Journey to Pine Ridge, 1871 to 1900::

Move to Red Cloud Agency: 1871 to 1873

In the spring of 1871, the Indian Office sent an agent to Fort Laramie to persuade the Sioux there to accept an agency further north. Red Cloud, and other leaders such as Red Dog, High Wolf, Little Wound, Red Leaf, and White Tail were gathered there with their bands. The leaders refused to move and the agent cut off their rations. In such a way, the resistant Sioux were forced to move.

This agency came to be called Red Cloud Agency and was situated just west of the Nebraska-Wyoming line. Not all Oglala moved to Red Cloud Agency. A few remained on Powder River, meeting up with other Oglala on the Yellowstone - camping, hunting, holding Sun Dances, and attacking and raiding both Indians and whites.

Then, towards the end of 1871, Spotted Tail, Red Cloud and other leaders led their small bands of agency Oglala and Brulé back south, where they camped and hunted game. 4800 Oglala and 1200 Brulé gathered there in the buffalo range. Those Indians that remained at Red Cloud Agency during the winter of 1871 to 1872 were known as 'loafers', and included some mixed-bloods, and some of the so-called 'friendly' Oglala who flocked to the agency for their daily rations.

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