Red Clouds War consisted of the various raids by the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe upon frontier settlements and emigrants between the years 1!" and 1! involving rugged terrain, remote forts # outposts, tribal based enemy with a warrior culture, and an elusive enemy whose tactics di$ered greatly from the Army% Clausewit& said, 'War is an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will%( )n this case, the *%S% +overnment had a desire to occupy and traverse an area ,-he .o&eman -rail/ )n the short period 1!0/1!!, more than "122 civilians used the .o&eman -rail3 containing the )ndians most sacred hunting grounds% -he 4owder River country was a land rich in natural resources% .u$alo, deer # bear, as well as many other forms of game were abundant% -he rivers teemed with 5sh, and the land in general was well watered from the runo$ of the .ighorn 6ountains% )t had everything needed for the )ndians sustainment and survival% 1!0/! was a loosely organi&ed, protracted e$ort with the desire to wea7en the governments will to occupy native lands% NATIVE AMERICAN TACTICS )ndians fought as individuals8 their tendency was for no formal organi&ation and lac7ed a uni5ed plan of attac7% )nstead, an )ndian war party operated as 'a body of loosely organi&ed individuals acting toward a common cause%( 9ormally they attac7ed as raiding parties using A6.*S: tactics aimed at stealing horses, cattle or a ;uic7 7ill% -he mass migration of white settlers to the plains amounted/in their eyes/to a new tribe trespassing the area% -he Army faced an enemy that blended extremely well with the non/combatants% )ndians could switch rapidly from friend to foe, ma7ing it di<cult to distinguish one from the other% -he )ndians 7new they could never prevail in a head on assault upon the fort% :owever their numbers had grown to the point that they were con5dent they could destroy a contingent of any si&e provided they could trap them away from the fort% COIN [COunt!-IN"u!#n$%& Counterinsurgency or 'C=)9( as it is referred to, is a relatively new term, but the 5ght with insurgents is much older such as the )ndian Wars of the 1>th Century% ?ver since the success of the Sand Cree7 6assacre 1!0 C=)9 involved8 ':ammer # Anvil(, shoot as many )ndian horses as possible, burn as many -epees as possible, ta7e women # children hostages and exterminate the bu$alo =n @une 1A, 1!! Carringtons column departed Bt% Caramie with the eight companies of the 1th )nfantry% Whats important here is what was missing% -he force was infantry instead of cavalry% While at Bt% Caramie, Carrington had made repeated re;uests of the post commander for his promised 122,222 rounds ammunition, horses and wagon drivers% .ut the re;uests fell on deaf ears, and were never to be had% -he 1th )nfantry had come to the 4owder River country e;uipped with the men, arms, and supplies to build and garrison forts, not to wage war with an active enemy% Additionally, the troops were out5tted with old mu&&le loading mus7ets, rather than newer Spencer carbines and breech loading riDes% -he troopers had no experience in )ndian warfare% -hose who were veterans were well versed only in battles li7e those experienced in the Civil War% 'ORT ()IL *EARNY 11 -: @uly 1!! Carrington and his force arrived at the location he had chosen for fort 4hil Eearny% :is 5rst tas7 was to build the post% .y concentrating on building and establishing the fort at the expense of o$ensive operations, he was following orders and doing exactly what he was sent there to do% =n @uly 1!th, two civilians were 7illed during an )ndian raid% -he next day the 5rst soldier was 7illed% Furing the period @uly G! th H G2 th Fecember 1!! )ndians 7illed >1 soldiers, 1 civilians, wounded 12 soldiers, wounded G1 civilians, drove away "2! cows, "20 mules and !1 horses Reinforcements arrived " rd 9ovember% -he reinforcements consisted of one troop of sixty men from the Second Cavalry% While any help was welcome, those green recruits arrived directly from the recruiting depot and could scarcely mount their horses without help% Ced by Cpt%Betterman # Ct% +rummond% 'uno<cial leadership( fell to Betterman because of his war record% C)AIN O' COMMAND 1 C+,+n, C-!!.n#t+n/ Carrington was selected to command Bt% 4hil Eearny% Carrington spent the Civil War as recruiter% As such he was generally well regarded by his seniors, but not by subordinates because of his lac7 of combat experience% :e had nevertheless ac;uired a methodical habit of leadership and led mostly through the written order% 0 C-1t-.n 'tt!2-n8 Betterman possessed a sterling record of combat in the Civil War and was considered a genuine war hero% :is battle honours included Shermans +eorgia Campaign 1!0% :is reputation for bravery came with an aggressive and con5dent attitude which became contagious to those under his command% :is lac7 of respect for the commanding o<cer was sowing discord within the ran7s% At one point Carrington tried to explain to his o<cers that the situation re;uired a defensive posture% Betterman replied, 'give me 2 men and ) can ride through the whole )ndian nationI( 3 L.utn-nt G!u22+n4/ +rummond was rec7less and insubordinate% )n 1!0 whilst drun7 he had shot and wounded Cpl% Walsh but was given a warning% +rummond had total disdain for )ndians% =n Fec ! a wood wagon was attac7ed% Carrington dispatched Ct .ingham and "2 cavalrymen to drive the )ndians away% Ct +rummond >without permission3 also rode out with G1 men, the intention of circling around Codge -rail Ridge and ambushing the retreating )ndians, it would be a classic 'hammer and anvil( tactic% -he soldiers were too late but +rummond convinced .ingham to chase 12 loitering )ndians% -he two charged o$ on their own after the 12 )ndians% Suddenly another !2 appeared% .ingham was dragged o$ his horse and 7illed% +rummond cut his way bac7 to safety using his sword% +rummond was given a warning for disobeying the original order