Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a brave Oglala warrior born
in 1840 between Bear Butte & Rapid City Dakota and was stabbed in the back by a soldier called William Gentiles on the evening
of the 5th September 1877 at Fort Robinson Nebraska.
1869 - 1876 Eastern Settlers continued to trespass on Indian land across Montana & Dakota. White Homesteaders were were outraged that the government would leave any land of value to the Indians.
All through 1869 & 1870 The soldiers built new forts on Indian lands - Chief Red Cloud & Man Afraid of his Horses attacked these forts & Crazy Horse was one of the leading warriors. In August 1867 Red Cloud & his warriors defending their land attacked soldiers under the command of James W Powell 27th Infantry assigned to protect the woodcutters on Piney island Wyoming. The woodcutters supplied wood to 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 hours Crazy Horse & his close friend High Back bone led the warriors towards the soldiers camp, the warriors on their fast horses charged through the camp and some chased the solders horses & food packs on the mules, other warriors ran though the tents taking food & supplies, 15 minutes were lost which gave the soldiers time to re group in the Wagon Corral. Unknown to the brave warriors the soldiers were equipped with new Springfield and spencer rifles, although the soldiers were outnumbered with 7000 pounds of ammunition, the soldiers continued a rapid non stop fire on the charging warriors.
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.
Chief Red Cloud & Man Afraid of his Horses choose Crazy Horse to be a Shirt Wearer - to protect his people - be brave - feed the poor and always ride first into battle to defend their land.
By mid-July 1866 Colonel Carrington had established three posts on the Bozeman Trail, with headquarters at Fort Phil Kearny on the east flank of the Bighorn Mountains near present Story, Wyomig., about 230 miles northwest of Fort Laramie. While the troops went about cutting wood and building their fort, Red Cloud’s & Man Afraid of His Horse tribes were gathered a few miles north of the post in a camp of as many as 2,000 warriors.
The soldiers continued to build forts & trespass across Indian lands & in December 1868 Red Cloud & his Chiefs American Horse - Sword decided to attack more wood cutters about 4 miles north of Fort Phil Kearny close to present day Banner Wyoming. The Indians plan was to charge at the wood cutters camp & in response soldiers from Forth Phil Kearny would ride out to attack the Indians & defend the wood cutters.
Early morning 21st December 1868 Crazy Horse & over 1000 warriors set out to ambush the soldiers - 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 come from the Fort.
Crazy horse was disappointed with his warriors looting the woodcutters camp / tents, instead of continuing the charge through the trespassers camp.
15 crucial minutes were lost and the battle with it, the land thief's leader Captain James Powell and his heavily armed men with unlimited ammunition kept up a contact fire on the warriors.
Estimate 60 beave warriors killed that day & 120 wounded defending their land, Chief Red Clouds nephew Lone Man was shot in the 1st charge on the corral.
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.
"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."
Mardell Plainfeather.
When the wood train stopped & corralled signals where sent to Fort Phil Kearney, the gates swung open and out came Captain William Fetterman & 81 soldiers including Lieutenant George Grummound.
Colonel Carrington gave strict orders to Fettermen, to assist the wood train & do not cross the summit of Lodge Trail Ridge. Here was the critical moment for Crazy Horse, he led the decoys along the ridge just about keeping out of rifle range. The soldiers kept up the pursuit & chased the decoys 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 the soldiers kept climbing up the Ridge firing at Crazy Horse bullets kicking up dirt all around him. This was a critical moment in the ambush.
The soldiers were sure of victory and rained bullets towards 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 charge, 81 soldiers on foot & horseback chased & continued a heavy fire on the retreating warriors, as the Indians & soldiers crossed the top of the ridge, the foot soldiers kept up a non stop of fire from their new 16 shot Henry repeating rifles, killing ponies & warriors, once the foot soldiers Lieutenant George Grummond was killed his men ran for cover amongst the rocks and continued a blistering fire on the advancing warriors.
Fetterman and his mounted soldiers were now across the ridge and engaged in 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 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 home to join the victory dances.
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 a letter to a colleague "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 will stop and all survivors turned over to the proper Indian agent." WILLIAM SHERMAN
I think George Armstong Custer came to represent Western
5th September 1877 - Here is the Location Crazy Horse was murdered, stabbed in the Back by a soldier "William Gentiles"
Crazy Horse came to Red Cloud agency on the 6th May 1877. 889 People all marching in perfect formation wearing their finest cloths & singing their songs as they approached the Agency, One officer watching from a hill noted "this is not a surrender its a victory march" most of the people starving from the previous winter with little food & being hunted by the soldiers. Lieutenant Clark & Red Cloud was waiting for Crazy Horse. He Dog & Crazy Horse lay a blanket on the ground for Clark & Red Cloud - Crazy Horse shook hands with Clark & said "I want to shake hands while seated , because that means our peace will last. KOLA - Friend, I want this peace to last forever". Crazy Horse & He Dog gave Clark & Red Cloud gifts & they smoked the peace pipe. Crazy Horse reminded Clark that he wanted his agency on Goose Creek near the Tongue River OR Beaver Creek Crazy Horse said "There is a creek over there they call Beaver Creek, there is a great big flat West of the headwaters of Beaver Creek, I want my agency put right in the middle of that Flat"