The Murder of Crazy Horse

One of the greatest warriors of the northern plains, Crazy Horse, was still unaccounted for after the Battle at Cedar Creek.  Sitting Bull had fled with some of his warriors into Canada, but Crazy Horse was not with them.  The ambitious Col.  Miles, with 350 infantrymen, decided to go after Crazy Horse.  On January 8, 1877,  he found the Sioux war leader and some 500 Cheyenne and Sioux followers on the snowy cliffs of Wolf Mountain in Montana.  The Indians were caught between a blizzard and the artillery fire of Miles' troops.  They had no chance.

The defeat at Wolf Mountain disheartened the Indian warriors and in the spring, more than 1.000 Sioux and Cheyenne came into the Indian agencies to surrender.  In May, Crazy Horse himself surrendered at the Red Cloud Agency, but even then he was seen as a potential threat by the Army and the Indian peace faction.  Crazy Horse was ordered arrested and disarmed, and on September 7 he was killed (murdered) in a scuffle with his captors.  Thus, a little more than a year after Custer's defeat, the Indians' power in the northern plains was effectively broken. That was the point, wasn't it?


Although the epic struggle had captured the attention of the public, two other campaigns of that time were equally dramatic.  One was the retreat of the Nez Perces (Pierced Noses) under their legendary leader Joseph, the other the last ditch effort  of the Modocs in the Northwest. 

Next time...The Fighting Retreat of the Nez Perces

_______________________________
Today in Pioneer History: "On February 1,  1884, the first portion, or fascicle, of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), considered the most comprehensive and accurate dictionary of the English language, is published.

Dignity Not Included

It was America's 100 year anniversary but the nation was in a sober mood.  The defeat and death of Custer at Little Bighorn put a damper on the celebrations.  To the public, Custer had been the dashing Indian-fighting hero of the West.  The victorious Indians found their victory celebrations brief as well as nearly 1000 northern Cheyenne on their way to join Sioux chief Crazy Horse, were beaten back in July 1876 by Col. Wesley Merritt and the 5th Cavalry at a place called War Bonner Creek.  The defeated Cheyenne turned back to the Red Cloud Agency and ended their campaign.

The Army was too large now and cumbersome to chase the scattered tribes so they took measures to control the Indians instead.  On October 23, Red Cloud and his warriors were forced to disarm their camp at the Red Cloud Agency.  To add to their humiliation, General Crook told Red Cloud the United States no longer recognized him as a Sioux chief.  The army seized all the Indians arms and their ponies as well.  The ponies were later sold to buy cows for the Indians instead.

Congress decided to force the Sioux to give up the Black Hills and if they refused, they would no longer get any food.  Surprisingly, a few chiefs signed the treaty, despite the terms, including giving up all hunting rights outside the new reservation area.  Many Indians remained defiant.  Crook planned a winter campaign to "finish off the Indians."  In late October 1876 Col. Nelson Miles succeeded in tracking down Sitting Bull and his Sioux warriors at Cedar Creek in Montana.  Two day later, 2000 Sioux surrendered, but Sitting Bull escaped into Canada. 



Next time...Another great warrior's end
___________________________________
Today in Pioneer History:  "On January 29, 1861, Kansas, deeply divided over the issue of slavery, was granted statehood as a free state in a gesture of support for Kansas’ militant anti-slavery forces, which had been in armed conflict with pro-slavery groups since Kansas became a territory in 1854.

Prescription for Disaster

It was a prescription for disaster...General George Armstrong Custer wanted a fight, he wanted to trap a large force of hostile Indians.  Those Indians were enraged over white encroachment on their hunting grounds.  Sioux and Cheyenne joined forces, numbering 3,000 warriors, the greatest concentration ever assembled in the West.  There was going to be bloodshed.

Custer had been suspended from command by angering President Grant earlier in the year.  His superior, Major General Terry, had gotten him restored and Custer wanted to salvage his reputation with a big Indian victory.

June 25, 1875, Custer marched his 600 men 40 miles to the banks of the Little Bighorn River in Montana.  The men were exhausted.  Custer's scouts told him there were overwhelming numbers of Indians and that he should wait for General Terry's troops to arrive.  Custer ignored them.  He split his troops and sent them out to round up what he thought was a fleeing enemy.  Those Indians were not fleeing.  In fact, they were posed for battle. 

Custer was clad in his Civil War uniform, long hair flying, brandishing his saber, defiant against the Indians - right?  Wrong! That's a legend.  Custer wore buckskins and a flannel shirt.  His long hair had been cut off before this campaign.  All sabers were left behind for this battle.  The single-shot carbines jammed with defective cartridges and the Indians used bows and arrows, and hatchets.  The end was the same...it the last stand for Custer, and the last stand the Indians would really make. 

There was one lone survivor of the 7th Cavalry, Captain Myles Keogh's horse, Comanche.  He became the mascot of the future regiment.

Deceased leaders of the 7th Cavalry:  General George Custer, Captain Frederick Benteen, Major Marcus Reno.  Surviving Leaders:  Hunkpapa Chiefs, Gall and Rain-in-the-Face, Crazy Horse,Oglala chief Low Dog. 





Next time:  The Perils of Resistance
_______________________________________

Today in Pioneer History: "On January 22,  1879, pursuing American soldiers badly beat Cheyenne Chief Dull Knife and his people as they make a desperate bid for freedom. In doing so, the soldiers effectively crushed the so-called Dull Knife Outbreak.

A Red Cloud over Dakota Territory

At Fort Laramie in 1866, the government met with western Sioux chiefs such as Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Spotted Tail and one of the most feared of all Sioux leaders - Ogala chief Red Cloud.  Red Cloud's bands had been attacking parties of settlers traveling through the great buffalo preserve on their way to Montana gold fields.  The Laramie council had been called to settle the matter of the Bozeman Trail.

Col. Henry B. Carrington at once announced that the War Department had ordered troops to construct forts along the Trail to protect the settlers.  Red Cloud, enraged, shouted, "The Great Father sends us presents and wants us to sell him the road, but white chief goes with soldiers to steal the road before Indians say Yes or No!"  (true point!)  Red Cloud, accompanied by other Sioux and northern Cheyenne, left the meeting in disgust before it even got started.

For months the soldiers along the Bozeman Trail could not leave their forts.  It was too dangerous.  In bands as many as 200, Red Cloud's braves ambushed the forts.  By the end of 1866 when Fort Kearny was finished, it became apparent that the Army's presence along the Bozeman Trail was not protecting anyone.

On December 21, 1866, William J. Fellerman, an impetuous young captain at Fort Kearny, boasted that he could ride through the entire Sioux Nation with just 80 men.  He was given that chance when he was sent out with just 80 men to relieve a detail under attack.  He allowed himself and his men to be lured into an ambush by a young Sioux named Crazy Horse.  The entire company, including their cocky leader, were killed. 

The loss reduced Fort Kearny to such a degree that they feared the entire command might be destroyed at any moment.  In the midst of a raging blizzard, a civilian, John Phillips, rode to Laramie alone in four days, and men were on their way to replenish Fort Kearny.  The extra men failed to intimidate the Sioux, however...

Next Time...The Battle at Fort Kearny
___________________________________
Today in Pioneer History:  "On December 15, 1919, hot molasses floods the streets of Boston, killing 21 people and injuring scores of others. The molasses burst from a huge tank at the United States Industrial Alcohol Company building in the heart of the city. It took weeks to clean the molasses from the streets of Boston. This disaster also produced an epic court battle, as more than 100 lawsuits were filed against the United States Industrial Alcohol Company.  (it was a slow news day in Pioneer History!)