Chief Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was known among his people as a great warrior and an incredibly influential person. He dedicated his life to defending his people and protecting his people's way of life.
Crazy Horse was born around 1842 to an Oglala medicine man and a Brule woman along Rapid Creek, to the east of the Black Hills in South Dakota. His nickname as a child was Curly. By the time he was twelve he already had his own horse and had witnessed soldiers destroy Sioux tepees and take possession of Sioux territory. As a young man, Crazy Horse had visions that his father interpreted to mean he would be a great warrior.
As a warrior he stood tall with long flowing hair and a red hawk feather headdress. His face bore an image of a lightning bolt and his body was covered with many painted dots. During his first raid on the Crows, Crazy Horse took two scalps, the only two he ever took in his lifetime.
After settling on reservation lands along the Bozeman Trail, Crazy Horse became the Oglala war chief. Crazy Horse fought against soldiers and assisted in many victories like the fight for the Bozeman Trail as well as raids against Northern Pacific Railway surveyors. As more and more white settlers came to the area during the gold rush, tension grew between native tribes and the newcomers. The Sioux were ordered to remain on their reservations and when they resisted, the military went after them.
Chief Crazy Horse caused troops to retreat in the War for Black Hills from 1876-1877. During the Battle of Little Bighorn, Crazy Horse led his people to fight against George Armstrong Custer, attacking Custer's men from all directions. Colonel Nelson A. Miles led an infantry against the natives by firing heavy artillery at them, causing Crazy Horse and his people to retreat. Crazy Horse was told if his people surrendered they would get their own reservation along the Powder River, as well as food and clothing. His people were starving and tired, so 800 of them followed him to the Red Cloud Agency in Nebraska. They were never given a reservation. Rumor of Crazy Horse starting a rebellion prompted the government to order for his arrest. He resisted and one of the arresting soldiers shot him in his stomach. Crazy Horse died that night and was buried near Wounded Knee.
The legend of Crazy Horse will be passed on for years and years to come.
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