page_title: American Horse
section_title: Murder of Crazy Horse
hierarchical_section_title: American Horse / Murder of Crazy Horse
caption_attribution_description: English: Four Wagluhe leaders in composite. Left to right: Blue Horse, American Horse, Three Bears and Red Shirt.
context_page_description: American Horse was an Oglala Lakota chief, statesman, educator and historian. American Horse is notable in American history as a U.S. Army Indian Scout and a progressive Oglala Lakota leader who promoted friendly associations with whites and education for his people. American Horse opposed Crazy Horse during the Great Sioux War of 1876–1877 and the Ghost Dance Movement of 1890, and was a Lakota delegate to Washington. American Horse was one of the first Wild Westers with Buffalo Bill's Wild West and a supporter of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. "His record as a councillor of his people and his policy in the new situation that confronted them was manly and consistent and he was known for his eloquence."
context_section_description: On May 6, 1877, Crazy Horse surrendered at Fort Robinson. For the next four months, Crazy Horse resided in his village near the Red Cloud Agency.  American Horse and other Oglala leaders believed that Crazy Horse was a threat to order,  and he made it fairly plain that he hated the whites and he intended to attempt to return to his old wild life in the north at the first opportunity. Worried that further resistance would compromise peace negotiations to be held in Washington, D.C., Oglala leaders discussed how to "quiet"  Crazy Horse and "bring him into a better state of feeling." But Crazy Horse refused to meet with them.  Rumors of Crazy Horse's desire to slip away and return to the old ways of life started to spread at the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies. Hearing that affairs at Red Cloud were nearing a crisis, Gen. Crook hurried to Fort Robinson.  Crook believed that a personal interview with Crazy Horse would smooth the situation, and started for Crazy Horse's camp.  However,  he was stopped by Woman's Dress who bore a message from the agency chiefs warning Crook that Crazy Horse had stated his intention to kill him in the coming council if the general did not meet his demands.  Crook was convinced that Crazy Horse meant what he said,  and returned to Camp Robinson sending out a message for the chiefs to come there for the council.  Crazy Horse ignored the summons.  The chiefs told Gen. Crook that they did not approve of Crazy Horse's conduct and were ready to follow the general's lead.  He told them they should prove their loyalty by arresting Crazy Horse.  They then consulted and informed Crook that they were willing to act, but that Crazy Horse was a desperate man and some thought it would be better to kill him. Crook demurred, and said it would be murder.  An agreement was finally reached whereby American Horse, Red Cloud, Little Wound, Young Man Afraid of His Horse agreed to march with the soldiers with orders to arrest Crazy Horse.
  On the morning of September 4, 1877, eight companies of the Third Cavalry and four hundred friendly Indians moved against Crazy Horse's village, only to find that it had scattered during the night.  Crazy Horse had almost escaped alone, but soon turned to the nearby Spotted Tail Agency with his sick wife where he was arrested by agency Indians. On the morning of September 5, 1877, Crazy Horse and Lieutenant Jesse M. Lee, the Indian agent at Spotted Tail, departed for Fort Robinson.  Arriving that evening, Lieutenant Lee was informed that he was to turn Crazy Horse over to Captain James Kennington, who accompanied Crazy Horse to the post guardhouse.  Once inside, Crazy Horse struggled with the guard and Little Big Man and attempted to escape. Just outside the door, Crazy Horse was stabbed with a bayonet by one of the members of the guard. He was taken to the adjutant's office, where he was tended by the assistant post surgeon at the post, Dr. Valentine McGillycuddy, and died late that night.
caption: Wagluhe leaders after the Battle of the Little Big Horn: Left to right: Blue Horse, American Horse, Three Bears and Red Shirt. Wagluhe were considered by the U.S. Army and Indian agents to be the most progressive band of Lakota and many became Indian Police, U.S. Army Indian Scouts with the U.S. 4th Cavalry Regiment and intermediaries with other bands of Lakotas.
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