Natives Network

Southern Cheyenne Chief Red Moon… the peace chief who would become a warrior.
Red Moon was the son of Yellow Wolf, a chief who was killed in the massacre at Sand Creek in 1864. In spite of this, Red Moon chose to ally with peace chief Black Kettle. In January 1865 the peace chiefs of the Cheyennes, among them Black Kettle and Red Moon, separated themselves from the warring clans and headed south from the Northern Cheyennes.
Red Moon and his people were camped near Black Kettle’s band when Custer attacked Black Kettle’s people on the Washita River in 1868. Chief Black Kettle was killed in this attack.
By November 1870 Red Moon, and other peace chiefs, had moved their people to the Darlington Indian Agency. This indicates that Red Moon and the other chiefs at that time were peaceable and willing to work with the whites.
By 1874 Red Moon, Gray Beard and other chiefs became unsatisfied with the lack of promised provisions and the treatment they were receiving by the whites. Many left the reservation and returned to their old ways of following the buffalo. This uprising became known as the Red River War and Red Moon became known as a prominent Cheyenne warrior. Red Moon was involved in the Battle of the Adobe Walls, and it is also a possibility that he was involved in the Battle of Lyman’s Wagon Train and also the Buffalo Wallow Fight. Following the hard winter, Red Moon, Stone Calf, Gray Beard, and several other chiefs came into the Darlington Agency and gave themselves up on February 24, 1875. This was the end of the Red River War, and ended the occupation of the southern plains by the Indians. Chief Red Moon had held out until the last.
In 1892 the Indians were supposedly given their choice of 160 acres of land as their own along with $75.00. Chief Red Moon chose one of his favorite hunting grounds, a quarter section about ten miles up the Washita River from Cheyenne. However, the government would not allow him to choose land there and forced him to choose land closer to Hammon. Following the Land Run of 1892, the community which sprang up in the vicinity of Red Moon’s favorite hunting spot became known as Red Moon. A fitting tribute to the man who fought for his rights to be free and provide for himself.