Short Bio
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota tribe, born around 1840 in what is now known as South Dakota. His birth name was Cha-O-Ha, but he was later called Crazy Horse, a name he earned for his bravery and courage in battle.
As a young man, Crazy Horse became known for his exceptional skills in horsemanship and hunting, as well as his fearlessness in battle. He quickly rose to prominence within his tribe and became one of the most respected leaders among the Lakota people.
In the 1860s, tensions between the Lakota people and the United States government began to escalate, as the US government sought to force the Lakota people onto reservations and take control of their lands. Crazy Horse became a key figure in the resistance against these efforts, and he fought in many battles against the US Army.
One of Crazy Horse’s most famous battles was the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, where he played a crucial role in the defeat of General George Custer and his troops. Despite this victory, the US Army continued to pursue the Lakota people, and Crazy Horse continued to lead his people in the resistance.
In 1877, Crazy Horse surrendered to the US Army, but he was killed later that year while being taken into custody. The exact circumstances of his death are disputed, but it is believed that he was stabbed in the back by a US soldier.
Today, Crazy Horse is remembered as a hero and symbol of Native American resistance. His bravery and leadership continue to inspire people around the world.
Descendants
Crazy Horse had several descendants, but because of the Lakota people’s strong emphasis on privacy, many of his descendants have chosen to keep their identities private. However, some of his descendants have been publicly known and have made efforts to preserve and promote their ancestor’s legacy.
One of Crazy Horse’s descendants is William Bordeaux, a great-grandson of Crazy Horse. He has been a vocal advocate for Native American rights and has worked to preserve Lakota traditions and culture. Another descendant, Tasunke Witko Tiwahe Gluha Mani, also known as the Crazy Horse family, has worked to keep the legacy of Crazy Horse alive through storytelling and cultural preservation.
There are likely many more descendants of Crazy Horse who have chosen to keep their connection to him private, as privacy is a deeply held value in Lakota culture. However, despite the lack of public knowledge about his descendants, Crazy Horse’s legacy and impact continue to inspire people around the world.
Battles Fought
Crazy Horse was involved in many battles during his lifetime as a war leader of the Oglala Lakota tribe. Here are some of the most notable battles in which Crazy Horse fought:
- Fetterman Massacre (1866): In this battle, Crazy Horse led a successful ambush against a US Army unit led by Captain William J. Fetterman, killing all 81 soldiers.
- Wagon Box Fight (1867): Crazy Horse participated in this battle against a US Army unit that was guarding a wagon train. The Lakota warriors attacked the soldiers, but were unable to overcome the well-defended wagon box and were forced to retreat.
- Battle of Rosebud Creek (1876): In this battle, Crazy Horse led a group of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors against US Army troops led by General George Crook. Although the battle was a stalemate, it prevented Crook’s troops from joining General Custer’s unit at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
- Battle of Little Bighorn (1876): Crazy Horse played a crucial role in this battle, which is also known as Custer’s Last Stand. He led a group of Lakota warriors that overwhelmed and defeated General Custer’s unit, killing all 210 soldiers.
- Wolf Mountain (1877): In this battle, Crazy Horse and his followers were pursued by US Army troops. Although the Lakota warriors fought bravely, they were eventually forced to surrender.
Crazy Horse’s military tactics were characterized by surprise attacks, guerrilla warfare, and hit-and-run tactics. His leadership and strategic thinking were highly respected among his people, and he remains a symbol of Native American resistance and defiance against US government efforts to control and subjugate indigenous peoples.
Trusted Warriors
Crazy Horse was a war leader of the Oglala Lakota tribe and had many warriors who fought alongside him. Here are some notable warriors who fought with Crazy Horse:
- He Dog: He Dog was one of Crazy Horse’s closest allies and fought alongside him in many battles, including the Battle of Little Bighorn. He Dog was known for his courage and bravery in battle.
- Black Elk: Black Elk was a spiritual leader and medicine man who fought alongside Crazy Horse in the Battle of Little Bighorn. After the battle, he became a prominent figure in the Lakota community and worked to preserve Lakota traditions and culture.
- Little Big Man: Little Big Man was a Cheyenne warrior who fought alongside Crazy Horse in many battles, including the Battle of Rosebud Creek and the Battle of Little Bighorn. He was known for his skill in battle and his loyalty to Crazy Horse.
- Sitting Bull: Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota chief who fought alongside Crazy Horse in the Battle of Little Bighorn. He was a prominent figure in the resistance against US government efforts to subjugate Native American tribes.
- Gall: Gall was a Hunkpapa Lakota warrior who fought alongside Crazy Horse in the Battle of Little Bighorn. He was known for his bravery and leadership in battle.
These are just a few of the many warriors who fought alongside Crazy Horse. They were united in their determination to resist US government efforts to control and subjugate Native American tribes, and their bravery and courage continue to inspire people around the world.
Homeland
Crazy Horse was a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, and his homeland was in the Great Plains region of North America. Specifically, he was born and raised in the Black Hills area of present-day South Dakota, which was a sacred land to the Lakota people.
The Black Hills were a rich source of food, water, and natural resources for the Lakota people, and they considered the area to be a spiritual center of their culture. However, the US government sought to gain control of the land and its resources, leading to conflicts and wars between the US military and Native American tribes like the Lakota.
In 1868, the US government signed a treaty with the Lakota that recognized the Black Hills as part of their reservation. However, after gold was discovered in the area in the 1870s, the US government broke the treaty and seized the land, leading to the Black Hills War and the eventual forced removal of the Lakota from the area.
Despite the loss of their homeland, the Lakota people have continued to resist and maintain their cultural traditions and connections to the land. Today, the Black Hills remain a sacred place for the Lakota and other Native American tribes, and efforts are underway to protect the area and its cultural heritage for future generations.
Crazy Horse — 1842-1877
Crazy Horse, a principal war chief of the Lakota Sioux, was born in 1842 near the present-day city of Rapid City, SD. Called “Curly” as a child, he was the son of an Oglala medicine man and his Brule wife, the sister of Spotted Tail. By the time he was twelve, he had killed a buffalo and received his own horse. His father gave him his own name, Crazy Horse.
While living with his uncle Spotted Tail, Crazy Horse watched as a group of soldiers attacked Sioux leaders who were trying to mediate a dispute. Spotted Tail then led a group of warriors to attack the soldiers. Sometime later Crazy Horse returned from a buffalo hunt to find the village burned to the ground and eighty-six people dead. Finding a few survivors, Crazy Horse was told that U.S. cavalry had attacked the village.
While still a young man Crazy Horse went on a vision quest and had a vivid dream of a rider in a storm on horseback, with long unbraided hair, a small stone in his ear, zig zag lightning decorating his check and hail dotting his body. The storm faded and a red-backed hawk flew over the rider’s head. His father interpreted the dream as a sign of his son’s future greatness in battle. Crazy Horse adopted the costume as his war dress.
During Red Cloud’s War in 1866-1868 Crazy Horse joined in raids against white settlements and forts in Wyoming. When the Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed in 1868 and the Army agreed to abandon its posts along Bozeman Trail, Red Cloud and Spotted Tail settled on reservation lands. Crazy Horse became the war chief of the Oglalas. He was only 24 years old.
Crazy Horse learned in 1874 that General Custer had led an expedition into the sacred Black Hills and found gold at French Creek. Prospectors and speculators swarmed into Sioux land ignoring the fact that the land had been guaranteed to the Lakota by the Fort Laramie Treaty. To ensure the safety of the white travelers, the government issued an order requiring that the Sioux bands be required to stay on the Great Sioux Reservation. Crazy Horse and his followers ignored the order and the Army organized a campaign against them.
On the upper Rosebud Creek in southern Montana, General George Crook’s army of thirteen hundred attacked twelve hundred warriors led by Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse had over the years become a daring military strategist, adept in the art of decoying tactics. His feinting and assault techniques baffled Crook who withdrew. Crazy Horse now joined with Sitting Bull and Gall at the Bighorn River in Montana.
When Custer attacked on June 25, 1876 Crazy Horse led his warriors against Custer’s men from the north and west, while Gall charged Custer from the south and east. Custer’s force, including Custer himself was completely destroyed. After the battle the Sioux encampment split up with Sitting Bull heading to Canada and Crazy Horse and his followers traveling back to the Rosebud River. However, despite winning several battles, Crazy Horse band could not win the war. Intense harassment by the military and the loss of their food source, the buffalo, finally forced Crazy Horse and his followers to surrender on May 6, 1877 at Ft. Robinson in northwest Nebraska.
He was promised a reservation in the Powder River country. It did not happen. After a few months on Red Cloud’s reservation Crazy Horse left without permission to take his sick wife to her family at the Brule Agency about 40 miles away. On his way back forty government scouts arrested him. While being lead toward a stockade, Crazy Horse resisted at the sight of the prison. A soldier bayoneted him through the abdomen. He died the same night.
