Crazy Horse

(Tashunka Witco, Tashunca-Uitco "his horse is crazy.") Tribe: Oglala- Brule Sioux Birth- Death: (1842-1877) Crazy Horse Monument
Crazy Horse was born along Rapid Creek. His dad was the Oglala medicine man of the same name and his Brule wife, which was the sister of Spotted Tail. His mother died when he was young, and his father took her sister as a wife. When Crazy Horse was a child he was called Curly. Before he was 12, Curly had killed a buffalo and had received his very own horse. Although he was away from camp during the Battle of Ash Hollow, he witnessed the destruction of the Sioux tepees and possessions by the soldiers during the Gen. William S. Harney's punitive expedition through Sioux territory along the Oregon Trail, experience that helped shape his militant attitude towards the whites.	Crazy Horse
After the Grattan Fight, were the Brule leader was killed, Curly had a vision guest in which he had a vivid dream of a rider in a storm on horseback, he had long unbraided hair, a small stone in has ear, zigzag lighting decorating his cheek, and also a hail-dotted body. AL though a warrior, he bore no scalps. People clutched at the rider , but couldn't hold him. The storm faded and a red-backed hawk flew over the riders head. When he later related the dream to his father, the medicine man interpreted it as a sign of his sons future greatness in battles. At about the age of 16, bearing his fathers name, Crazy Horse rode for the very first time as an adult warrior in the Raid on Crows. Just like the rider in his dream, he wore his hair free, a stone earring, and he had a headdress with a red hawk feather in it. His face painted with hail-like dots. The raid was successful, but Crazy Horse had received a wound in the leg, because, his father had interpreted , unlike the rider in the vision, he had taken 2 scalps. In the remainder of his career as a warrior, it is said he never took a scalp again. Crazy Horse became known to many Sioux bands for his courage in the war for the Bozeman Trail of 1866-68. Near Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming, Crazy Horse was in the Indian victories known as the Fetterman Fight of December 21, 1866, and the Wagon Box Fight of August 2, 1867. Crazy Horse had become war chief of the Oglalas, with some Brule followers as well. He made friends and followers among the Northern Cheyenne's though his first marriage was to a Cheyenne woman. He later married an Oglala woman too. The Black Hills Gold Rush, bought more whites to the religion, which increased tension. When the hunting hands ignored the order to report to their reservations by January 31, 1876, the military went after them. The Indians moved to Bighorn River. On June 25, in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Crazy Horse led the victory assault against George Armstrong Custer's men from the North and West. Gall's warriors attacked from South and West. After Little Bighorn, the Indians had split up, Crazy Horse led his people back to Rosebud. More and more fugitives were surrendering. Crazy Horse's wife became sick, she was dying of Tuberculosis. His daughter which was his only child had died recently from the same thing, Tuberculosis. On hearing unfound rumors that Crazy Horse was planning a rebellion, Cook ordered him to be arrested. Crazy Horse surrendered. It was thought that Crazy Horse had not expected to be imprisoned, but Little Big Man walked arm-in-arm with Crazy Horse, and his cousin and friend, Touch-The-Cloud, was just in advance. When they passed the Sentinel, an officer approached them and had walked on his other side. Unsuspectingly Touch-The-Cloud turned back exclaiming "Cousin, they will put you in prison." "Another white man's trick! Let me go! Let me die fighting!" cried Crazy Horse. He stopped and tried to free himself and escape but both arms were held fast by Little Big Man and the officer. While he struggled, a solider stabbed him with his bayonet from behind. Crazy Horse had died that night. His dad sang the death song over Crazy Horse. To be on the mountain in letters 3 feet high: WHEN THE COURSE OF HISTORY HAS BEEN TOLD LET THESE TRUTHS HERE CARVED BE KNOW: CONSCIENCE DICTATES CIVILIZATIONS LIVE AND DUTY OURS TO PLACE BEFORE THE WORLD, A CHRONICLE WHICH WILL LONG ENDURE. FOR LIKE ALL THING UNDER US AND BEYOND. IN ENVIABLY WE MUST PASS INTO OBLIVION THIS LAND OF REFUGE TO THE STRANGER WAS OURS FOR COUNTLESS EONS BEFORE: CIVILIZATIONS MAJESTIC AND MIGHTY. OUR GIFTS WERE MANY WHICH WE SHARED AND GRATITUDE FOR THEM WAS KNOWN. BUT LATER, GIVEN MY OPPRESSED ONES WERE MURDER, RAPE, AND SANGUINE WAR. LOOKING EAST FROM WHENCE INVADERS CAME, GREEDY USURPERS OF OUR HERITAGE. FOR US THE PAST IS IN OUR HEARTS, THE FUTURE NEVER TO BE FULFILLED. TO YOU I GIVE THIS GRANITE EPIC. FOR MY DESCENDANT TO ALWAYS KNOW-- "MY LANDS ARE WHERE MY DEAD LIE BURIED."