance. Strong hearts An army in shambles Blood on the ice The great escape Bloody Bridge Station The hunt for Red Cloud Burn the bodies, eat the horses Part 4 : The war. War is peace Big bellies and shirt wearers Colonel Carrington's circus Here be monsters The perfect fort "Mercifully kill all the wounded" Roughing it A thin blue line Fire in the belly High plains drifters Part 5 : The massacre. Fetterman Dress rehearsal Soldiers in both hands The half-man's omen Broken arrows "Like hogs brought to market" Fear and mourning Epilogue The untold story of the great Oglala Sioux chief Red Cloud, the most powerful Indian commander of the Plains who witnessed the opening of the West and forced the American government to sue for peace in a conflict named for him.