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THE DEATH OF CRAZY HORSE IN GREAT DETAIL (CRAZY HORSE.) BRADLEY, LUTHER P. Autograph Letter Signed, "General," as the commanding officer of Fort Robinson, to his mother, detailing the death of Crazy Horse. 5 pages, folded 8vo sheet plus and additional single 8vo sheet. With another letter from Bradley to his mother, dated 2 December 1874, discussing his meetings with various Indian chiefs, including Sitting Bull and Red Cloud. Camp Robinson, 8 September 1877
THE DEATH OF CRAZY HORSE IN GREAT DETAIL (CRAZY HORSE.) BRADLEY, LUTHER P. Autograph Letter Signed, "General," as the commanding officer of Fort Robinson, to his mother, detailing the death of Crazy Horse. 5 pages, folded 8vo sheet plus and additional single 8vo sheet. With another letter from Bradley to his mother, dated 2 December 1874, discussing his meetings with various Indian chiefs, including Sitting Bull and Red Cloud. Camp Robinson, 8 September 1877
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Notes: written one day after the indian chief's death while held as a prisoner in camp robinson.
After utterly defeating Custer's 7th Cavalry at Little Big Horn, Crazy Horse and his band of Lakota warriors were pursued by General Nelson Miles throughout the fall and winter of 1876-77. Weary from the constant chase and poor supplies, Crazy Horse surrendered in May 1877. From this point forward, accounts of what happened differ greatly. Some say that Crazy Horse left custody to take his sick wife to her parents and was arrested for leaving; others have written that he was arrested after planning a revolt because he was disgruntled at not being allowed to settle peaceably with his followers in the area. Regardless, on 7 September 1877 Crazy Horse was arrested. According to some accounts, upon realizing that he was to be imprisoned he resisted and was stabbed with a bayonet by a soldier attempting to restrain him.
The present letter sheds important light on the events that led to the death of the most feared Indian warrior -- an event which largely marks the end of the Sioux wars.
In part: "... When Crazy Horse came in last spring he surrendered. Said he had got through fighting and even kneeled at Gen. Crook's feet in token of submission. He had not been here long though before he manifested ill humour and discontent and as the summer progressed he has shown hostile feelings though he had been treated fairly and justly and with uniform kindness. After the rumor was published that Sitting Bull had returned to our territory Crazy Horse became more uneasy than ever and told us he did not intend to stay with us, that he had never agreed to stay at any Agency and that he intended to take his band away. This led to the movements of troops and friendly Indians that caused the breaking up of his village and it led to his own death. After he was captured at Spotted-Tail and brought here I told him and his friends that no harm would be done [to] him but that he was a prisoner and would be confined and it was in resisting confinement that he got his wound. As soon as it was reported to me that he was badly hurt, I ordered him placed in the Adjutants Office and the surgeons took care of him till he died. So ended the life of a noted Indian..."
Full transcription available upon request.
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