1866 - General Sherman calls for peace

        General Sherman sent out runners to find Red Cloud and other Sioux leaders for the purpose of inviting them to a second peace council at Fort Laramie. 

        Since the government had decided to maintain forts along the Bozeman Trail and brought 700 troops into the Powder River country to protect miners, Red Cloud refused to 'talk' as this was a gross violation of the treaty they had signed fifteen years earlier.  "Why do you pretend to negotiate for land you intend to take by force," he asked. 

         Red Cloud's warriors continued to harass miners, wagon trains and fort builders.  In the fall of 1866 an emerging young leader named Crazy Horse and his band of warriors lured the mounted command of Captain Fetterman, from Fort Phil Kearny, into an ambush and killed them all. for more, click here

  This came to be known as the Fetterman Massacre on the Bloody Bozeman.