Sintegaleska, Spotted Tail. Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library
His religious name was Sinte Gleska. The nationality of
Chief (?) Spotted Tail was Brule Lakota. (?) was born at
White River Region, Dakota Territory, USA, in 1823. His boyhood name was Jumping Buffalo. He became Head chief of the Brule Sioux and member of the Sichangu Band.
Spotted Tail was an orphan, reared by his grandparents, and at an early age compelled to shift for himself. Thus he was somewhat at a disadvantage among the other boys; yet even this fact may have helped to develop in him courage and ingenuity. One little incident of his boy life, occurring at about his tenth year, is characteristic of the man. In the midst of a game, two boys became involved in a dispute which promised to be a serious one, as both drew knives. The young Spotted Tail instantly began to cry, "The Shoshones are upon us! To arms! to arms!" and the other boys joined in the war whoop. This distracted the attention of the combatants and ended the affair.
Upon the whole, his boyhood is not so well remembered as is that of most of his leading contemporaries, probably because he had no parents to bring him frequently before the people, as was the custom with the wellborn, whose every step in their progress toward manhood was publicly announced at a feast given in their honor. It is known, however, that he began at an early age to carve out a position for himself. It is personal qualities alone that tell among our people, and the youthful Spotted Tail gained at every turn. At the age of seventeen, he had become a sure shot and a clever hunter; but, above all, he had already shown that he possessed a superior mind. He had come into contact with white people at the various trading posts, and according to his own story had made a careful study of the white man's habits and modes of thought, especially of his peculiar trait of economy and intense desire to accumulate property. He was accustomed to watch closely and listen attentively whenever any of this strange race had dealings with his people. When a council was held, and the other young men stood at a distance with their robes over their faces so as to avoid recognition, Spotted Tail always put himself in a position to hear all that was said on either side, and weighed all the arguments in his mind..
3,2 He was the son of
(?) Tangle Hair and
(?) Walks With Pipe. Chief (?) Spotted Tail married
(?) Black Lodge, daughter of
(?) Unknown and
(?) Unknown, after 1843.
4 Chief (?) Spotted Tail married
(?) Hears Horse, daughter of
(?) Unknown, after 1843.
4 He married
Susie Yellow Horse after 1848. He served in the military during war time on August 19, 1854.
3 He served in the military during war time in 1855.
1 Chief (?) Spotted Tail witnessed the meeting of
Chief (?) Dull Knife; The Treaty of Fort Laramie was an agreement between the United States and the Lakota nation, signed in 1868 at Fort Laramie in the Wyoming Territory, guaranteeing to the Lakota ownership of the Black Hills, and further land and hunting rights in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. The Powder River Country was to be henceforth closed to all whites. The treaty ended Red Cloud's War. The treaty included articles intended to "insure the civilisation" of the Lakota; financial incentives for them to farm land and become competitive - and stipulations that minors should be provided with an "English education" at a "mission building". To this end the US government included in the treaty that white teachers, blacksmiths and a farmer, a miller, a carpenter, an engineer and a government agent should take up residence within the reservation. Repeated violations of the otherwise exclusive rights to the land by gold prospectors led to the Black Hills War.
Fort Laramie Treaty, 1868 (Full-Text)
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/four/ftlaram.htm.
5,6,7
Spotted Tail (Sinte Galeshka), his wife, and daughter. Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library.
He moved after 1870 at
Rosebud Indian Reservation, USA.
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Chief Spotted Tail - far left. Library of Congress - Brady-Handy photographic collection
General George Crook stands next to Spotted Tail, he is proclaiming him Chief of all Sioux, Red Cloud Agency, Dakota Territory. Native American Sioux (Oglala) including chiefs Red Cloud and Red Leaf, stand with U. S. soldiers. By Stanley J. Morrow. Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library
(?) died in 1881 at
Rosebud Indian Reservation, Rosebud, Todd Co., South Dakota, USA. But, alas, this great chief with all this ability, had one great fault. Although he had several wives, he still had an eye for other women. He incurred the jealousy of the crippled Medicine Bear when he took Medicine Bear's wife and thus gave his enemies the opportunity they needed. Many of his tribe had disagreeded with his policy of peace, although he had obtained better deals with the government than other tribes had obtained. There was jealousy too because of the honors bestowed on him. Because of these political overtones it was easy for Black Crow, to arouse Crow Dog. He had been head of the Indian police and recently lost his position. At the instigation of Black Crow, who wanted to be chief, Crow Dog shot and killed Spotted Tail at Rosebud in 1882. Black Crow and Crow Dog were taken to Deadwood to be tried and they were sentence to be hung. But later the United States Supreme Court decided that the United States courts had no jurisdiction over an Indian killing another Indian on Indian land and the men were freed..
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