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Några ord om Crazy Horse |
The Greatest Leader European settlement of North America met with it´s fiercest adversary in the shape of the Lakota or Western (Teton) Sioux, the powerful Indian nation that dominated the heart of the Great Plains. Central in the Lakota resistance to the white man´s invasion werw the people of the Oglala Sioux. The heart of the stubborn defence of their homeland was Crazy Horse. A peerless warrior and revered mystic, Crazy Horse fought for the traditions of his people, until those same people wearied of war and in some cases turned against him. Dr V.T McGillycuddy, assistant post surgeon at Fort Robinson where Crazy Horse died, said of the ill-fatde Oglala leader: "In him everything was made a second to patriotism and love of his people. Modest, fearless, a mystic, a believer in destiny and much of a recluse, he was held in veneration and admiration by the younger warriors who would follow him anywhere... I could not but regard him as the greatest leader of his people in modern times."
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Crazy Horse and his younger brother were guarding the rear of their war party. After a lot of fighting, Crazy Horse´s pony gave out. Crazy Horse turned it loose and the younger brother, who did not want to leave him, turned his own pony loose. Two of the enemy, mounted, appered before them for single combat. Crazy Horse said to his brother, "Take care of yourselfe-I´ll do the fancy sunt." Crazy Horse got the best of the first Shoshoni, the other ran away. He got the horses of the two Sohshones and they caught up with the party. They had saved themselves and their party and got the two horses and the scalp of the Shoshone who was killed. (Short Bull)
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With such deeds, Crazy Horse became a popular leader of war-parties, all wishing to share his success and his strong medicine. He had acquired a new medicine, recall by the brother of his first wife: During war expeditions, he wore a little white stone with a hole through it on a buckskin string slung over his shoulder. He worw it under his left arm. He was wounded twise when he first began to fight but never since-after he got the stone. A man named Chips, a great friend of his gave it to him. (Red Feather)
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"Too late! You´ve missed the fight!" we called out to him. "Sorry to miss the fight he laughed, but there´s a good fight coming over the hill." I looked where he pointed and saw Custer and his blue coats pouring over the hill. I thought there where a million of them. "That´s where the big fight is going to be" said Crazy Horse. "We´ll not miss that one!" He was not a bit exited; he made a joke of it. He wheeled and rode down the river, and a little while later I saw him on his pinto pony leading his men across the ford. He was the first man to cross the river. I saw he had the buisness well in hand. They rode up the draw and then there was too much dust - I could not see any more.
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The soldiers first got the Sioux and the Cheyenne on the run. Crazy Horse, Bad Heart Bull, Black Dear, Kicking Bear and good Weasel rallied the Sioux, turned the charge and got the soldiers on the run. When these five commanded to rally their men that was as far as the soldiers got. (Short Bull)
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Crazy Horse the Sioux chief, was the bravest man I ever saw. He rode closest to the soldiers yelling to his warriors. All the soldiers were shooting at him, but he was never hit. (Arapaho Warrior)
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His father hid his body so not even my sister (Black Shawl) knew where it was buried. Before he was buried a war-cagle came to walk on the coffin night. I did nothing, only just walked about. (Red Feather)
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