The Killing of Crazy Horse

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 Crazyhorse was born in 1840 at bear butte near rapid city in dakota. when crazy horse was a teenager he was called curly hair" or "Light Hair" due to his lighter complexion.

Crazy horse learned horsemanship from his father, who was called Worm and he became a skilled hunter by age 12, and altough he was quiet, he was a natural leader amongst his friends, by 1858, he earned the name Crazy Horse after a brave deed while out hunting. crazy horse belived in the great spirit and to seek guidance crazy horse would preform a vision quest, he would go to beaver creek or bear butte and fast with no food or water for several days, during this time the body beomces weak and opens the mind to receive a vision, crazy horse saw a rider on horse back, with white lighteing strikes painted along its side,crazy horse was told to live a simple life, care for his people especially the poor, to prepare for a battle with his enemies crazy horse would preform a ritual , throw dust over his horse and body,& wear only 1 single feather in his hair he also had to have white stripes painted on his body and place a small brown stone behind his ear and take no scalps in a battle. a close freind of crazy hores horn chips was a spiritual adviser and would translate dreams & visions for crazy horse...

As the union pacific railway line continued to push westward between 1869 - 1876 Eastern Settlers continued to trespass on Indian land across the states of Montana Nebraska, wyoming & Dakota. Homesteaders were outraged that the government would leave any land of value, to the indians who lived there, especially the Black Hills.

Crazy horse was the prominent war leader who led his warriors aginist the land theifs.in 1865, he fought against the Third Colorado Cavalry in the Platte River Bridge Station Battle, as a result of his bravery in battle, cheif red cloud & young man afraid of his horses gave the title of “shirt wearer,” or war leader, among his tribe. Crazy horse later participated with several other tribes in december 1866 the Fetterman Massacre, an ambush that killed 80 soldiers and marked the U.S. Army’s worst defeat on the Plains territory at that time. Later, in 1867 the Wagon Box Fight would turn the tide in favor of the settlers, this time they were equipped with new breech-loading rifles that did'nt have the delay of older musket models, we will discuss some of these battles and the role crazy horse played before we look in detail at the killing of crazy horse.

By mid-July 1866 Colonel Carrington had established three posts alone on the Bozeman Trail, with headquarters at Fort Phil Kearny on the east flank of the Bighorn Mountains near present day town of Story, Wyoming, about 230 miles northwest of Fort Laramie, right in the centre of the lakota, northern cheyeenes and northern arapaho hunting grounds. While the troops went about cutting wood and building their fort,cheifs Red Cloud’s & Man Afraid of His Horse were camped just a few miles north of the post in a camp of 2,000 warriors, red cloud and his cheifs were watching the soldeiers advance all through the summer and fall of 1867 to 1868 and as the soldiers

continued to build forts & trespass across the powder river in montana, and so on a bitter cold afternoon on 21st december 1866 Red Cloud & his Chiefs American Horse & Sword decided to attack the wood cutters about 4 miles north of Fort Phil Kearny close to present day Banner Wyoming. the heavily armed wood cutters would go out every day to cut wood and return to the fort. The Indians plan was to use only a small number of warriors to attack the wood cutters camp, which would alert the soldiers in near by fort phil carney

The woodcutters fired at the warriors & sent a smoke signal to the near by fort phil kearney, the gates swung open and out came Captain William Fetterman & 81 soldiers

at that parting moment as the soldeirs rode out of the fort, Colonel Carrington gave strict orders to captain Fettermen, to assist the wood cutters & do not cross the summit of Lodge Trail Ridge. Here was the critical moment for Crazy Horse, he rode out front the decoy warriors along the ridge just about keeping out of rifle range. The soldiers kept up the pursuit & chased the warriors firing volley after volley into their flanks, then the soldiers stopped and continued a heavy fire on the mounted

warriors, as bullets wizzed around them the brave warriors held their ponies while slowly climbing the slope of Lodge Trail Ridge, Crazy Horse was last and dismounted from his horse and checked his horse hooves as if his horse was wounded - Crazy Horse limped as if wounded all the while encouraging the soldiers to continue their pursuit up the Ridge firing towards Crazy Horse bullets kicking up dirt all around him. This was a critical moment in the ambush.

Fetterman who had once claimed that he would whip a 1000 sioux with just a few regulars was sure of victory and thye continued the chase raining bullets up ahead at Crazy Horse who was walking his horse close to the top of the ridge, it was here a Cheyenne warrior named Big Nose rode over the ridge straight towards the soldiers & circled around them and ran back along the ridge, Captain Fetterman gave the order to his men to charge over the ridge after crazy horse 81 soldiers on foot & horseback chased & continued a heavy fire on the retreating warriors as soldiers crossed the top of the ridge, the foot soldiers kept up a non stop of fire with their new 16 shot Henry repeating rifles, killing ponies & warriors, one the foot soldier Lieutenant George Grummond was killed and his men ran for cover amongst the rocks and continued a blistering fire on the advancing warriors. over the ridge about 100 warriors were waiting in ambush.

Fetterman and his mounted soldiers were now across the ridge and engaged in a close fight with the warriors, as more & more warriors came from hiding, American Horse raced towards the soldiers and crashed his horse into Fettermans knocking him to the ground, American Horse dismounted & killed the captain with his war club. Now the soldiers panicked and disorganized engaged in hand to hand combat with the warriors - bullets & arrows flew all around and after 45 minutes the fight was over. Captain Fetterman & his 81 soldiers were Killed...Now with freezing temperatures the warriors left the Ridge and rode back towards camp in Victory over the soldiers. Oglalas - Miniconjous - Arapahos & Cheyenne's. Crazy Horse & High Back Bone on their way home they learned that their comrade Lone Bear was not in the Colum. The two friends rode back towards the battlefield and while dark were able to find the wounded Lone Bear - his fatal wound & blood was now frozen Lone Bear was dying towards the end Crazy Horse cradled his friend in his arms High Back Bone wept for his friend on the freezing ridge TOP OF THE RIDGE THE TOOK HIS BODY back to camp & join the victory dances

Early morning 2nd august 1867 Crazy Horse & over 1000 warriors set out to ambush the woodcutters & as part of the plan some of the warriors led by High Back Bone rode out to attack the wood train, knowing that soldiers would soon ride out from fort phill kearney to rescue the woodcutters . this battle become know as THE WAGON BOX FIGHT

Captain James W Powell 27th Infantry assigned to protect the woodcutters sent out from the fort to Piney island Wyoming. The woodcutters supplied wood for Fort Phil Kearney. At sunrise the warriors rode at a gallop towards the soldiers who retreated behind the wagon box (corral) & circled in a defensive position. In the early morning Crazy Horse & his close friend's he dog, little big man, kicking bear High Back bone rode towards the soldiers camp, the warriors on their fast horses charged, bullets whizzing through the air, straight through the camp and chased the soldiers horses as they retreated to the wagon box correll, at this cruscial point crazy horse had the advantage, however some of his warriors ran to the tents taking food & supplies, losing about 15 minutes at a crucial part of the fight, which gave the soldiers enough time to re group in the Wagon Corral, used as a defence, as the warriors were circling Crazy horse cried out to his warriors to be brave and charge at the soldiers, however Unknown to the brave warriors the soldiers were equipped with new Springfield and spencer repeating rifles along with over 7000 pounds of ammunition, the soldiers continued a rapid fire on the advancing warriors, The warriors’ old tactics of closing fast on horseback for close combat with their enemies no longer worked & they paid a heavy price in causualities.

after the fight Crazy horse was frustrated & disappointed with his some his warriors, for stopping the charge and looting the camp, crazy horse belived if they had of continued victory was possible that day. Estimate's of 60 brave warriors killed that day & 120 wounded while defending their land, there are reports that the number of warriors killed that day was far higher.

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After their Loss the US Army commanding General 1869 - 1883 - William Tecumseh Sherman wrote a letter to President GRANT

"We must act with indictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination, men, woman & children. Nothing less will reach the root of the case."

WILLIAM SHERMAN COMMANDER US ARMY.

In 1873 William Sherman wrote another letter to a colleague which reads "During an assault on the Indians, the soldiers cannot pause to distinguish between male or female, or even discriminate against age. As long as resistance is made death must be meted out, but the moment resistance ceases, the firing ceases.

Crazy Horse was a brave warrior who cared for his people, sick - old poor Crazy Horse was always their for them offering food & safety protecting their land from white settlers from The East Cost of America.

The Red Tailed Hawk was part of Crazy Horse guidance - like a guardian spirit- Crazy Horse was told by the Holy Man Horn Chips to "remember" the mental, spiritual, discipline - clarity & focus of the hawk. Crazy Horse would ride into battle wearing the whole body of a hawk tied to his hair. Bear Butte North Dakota was a spiritual / holy place for the Lakota & Cheyenne, Crazy Horse went to Bear Butte to look for a vision / dream & seek wisdom from The Great Spirit.crazy horse believed in his medicine & would paint red zig zag streaks on his horse before battle, sometimes he would paint lighting bolts and hailstones.

"Nobody knows what he looked like because he didn't want to be photographed. He did not want his image taken by the white man. I believe he didn't trust anything that had to do with the white man. Total and absolute resistance even to the point of not being photographed by his enemy people, told by Mardell Plainfeather.

Told by black elk he says of crazy horse, he would go about the village without noticing people or saying anything. In his own teepee he would joke, and when he was on the warpath with a small party, he would joke to make his warriors feel good. But around the village, he hardly ever noticed anybody, except little children. All the Lakotas like to dance and sing, but he never joined a dance, and they say nobody ever heard him sing. But everybody liked him, and they would do anything he wanted or go anywhere he said.in

In 1871 Crazy horse's younger brother lttle hawk was killed during a horse raiding campaign south of the platte river, againist the Crow tribe who were mortal enemies of the lakota sioux.

When Crazy Horse learned of his brother little hawks death he took a dangerous journey acoss enemy territory to recover Little Hawk's remains. In a ceremonial act, Crazy Horse killed Little Hawk's horse to ensure that its spirit would accompany his younger brother to the spirit world.

durring 1874 gold was discovered in the black hills of south dakota, thereafter miners and settlers tresspassed on the indian lands and illegally began mining for gold and would not leave even though the black hill's belonged the indians, rather than remove the miners and the settlers the goverment tried to pursuade the indians to sell the black hills, when cheif red cloud and spotted tail refused the us goverment were now frustrated that their efforts had failed and the goverment gave the sioux and ultimatium to move off their lands onto assigned reservations or be attacked by the full force of the us military, the indians had until 31st January 1876 to give away the states of montanta and dakota & their freedom and move onto a reservation.

in the fall of 1875 crazy horse was living with the northern oglala in present day north east Wyoming and montana a few months before the 6th of december when the commissionor of indian affairs backed by the interior and war department issued the ultimatium to the sioux.

at the start of 1876 general crook was preparing to attack the sioux all across their lands in the us states of dakota and montana. on the 1st march 1876 crook set out from fort fetterman with over 900 troops along with crow and shoshone indian scouts. here is the 1st important fact about crazy horse's murder, Frank Grouard joined crook as a lead scout in fort fetterman, however before he joined crook he lived with cheif sitting bull until he was caught stealing horse from a friendly tribe and lied to sitting bull when their owners came looking for the return of their stolen horse;s. in 1873 Frank grouard then fled sitting bulls camp and joined the camp of crazy horse, big road and he dog, but now on the freezing cold morning of the 17th of march 1876 frank grouard was leading the soldiers under the command of colonel reynolds towards the camp of northern cheyennes & cheif tow moons. Frank grouard had infomred reynolds that the camp they were to ambush that freezing morning was crazy horse. just before the soldiers surprise attack, frank grouard shouted out to the camp and said crazy horse you said you wanted to fight well here we are lets fight! over 300 soldiers and crow scouts charged the sleeping village on the 17th march 1876 and shot towards the childern and women as they ran screaming for their lives through the freezing snow. after 5 hours the soldiers burned the indian village and stole 700 indian ponies of which 500 were recpatured later that night. The camp that was attacked was not crazy horse, and the northern cheyennes had to walk for miles in bare feet throuh freezing snow and seek refuge in the camp of crazy horse on the tongue river.

Frank Grouard lived with crazy horse before becoming an army scout in February 1876 and here we have 1 of the most important people involved in the killing of crazy hose , & we will explore this in more detail during the events that led to the killing of crazy horse.

general crook and his huge force, now numering 1300 soldiers including 300 crow and shoshane scouts, continued tresspassing on indian land, now camped in rosebub valley montana on the afternoon of the 17the june, crook was attacked by 1000 siuox cheyenne & arpapho indians, durring the battle of the rosebud, crazy horse led his warriors into battle Crazy Horse fought in the Battle of the Rosebud by leading a large group of over 1,000 Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. He fought bravely with a tactical approach, using flanking maneuvers and horse-mounted charges to disrupt General Crook's forces. crazy horse engaged the enemy in direct hand to hand combat and also directed attacks that nearly succeded in drawing the soldiers up the rosebud valley and into an ambush. after 6 hours of fighting and skirmishes the battle of the rosebud was over and crook retreated back to goose creek west of billings montana crazy horse and his warriors stopped the advance of general crook which prevented crook from meeting up with general gibson & terry. in june 1876 colonel george armstrong custer was moving west from Fort Abraham Lincoln, through montana, on the 25th of june custer was infomred by his crow scouts that an indian village was ahead on the big horn river, custer along with his officiers benteen & reno and 600 soldiers of the 7th calvery decided to surprise the indians and attack from 3 seperate positions.mjor marcus reno led the 1st charge into the village and murdered cheif gall's wife and 2 young daughters, shot like fleeing buffalo. as captain frederick benteen slowly advanced towards the village, custer ch