Spotted Tail at Red Cloud Agency

[Dietmar]

We talked about this photograph earlier in the American Horse thread. It was taken when General Crook ordained Spotted Tail as the new Sioux head chief in 1876.
I tried to figure out who is in the picture... and have to admit that it is a bit of a guesswork.
I believe Red Cloud himself is probably not in the photo, hence that it must have been humiliating to him to see Spot promoted at his own agency.







Any thoughts?

[kingsleybray]

Is that Big Bat Pourier to the right of Billy Garnett? They were buddies. And I feel I should know the gent with the whiskers second to Billy's right. I will try to get back in gear after a busy holiday season.

Wow, I couldn't see American Horse, but now it seems obvious. Great eye, Dietmar. I got the Man Afraid resemblance, but actually thought it might be OLD Man Afraid.

Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone, and looking forward to another year on American-tribes.com

[kingsleybray]

I was just discussing this photo with an Oglala friend. What we speculated about was -- maybe the four Lakotas standing to the right of Spotted Tail (on his left) are the Oglala leaders serving that year as wakicunze or Deciders.

Running l. to r. could they be Old Man Afraid of His Horse (next to Spotted Tail); Yellow Bear; Red Dog; fourth man not known.

Any thoughts?

[Dietmar]

Good points, Kingsley. I still believe Young-Man-Afraid is the man with hat (he often wore one in photographs!) right of Spotted Tail, but this is only my impression and there is no way to proof it unless a better scan will turn up.

What about the fourth man being Old-Man-Afraid?

[grahamew]

I always thought Red Cloud was the man you've labelled American Horse, partly because of the symbolism of Crook turning his back towards him.

[kingsleybray]

mmm I see what you mean grahame . . . I really thought there was a facial resemblance to American Horse . . but this man is a little shorter than Spotted Tail . . . the 1877 group photo in the Corcoran Gallery it looks as if Red Cloud is a shade taller than Spotted Tail. So . .

What do you guys think about (a) Red Dog as the man in the light coloured blanket?

and (b) Yellow Bear as the younger man next to him with the white shirt? Again cf. the 1877 group photos in DC and the Mitchell portrait shot?

Thanks!

[grahamew]

Now, I'm not so sure... I think I read (in Ware?) that Spotted Tail was about five eight. Granted this came in a passage where he was disparaging the Indian's physical strength (pretty much along the lines of: if there's a scrap, I can take him...). If you look at photos of American Horse with Cody, he's just shy of the latter's height and I think I've read Cody was six one (and Cody has his boots on). The photo of American Horse with Red Cloud taken in 90/91 shows Red Cloud is the taller of the two.

[nicolas (carlo)]

Not really adding to the conversation, but I do agree that the four men standing to the right of Spotted Tail are likely important headmen (eg. Wakicunze), and in some way part of the process to make ST the new US appointed 'head chief'.