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　earth　to　overwhelm　them。　　They　closed　in　from　three　sides　and
  fought　until　not　a　white　man　was　left　alive。　　Then　they　went　down
  to　Reno's　stand　and　found　him　so　well　intrenched　in　a　deep　gully
  that　it　was　impossible　to　dislodge　him。　　Gall　and　his　men　held　him
  there　until　the　approach　of　General　Terry　compelled　the　Sioux　to
  break　camp　and　scatter　in　different　directions。
  While　Sitting　Bull　was　pursued　into　Canada；　Crazy　Horse　and
  the　Cheyennes　wandered　about；　comparatively　undisturbed；　during　the
  rest　of　that　year；　until　in　the　winter　the　army　surprised　the
  Cheyennes；　but　did　not　do　them　much　harm；　possibly　because　they
  knew　that　Crazy　Horse　was　not　far　off。　　His　name　was　held　in
  wholesome　respect。　　From　time　to　time；　delegations　of　friendly
  Indians　were　sent　to　him；　to　urge　him　to　come　in　to　the
  reservation；　promising　a　full　hearing　and　fair　treatment。
  For　some　time　he　held　out；　but　the　rapid　disappearance　of　the
  buffalo；　their　only　means　of　support；　probably　weighed　with　him
  more　than　any　other　influence。　　In　July；　1877；　he　was　finally
  prevailed　upon　to　come　in　to　Fort　Robinson；　Nebraska；　with　several
  thousand　Indians；　most　of　them　Ogallala　and　Minneconwoju　Sioux；　on
  the　distinct　understanding　that　the　government　would　hear　and
  adjust　their　grievances。
  At　this　juncture　General　Crook　proclaimed　Spotted　Tail；　who
  had　rendered　much　valuable　service　to　the　army；　head　chief　of　the
  Sioux；　which　was　resented　by　many。　　The　attention　paid　Crazy　Horse
  was　offensive　to　Spotted　Tail　and　the　Indian　scouts；　who　planned　a
  conspiracy　against　him。　　They　reported　to　General　Crook　that　the
  young　chief　would　murder　him　at　the　next　council；　and　stampede　the
  Sioux　into　another　war。　　He　was　urged　not　to　attend　the　council　and
  did　not；　but　sent　another　officer　to　represent　him。　　Meanwhile　the
  friends　of　Crazy　Horse　discovered　the　plot　and　told　him　of　it。　　His
  reply　was；　〃Only　cowards　are　murderers。〃
  His　wife　was　critically　ill　at　the　time；　and　he　decided　to
  take　her　to　her　parents　at　Spotted　Tail　agency；　whereupon　his
  enemies　circulated　the　story　that　he　had　fled；　and　a　party　of
  scouts　was　sent　after　him。　　They　overtook　him　riding　with　his　wife
  and　one　other　but　did　not　undertake　to　arrest　him；　and　after　he　had
  left　the　sick　woman　with　her　people　he　went　to　call　on　Captain　Lea；
  the　agent　for　the　Brules；　accompanied　by　all　the　warriors　of　the
  Minneconwoju　band。　　This　volunteer　escort　made　an　imposing
  appearance　on　horseback；　shouting　and　singing；　and　in　the　words　of
  Captain　Lea　himself　and　the　missionary；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Cleveland；
  the　situation　was　extremely　critical。　　Indeed；　the　scouts　who　had
  followed　Crazy　Horse　from　Red　Cloud　agency　were　advised　not　to　show
  themselves；　as　some　of　the　warriors　had　urged　that　they　be　taken
  out　and　horsewhipped　publicly。
  Under　these　circumstances　Crazy　Horse　again　showed　his
  masterful　spirit　by　holding　these　young　men　in　check。　　He　said　to
  them