Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse was born in perfect physical shape. He had hard loving from his mother and father. His father gave him fierce physical training, but he stuck right in there.

Crazy Horse was born on 1842?- 1877. He may have been 35 years old. He did not allow any photos taken of him, because he believed it would take his spirit. He was born on the Republican River. They gave him the name Tashunkewitko; Most remembered by Crazy Horse. All he wanted was the best way for the Sioux.

Some people compared him to Chief Joseph, although Crazy Horse was born a warrior, Chief Joseph was not. One of the most remarkable things about him was he pictured his death. He always fought fierce for the Lakota way of life. Even when he was 13, he stole horses from the crow and before he was 20 he led war parties.

He loved horses very much. When he was really young his father got him a pony. He became a very talented rider. When he was still much to young he went on buffalo hunts with his father. One time when he stayed with the other boys, they told him to ride a wild buffalo calf. So he lassoed it and got on. It took him across the country, but he never fell off. When he got off they asked him how he was. Tired he replied.

He did many brave things when he was younger. When he and his brother, whom he loved very much, were eating berries a grizzly bear came growling at them. Crazy Horse pushed his brother up the berry tree, went climbed on his horse, got his tomahawk and ran at the bear yelling. The bear seen the boys power and took off in the other direction. Even then people could see his fierce power.

When he was very young the was a bad winter storm. There was no food to eat. Crazy Horse' father went on a hunt and brought back two antelopes. Crazy Horse, before his parents could notice, was telling everyone to go to his teepee to get food. There was a line of indians and when everyone was done there was only enough food for two meals for Crazy Horse and his family. As the indians left, they were praising Crazy Horse. The next day Crazy Horse asked his mother for food and she said, "Remember, my son, they went home singing praises in your name not my name or your fathers. You must be brave. You must live up to your reputation." And he did.

Before he was 20, he was fighting in a battle and saved a man named Hump. Hump was much older than he was and he had been very grateful that he had been saved. They became good friends and fought and won a lot of battles. People would call them bear and his cub. Because of their age difference.

Crazy Horse fought in the 1865-1868 wars led by Red Cloud. In 1876 he became the leader of resistance. He went after General George Crook. Allied to the Cheyenne through marriage to a Cheyenne woman, Crazy Horse got 1,200 Ogallala and Cheyenne warriors. Crook went up the Rosebud Creek toward Sitting Bulls camp on the Little Bighorn. The camp stretched 3-4 miles. After that victory on June 17, 1876 Crazy Horse joined forces with Sitting Bull. On June 25 1876, he led a band of warriors and wiped out General Custer and his 7th Calvary. Known as Custer's Last Stand. The Americans tried to flee South and West. Chief Gall and Hunkpapa charged From the South and West. They demolished the Americans.

After that battle Sitting Bull and Chief Gall fled to Canada. Crazy Horse stayed to fight Nelson Miles. After constant military harassment and loss of buffalo, Crazy Horse had to surrender on May 6, 1876 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. He was one of the last chiefs to surrender. Crazy Horse received assurances that he and his followers would be permitted to settle in the Powder River Country in Montana. Crazy Horse arrived with a band of 800 warriors, all of them had weapons and singing songs of war. In the late summer a rumor said Crazy Horse was planning a battle, so on September 5 he was brought back to Fort Robinson.

While taking his sick wife to her parents, George Crook arrested him. He did not resist at first but when he seen the guardhouse he began to struggle. His arms were held by one of his own, an Indian guard, and a soldier ran him through with his bayonet. He was buried by one of his own indians so no one knows where. No one will ever probably know either.

Today they are building a monument of Crazy Horse. It is carved in the side of a mountain in South Dakota. It is just 17 miles away from Mt. Rushmore. The face of it is 87 feet high. When it is done it is expected to be 600 feet tall.