The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-09-14

Wy tOmahawk. On it also is a bronze
tablet which tells the passer-by that near this
spot on September g. 1877, Crazy Horse of the
Oglala Sioux was kiled-dying as he had lived
a fighting man.
Chief Crazy Horse (Tashunka Witko) was
only thirty-three years old when his warrior
career ended, but he had already written his
name high in the annals of the Old West. AL
though he the principal leader In the two
greatest victories ever won by his people over
the white men, ii was the irony of fate that in
each case credit for the achievement should be
given to another Sioux chief whose name and
fame happened to be familiar to the white
men than was Crazy Horses. One of them was
Red Cloud, whom most historians record as be-
ing the leader in the so-called "Fetterman Mas
sacre" near Fort Phil Kearney, Wyo., in 1866,
despite the testimony of Indian survivors that
he neither In command that day nor did he
have any hand in planning carrying out the
ambush Of Fettermans Inflated command. The
other Sitting Bull, who is popularity (and
enormously believed to have been mainly re-
sponsible for the maneuvers of the Indians which
resulted in the disaster to Clusters command on
the Little Big Horn in Montana ten years later.
Crazy Horse was born in 1874, the son of an
Oglala Sioux chief of the same name. His mother
died when he was two years old, but his STEP
mother, who was also his aunt, raised him as
her own. Trained by her and his father in the
of the Sioux, he early learned the lessons of cour
age, self-denal, generosity. modesty truthfulness
and fair dealing which so strongly characterized
his later life fine horseman and skillful
hunter he joined his first war party at the age
of sixteen and in a battle with a party of eros
Ventres won distinction by his daring rescue of
the Miniconjou chief, Hump, whose horse had
been shot under him.
Hump was one of the outstanding warriors of
r.
young Crazy Horse 1.-The coming warrior of the
Teton Sioux" a prediction which Hump helped
bring to pass by devoting himself to the war
training of the youthful Oglala. And so well
did Hump do his work that by the time of the
first serious between the Sioux and the
whites (1S66) Crazy Horses tribesmen looked
to him a principal war leader, and even the
Cheyenne Chiefs allies of the Sioux practically
acknowledged his leadership Yet during the fol-
lowing ten years of defensive he never
known to make a speech, though his teepee was
the rendezvous of the young men. He de-
pended upon to put into action the decisions Of
the council, and was frequently consulted by
the older chiefs.
Although Crazy Horse had distinguished him
self in the Fetterman battle and at the famous
Wagon Box Fight a year later, he rose to his
greatest heights as a general in 1876 and 1877.
On June II, 1876, he attacked the army of Gen.
George Crook on the Rosebud river In Montana
and fought that experienced Indian-fghter to
a standstill. thus breaking up the army's plan
of campaign and making certain the humiliation
of Clusters command a week later The only
army officer who defeated him fairly and square
ly was Gen. Nelson A. Miles ("Bear Coat'0 who
did that at Battle butte In the Wolf mountains
in Montana on January s. 1877, an engagement
which led directly to Crazy Horses surrender
q few months later.
By this time the hostile Sioux had begun to
realize that the white man too powerful
for them. Through the influence of Chief Spotted
Tail of the Brule Sioux, an uncle OF Crazy Horse,
the Oglala chieftain was persuaded to come in to
Fort Robinson, Neb., and surrender, which he
did on May 6, 1877. Captain Bourke, who saw
him there, has left this record of his impress
sions of the famous fighting chief of the Sioux:
81 saw before who looked quite
young, not over thirty years old, FIVE feet eight
inches high. 1.-THE and sinewy, with scar In
the face. The expression of his countenance was
one Of quiet dignity, but morose, logged tena-
cious and melancholy. He behaved with stolid-
fly, like man who realized he had to give In to
Fate, but would do so as sullenly as possible.
While talking to Frank (Grouard) his counte-
nance lighted up with genuine pleasure, but to
all others he was at least In the first days Of
his coming upon the reservation. gloomy and re-
served All Indians gave him high reputation
for courage and generosity. In advancing upon
an enemy, none of his warriors was allowed TO
pass him He had made hundreds Of friends by