Crazy Horse

Updated: February 3, 2026

Crazy Horse was a war leader of the Oglala Lakota who became one of the best-known Native resistance figures of the 1800s, especially for his role in the Great Sioux War and the Battle of the Little Bighorn in what is now southeastern Montana. He is remembered by many Lakota people not as a "killer," but as a quiet, generous, and spiritually guided defender of his homeland and way of life.

Early Life and Character

Crazy Horse was born around the early to mid-1840s, probably in the Black Hills or nearby plains of present-day South Dakota and Nebraska. As a boy he was often called "Curly" because of his lighter, wavy hair. After proving himself in battle as a young man, he took the name Crazy Horse from his father, in keeping with Lakota tradition. Elders and later writers described him as modest, soft-spoken, and generous, known for giving away food and horses and for avoiding showy clothing or speeches.

Stories passed down by Lakota relatives and by friends such as Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman) emphasize that his parents taught him courage and generosity. Specific childhood tales about giving away meat or helping the poor come from oral history and vary in detail, but they match the Lakota expectation that respected leaders put the needs of others ahead of their own.

War Leader and the 1876 Campaign

As a young man, Crazy Horse gained a reputation as a skilled warrior in battles against traditional enemies such as the Crow and in conflicts that followed U.S. expansion into Lakota lands. In the mid-1860s he fought in what is often called Red Cloud's War, resisting forts built along the Bozeman Trail. Many historians believe he played a major part in the 1866 Fetterman Fight near Fort Phil Kearny, where a U.S. detachment was wiped out, though accounts differ on the exact details.

During the Great Sioux War of 1876-77, Crazy Horse became one of the leading war captains among the Oglala and their Cheyenne allies. In June 1876, he helped defeat General George Crook at the Battle of the Rosebud, forcing Crook to withdraw and clearing the way for Lakota and Cheyenne villages to stay in the field. A week later, on June 25-26, he fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn on the Greasy Grass (Little Bighorn) River. Accounts from Lakota and Cheyenne warriors describe him leading or inspiring charges against Major Reno's and Captain Benteen's commands and riding in the thick of the fighting on the ridges where Custer's companies were overwhelmed, though historians still debate the exact tactical moves he led.

Surrender and Death at Fort Robinson

After Little Bighorn, the United States committed more troops and resources to forcing all Lakota and Cheyenne bands onto agencies. Crazy Horse and his followers endured a harsh winter in 1876-77, short on food and supplies while being pursued by the Army. In battles such as Wolf Mountain in early 1877 he continued to resist, but by spring many people were exhausted and hungry.

In early May 1877 Crazy Horse brought his band to the Red Cloud Agency and nearby Fort Robinson in Nebraska to surrender, hoping to secure food and safety for his people. Over the following months, misunderstandings, jealousy among some Lakota leaders, and rumors about his intentions led U.S. officials to decide to arrest and confine him. On September 5, 1877, when soldiers tried to force him into a guardhouse at Fort Robinson, he struggled, and a soldier stabbed him with a bayonet. Crazy Horse died later that night. His relatives kept his final resting place secret, and he was probably in his mid-30s when he died.

No authenticated photograph of Crazy Horse is known to exist. Modern images that claim to show him are either misidentified or artistic interpretations, and Lakota accounts often note that he did not like to be photographed.

Legacy and Places to Learn More

Many Lakota people and historians remember Crazy Horse as a leader who fought to protect his people's lands, hunting grounds, and way of life, rather than out of hatred of all white people. Writers sometimes compare his determination to that of other resistance or independence leaders, while emphasizing that his goals and values were rooted in Lakota beliefs, vision experiences, and responsibilities to his community.

Today, visitors can learn more about Crazy Horse and the battles he took part in at:

• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in southeastern Montana, on the Crow Indian Reservation, where exhibits and ranger talks interpret the 1876 battle from Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and U.S. Army perspectives.
• Fort Robinson State Park in Nebraska, which includes the site where Crazy Horse was killed and offers exhibits on Lakota history and the Indian Wars.
• Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota, a privately run, long-term mountain carving project 17 miles from Mount Rushmore. When completed, the sculpture of Crazy Horse on horseback is planned to be among the largest in the world. The memorial complex includes viewing areas, the Indian Museum of North America, and cultural programs that highlight many Native nations.

A nine-story memorial statue of Crazy Horse is being revealed in a mountainside seventeen miles from Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota. Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation: http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org.

Encyclopaedia Britannica: Crazy Horse

Updated: February 3, 2026