An informative look at the life, times and death of this brave Native-American chieftain whose name is forever linked with that of General George Armstrong Custer
Famous Native Americans
Early Years
Almost everything about the early years of this Oglala Sioux Indian who was known and respected for his courage in battle is open to speculation due to the paucity of historical records. Even the included photograph of this great warrior known as Chief Crazy Horse is a moot point because during his lifetime, he refused to be photographed, fearing that to capture his image would mean certain death. Crazy Hors'es name at birth was possibly Tasunka Witko or Light Hair or Curly Hair, depending on the historical source. His date of birth is around 1838, and Cray Horse's birthplace is thought to be somewhere in South Dakota. Chief Crazy Horse's parents were Lakota Sioux. There was also a sister whose name is lost to time and a half-brother, Little Hawk.
The Warrior Brave
The father of Chief Crazy Horse was also named Crazy Horse and the name was passed down after his son demonstrated great bravery in battle when he was about 18 years of age. The father then assumed the name of Worm. It is believed that Crazy Horse was present when the US troops attacked the Brule camp during the Grattan massacre of 1854 at Fort Laramie, Nebraska territory, and that Crzy Horse witnessed the death of Sioux leader, Conquering Bear. This event was said to have induced a vision that led Crazy Horse to go against the Lakota custom of brandishing war paint or a war bonnet in battle.
Throughout the 1850s and early 1860s, Crazy Horse's fame among the Lakota grew and he became the Ogle Tanka Un (war leader) in 1865. On December 21, 1866, Crazy Horse led 1,000 warriors into an ambush of US troops at Fort Phil Kearney (known as Fetterman's Massacre). Within the next few years two more skirmishes with the US Cavalry occurred, one in 1872, The Battle of Arrow Creek and the other, The Battle of The Rosebud
against the forces of General Crook on June 17, 1876, days before the final clash with General Custer and the Seventh Cavalry.
The Battle of The Little Bighorn and Death
On June 26, 1876, Crazy Horse, with the help of more than a thousand warriors from different tribes destroyed General Custer detachment of more than 200 soldiers to the last man. Chief Crazy Horse fought for the pride of his people until 1877 when he and his depleted troops surrendered to US troops in Nebraska. Crazy horse died on September 5th of that year.
