indian heroes & great chieftains-第12章

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He　attained　his　majority　at　the　crisis　of　the　difficulties

between　the　United　States　and　the　Sioux。　　Even　before　that　time；

Crazy　Horse　had　already　proved　his　worth　to　his　people　in　Indian

warfare。　　He　had　risked　his　life　again　and　again；　and　in　some

instances　it　was　considered　almost　a　miracle　that　he　had　saved

others　as　well　as　himself。　　He　was　no　orator　nor　was　he　the　son　of

a　chief。　　His　success　and　influence　was　purely　a　matter　of

personality。　　He　had　never　fought　the　whites　up　to　this　time；　and

indeed　no　〃coup〃　was　counted　for　killing　or　scalping　a　white　man。



Young　Crazy　Horse　was　twenty…one　years　old　when　all　the　Teton

Sioux　chiefs　（the　western　or　plains　dwellers）　met　in　council　to

determine　upon　their　future　policy　toward　the　invader。　　Their

former　agreements　had　been　by　individual　bands；　each　for　itself；

and　every　one　was　friendly。　　They　reasoned　that　the　country　was

wide；　and　that　the　white　traders　should　be　made　welcome。　　Up　to

this　time　they　had　anticipated　no　conflict。　　They　had　permitted　the

Oregon　Trail；　but　now　to　their　astonishment　forts　were　built　and

garrisoned　in　their　territory。



Most　of　the　chiefs　advocated　a　strong　resistance。　　There　were

a　few　influential　men　who　desired　still　to　live　in　peace；　and　who

were　willing　to　make　another　treaty。　　Among　these　were　White　Bull；

Two　Kettle；　Four　Bears；　and　Swift　Bear。　　Even　Spotted　Tail；

afterward　the　great　peace　chief；　was　at　this　time　with　the

majority；　who　decided　in　the　year　1866　to　defend　their　rights　and

territory　by　force。　　Attacks　were　to　be　made　upon　the　forts　within

their　country　and　on　every　trespasser　on　the　same。



Crazy　Horse　took　no　part　in　the　discussion；　but　he　and　all　the

young　warriors　were　in　accord　with　the　decision　of　the　council。　

Although　so　young；　he　was　already　a　leader　among　them。　　Other

prominent　young　braves　were　Sword　（brother　of　the　man　of　that　name

who　was　long　captain　of　police　at　Pine　Ridge）；　the　younger　Hump；

Charging　Bear；　Spotted　Elk；　Crow　King；　No　Water；　Big　Road；　He　Dog；

the　nephew　of　Red　Cloud；　and　Touch…the…Cloud；　intimate　friend　of

Crazy　Horse。



The　attack　on　Fort　Phil　Kearny　was　the　first　fruits　of　the　new

policy；　and　here　Crazy　Horse　was　chosen　to　lead　the　attack　on　the

woodchoppers；　designed　to　draw　the　soldiers　out　of　the　fort；　while

an　army　of　six　hundred　lay　in　wait　for　them。　　The　success　of　this

stratagem　was　further　enhanced　by　his　masterful　handling　of　his

men。　　From　this　time　on　a　general　war　was　inaugurated；　Sitting　Bull

looked　to　him　as　a　principal　war　leader；　and　even　the　Cheyenne

chiefs；　allies　of　the　Sioux；　practically　acknowledged　his

leadership。　　Yet　during　the　following　ten　years　of　defensive　war　he

was　never　known　to　make　a　speech；　though　his　teepee　was　the

rendezvous　of　the　young　men。　　He　was　depended　upon　to　put　into

action　the　decisions　of　the　council；　and　was　frequently　consulted

by　the　older　chiefs。



Like　Osceola；　he　rose　suddenly；　like　Tecumseh　he　was　always

impatient　for　battle；　like　Pontiac；　he　fought　on　while　his　allies

were　suing　for　peace；　and　like　Grant；　the　silent　soldier；　he　was　a

man　of　deeds　and　not　of　words。　　He　won　from　Custer　and　Fetterman

and　Crook。　　He　won　every　battle　that　he　undertook；　with　the

exception　of　one　or　two　occasions　when　he　was　surprised　in　the

midst　of　his　women　and　children；　and　even　then　he　managed　to

extricate　himself　in　safety　from　a　difficult　position。



Early　in　the　year　1876；　his　runners　brought　word　from　Sitting

Bull　that　all　the　roving　bands　would　converge　upon　the　upper　Tongue

River　in　Montana　for　summer　feasts　and　conferences。　　There　was

conflicting　news　from　the　reservation。　　It　was　rumored　that　the

army　would　fight　the　Sioux　to　a　finish；　again；　it　was　said　that

another　commission　would　be　sent　out　to　treat　with　them。



The　Indians　came　together　early　in　June；　and　formed　a　series

of　encampments　stretching　out　from　three　to　four　miles；　each　band

keeping　separate　camp。　　On　June　17；　scouts　came　in　and　reported　the

advance　of　a　large　body　of　troops　under　General　Crook。　　The　council

sent　Crazy　Horse　with　seven　hundred　men　to　meet　and　attack　him。　

These　were　nearly　all　young　men；　many　of　them　under　twenty；　the

flower　of　the　hostile　Sioux。　　They　set　out　at　night　so　as　to　steal

a　march　upon　the　enemy；　but　within　three　or　four　miles　of　his　camp

they　came　unexpectedly　upon　some　of　his　Crow　scouts。　　There　was　a

hurried　exchange　of　shots；　the　Crows　fled　back　to　Crook's　camp；

pursued　by　the　Sioux。　　The　soldiers　had　their　warning；　and　it　was

impossible　to　enter　the　well…protected　camp。　　Again　and　again　Crazy

Horse　charged　with　his　bravest　men；　in　the　attempt　to　bring　the

troops　into　the　open；　but　he　succeeded　only　in　drawing　their　fire。　

Toward　afternoon　he　withdrew；　and　returned　to　camp　disappointed。　

His　scouts　remained　to　watch　Crook's　movements；　and　later　brought

word　that　he　had　retreated　to　Goose　Creek　and　seemed　to　have　no

further　disposition　to　disturb　the　Sioux。　　It　is　well　known　to　us

that　it　is　Crook　rather　than　Reno　who　is　to　be　blamed　for　cowardice

in　connection　with　Custer's　fate。　　The　latter　had　no　chance　to　do

anything；　he　was　lucky　to　save　himself；　but　if　Crook　had　kept　on

his　way；　as　ordered；　to　meet　Terry；　with　his　one　thousand　regulars

and　two　hundred　Crow　and　Shoshone　scouts；　he　would　inevitably　have

intercepted　Custer　in　his　advance　and　saved　the　day　for　him；　and

war　with　the　Sioux　would　have　ended　right　there。　　Instead　of　this；

he　fell　back　upon　Fort　Meade；　eating　his　horses　on　the　way；　in　a

country　swarming　with　game；　for　fear　of　Crazy　Horse　and　his　braves！



The　Indians　now　crossed　the　divide　between　the　Tongue　and　the

Little　Big　Horn；　where　they　felt　safe　from　immediate　pursuit。　

Here；　with　all　their　precautions；　they　were　caught　unawares　by

General　Custer；　in　the　midst　of　their　midday　games　and　festivities；

while　many　were　out　upon　the　daily　hunt。



On　this　twenty…fifth　of　June；　1876；　the　great　camp　was

scattered　for　three　miles　or　more　along　the　level　river　bottom；

back　of　the　thin　line　of　cottonwoods　　five　circular　rows　of

teepees；　ranging　from　half　a　mile　to　a　mile　and　a　half　in

circumference。　　Here　and　there　stood　out　a　large；　white；　solitary

teepee；　these　were　the　lodges　or　〃clubs〃　of　the　young　men。　　Crazy

Horse　was　a　member　of　the　〃Strong　Hearts〃　and　the　〃Tokala〃　or　Fox

lodge。　　He　was　watching　a　game　of　ring…toss　when　the　warning　came

from　the　southern　end　of　the　camp　of　the　approach　of　troops。



The　Sioux　and　the　Cheyennes　were　〃minute　men〃；　and　although

taken　by　surprise；　they　instantly　responded。　　Meanwhile；　the　women

and　children　were　thrown　into　confusion。　　Dogs　were　howling；　ponies

running　hither　and　thither；　pursued　by　their　owners；　while　many　of

the　old　men　were　singing　their　lodge　songs　to　encourage　the

warriors；　or　praising　the　〃strong　heart〃　of　Crazy　Horse。



That　leader　had　quickly　saddled　his　favorite　war　pony　and　was

starting　with　his　young　men　for　the　south　end　of　the　camp；　when　a

fresh　alarm　came　from　the　opposite　direction；　and　looking　up；　he

saw　Custer's　force　upon　the　top　of　the　bluff　directly　across　the

river。　　As　quick　as　a　flash；　he　took　in　the　situation　　the　enemy

had　planned　to　attack　the　camp　at　both　ends　at　once；　and　knowing

that　Custer　could　not　ford　the　river　at　that　point；　he　instantly

led　his　men　northward　to　the　ford　to　cut　him　off。　　The　Cheyennes

followed　closely。　　Custer　must　have　seen　that　wonderful　dash　up　the

sage…bush　plain；　and　one　wonders　whether　he　realized　its　meaning。　

In　a　very　few　minutes；　this　wild　general　of　the　plains　had

outwitted　one　of　the　most　brilliant　leaders　of　the　Civil　War　and

ended　at　once　his　military　career　and　his　life。



In　this　dashing　charge；　Crazy　Horse　snatched　his　most　famous

victory　out　of　what　seemed　frightful　peril；　for　the　Sioux　could　not

know　how　many　were　behind　Custer。　　He　was　caught　in　his　own　trap。　

To　the　soldiers　it　must　have　seemed　as　if　the　Indians　rose　up　from

the　e