Tag Archives: Battle of the Little Bighorn

crazy Horse (volume 3, episode 6) part one

In life, a prominent Lakota warrior chieftain, in death, an American legend
No photo of Crazy Horse has ever been authenticated, this sketch was verified by his sister after his death

Most likely, Crazy Horse was born in the spring of 1840, in the Black Hills of western South Dakota, near Rapid City.  His father was a member of the Oglala clan, also named Crazy Horse, and his mother, Rattle Blanket Woman was a Minniconju.

Marcus Reno

The Lakotas and Cheyenne were generally aware of the federal presence but believed that only a fool would attempt to attack such a large and powerful position.  But, at 3 PM, attack Custer did, ordering 140 cavalry on horseback under the command of Major Marcus Reno to engage the south side of the giant native village on the western shoreline of the Little Bighorn River.  Custer planned to take his command of 200 men and proceed along the river, ultimately leading an attack upon the northern side of the village. 

Frederick Benteen

Custer’s strategy, relying on his own success at the Washita and other battlefield experience, was simple.  He divided his 12 companies into three units.  Three companies commanded by Major Marcus Reno would attack the encampment from the South, Three would be commanded by Captain Frederick Benteen, held in reserve to pursue any subsequent advantage and five units would be lead by Custer himself, attacking the village from the North.  One unit would be held behind to customarily protect the regiment wagon train of material and ammunition.

General George A. Custer

Although weakened and disorganized, Crazy Horse and other non-treaty natives were adamant that they would not move on to a reservation.  Perhaps as a further attempt to intimidate them, in 1874, Phil Sheridan ordered General Custer to march directly into the Black Hills with a force of over one thousand well-equipped soldiers.  Accompanying the expedition were mining engineers who quickly determined that the entire region was replete with sizable gold deposits.  Custer, a shameless self promoter, also travelled with several journalists who wasted no time in informing an economically challenged American population that gold was everywhere in the Black Hills. 

He Dog, 1877

Unlike previous incidents, this time there was some warning of an attack and as Reno approached, numerous warriors on foot and on horseback rapidly emerged to bring this assault to an immediate halt.  The cavalry was quickly forced to dismount and set up a battle line that hastily became defensive.  Several Lakota chiefs, including He Dog and Brave Heart were soon involved in the fight but as the conflict escalated, one notable combatant remained absent.  The most respected and prominent Oglala warrior, Crazy Horse, was swimming in the river when the fighting started. 

Crow King

Custer’s initial strategy involved an attack on the northern edge of the  encampment, splitting his companies into two units, commanded by Myles Keough and George Yates, with Custer retaining overall command. This dual assault followed natural ravines in an attempted crossing of the Little Bighorn.  But Custer quickly ran into the same predicament as Reno.  He also ran into Crazy Horse as well as another native column lead by the Hunkpapa warrior chief Crow King.  By 4:35, Crazy Horse had traversed the two miles from the vicinity of the Reno skirmish and was now organizing a response to Custer’s aggression.  The Hunkpapa and Cheyenne contingent would confront the Yates column and quickly drive it backwards in retreat while Crazy Horse lead a one and a half mile ride of the Oglalas which forded the Little bighorn river at a spot known as Deep Ravine and then attacked the Custer-Keough battalion on its right rear flank.  Both battalions would eventually retreat to a spot known as Calhoun Hill.  They would be surrounded by the two separate native columns, Crazy Horse leading a looping encircling movement from the Northwest, Crow King pressing the attack from the South. 

Custer Marker, Little Big Horn Battlefield

Although Custer’s command is traditionally believed to have been wiped out on high ground now known as Custer Hill, how and exactly where the US detachment and Custer met their end is still a subject of academic debate.  Native descriptions indicate that the entire secondary battle took little more than an hour and the last surviving troops were overwhelmed by a final charge of warriors, the conflict now a desperate hand- to-hand struggle in which soldiers had no time to reload, and natives relied on war clubs and hatchets to attack and then kill.  Modern analysis indicates a final breakout attempt of two-dozen men who were trapped in a nearby canyon and then finished off.  Several warriors claimed credit for killing Custer but as one native participant eventually stated: “If we could have seen where each bullet landed, we might have known. But hundreds of bullets were flying that day.”

 

Crazy Horse (Volume Three, Episode six) Part Two

In life a prominent Lakota warrior-chieftain, in death an American legend.

Seven feet tall, “Touch the Clouds”

In his final moments of freedom, nervous and bewildered, Crazy Horse accepted the hand of Kennington who began to lead him to Fort Robinson’s jail within the guardhouse.  Lee facilitated this process by explaining to Touch the Clouds and the others that they should stay with Crazy Horse overnight and hopefully a meeting with Bradley could happen the next day.  Lee did not have the heart or the courage to admit that he knew that this would never happen.    

Little Big Man, hand obscuring wrist wound from Crazy Horse

The realization that he was about to be confined suddenly became clear to Crazy Horse.  In anticipation, both Kennington and Little Big Man attempted to restrain him but he escaped their grasp and lunged for the front door.   From under the red blanket he was wearing he produced a six-inch blade he typically used to cut tobacco and as Little Big Man grabbed him by both elbows, Crazy Horse cut a deep gash into his wrist.  The two continued to grapple in the doorway and Crazy Horse’s blanket fell to the ground.  Other natives attempted to restrain him but he continued to thrash wildly as Kennington finally drew his saber.  The captain quickly realized that the crush was too great and he began shouting repeatedly to the sentry: Stab the sonovabitch!  Like much of Crazy Horse’s life, what happened in the next few seconds is controversial but the result was undeniable.  Clearly injured by something, Crazy Horse, yelled “let me go, you’ve got me hurt now!,” His assailants released their grip and he groaned, staggered and fell to the ground.  Although official accounts would initially maintain that Crazy Horse stabbed himself with his own knife and then claim he accidentally was pushed against the bayonet of the sentry, his injury indicated otherwise.

Fort Robinson, site of Crazy Horse’s assassination

The injured warrior was placed on his blanket and carried into the administrative office.  Although an army cot was available, Crazy Horse insisted that he put on the ground.  There, he was examined by an agency doctor, Valentine McGillycuddy.  Understanding that Crazy Horse was slowly bleeding to death, he administered morphine intravenously, stopping the chief’s agony.  Night fell upon the agency, the parade ground deserted, only Captain Kennington, an officer of the guard and an interpreter remained as an official presence.  Touch the Clouds and his son, Charging First were also admitted.  Eventually, Crazy Horse’s father, Waglula and one of his step mothers, Red Moccasins, arrived at the agency and found their son.  Waglulla asked how he was doing.  Crazy Horse replied stoically: “I am hurt bad. I am going to die.  Tell the people they cannot depend on me anymore.”

Little Big Horn battlefield today.

Crazy Horse (Volume 3, Episode 6) Book and Music Information

Two books were essential for the composition of this podcast:

“The Killing of Crazy Horse,” by Thomas Powers and “Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life,” by Kingsley Bray.

The main theme music is “You Cant Beat the Machine.”:

The other outro music at the end of part one is a public domain native war cry.