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What Did Crazy Horse Look Like? · Nebraska History Podcast

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The following episode features a historic article from the
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Nebraska History magazine. This article may reflect the
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language and attitudes of its time and while it offers
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valuable insight into the past, may contend expressions or
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viewpoints that are outdated or offensive by today's standards.
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Any outdated terms do not reflect the current views or
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perspectives of the Nebraska State Historical Society.
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Welcome to the Nebraska History podcast.
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I'm your host, Chris Goforth. Each episode we explore articles
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written and published in Nebraska History Magazine.
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What did the legendary Oglala war chief Crazy Horse really
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look like? Though no credible photograph
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has ever been found, descriptions from those who knew
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him ain't a vivid picture. Today we'll explore the
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circumstances that prevented a photo from ever being taken and
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share first hand accounts of his appearance.
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Let's begin our journey to understand what did Crazy Horse
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look like by Randy Cain. Published in 2018, the site
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where Crazy Horse was killed is located on the 1870s Parade
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Ground within Fort Robinson State Park in the northwest
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corner of Nebraska. Visitors to the site often ask
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if Crazy Horse had his picture taken, and if not, why and what
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did he look like. This article examines why the
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famous Oglala war chief likely never had his image taken and
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also examines the recorded descriptions of Crazy Horse by
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those who knew him. Though no historically credible
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photo of Crazy Horse has ever been found, a number of images
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have been proffered over the years.
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All have been shown to be lacking.
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Much of the desire to have an image of the notable Oglala war
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chief rests with his fame in leading warriors against the
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army during the summer of 1876. He is credited with stalemating
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Crook at the Battle of Rosebud and annihilating Custer at
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Little Bighorn. The combination of personality,
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cultural alienation, and especially the narrow time frame
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when a photograph of Crazy Horse could have been taken together
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make the existence of a photograph unlikely.
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Crazy Horse surrendered along with almost 900 of his people
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near Camp Robinson on May 6th, 1877.
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Their teepees were in tatters and most of their dogs had been
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eaten, along with some of their horses.
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Crazy Horse was reluctant and distrustful of the whites, but
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determined to make the best of a situation that he was being
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forced into. The federal government, through
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the military initially catered to Crazy Horse in hopes of using
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his influence to obtain his people's adaptation to agency
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life. As the summer progressed,
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however, that hope faded. The chance to gain Crazy Horse's
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image was fleeting. He lived in the white man's
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world for only four months before he was killed on
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September 5th, 1877. This window of opportunity was
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further reduced when by mid August, his wish for an agency
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further north in the Powder River country remained
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unfulfilled and the promise of a Buffalo hunt for his people in
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that country was canceled. Crazy Horse became sullen and
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withdrawn from the white world. The opportunity to have his
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photograph taken was available, however, at least during the
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early summer of 1877. As many as 9 photographers were
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present at Camp Robinson and Red Cloud Agency from 1874 to 1877.
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Five were recorded as being present in 1877 alone.
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First Lieutenant Thomas Wilhelm, a Civil War veteran, was the
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first photographer to visit Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies
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in May of 1874. Wilhelm repeatedly encountered
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distrust of his camera by the Indians quote.
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They initially saw the black and white images as shadows of
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themselves, captured and locked into the paper or tin type.
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They thought the camera somehow captured some part of their own
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power, hence the reference to photographers as shadow catchers
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and quote. Newspaper correspondent Robert
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Strayhorn visited Camp Robinson in late January 1877 as the
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first bands of northern Ogallala and Cheyenne began to come in
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and surrender at the agencies. He noticed a small log cabin
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studio doing a lively business near the Post Trader store, but
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no identification of the studio is given and no surviving
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photographs exist from the studio.
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James H Hamilton, who had a studio in Sioux City, IA,
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arrived at Red Cloud and spotted Tail agencies sometime in August
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of 1877. Hamilton once attempted to get a
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picture of a delegation of Lakota going to Washington, DC,
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but they balked when the tube of the camera reminded them of a
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cannon barrel. Some photographers enlisted a
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white man the Indians trusted, such as trader JW Deer, to allay
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their fears. Others had a white man sit close
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while they photographed the Indians.
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Hamilton did include in his list of stereoscopic images a
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portrait labeled One O 4 Crazy Horse.
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However, an example of this image with the negative number
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marked One O. However, an example of this
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image with the negative number marked One O 4 on it has not
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been found. Camp Robinson post surgeon
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Doctor Valentine Mcgillicuddy, who attended to Crazy Horse's
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sick wife during the summer of 1877, said he tried hard to have
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a picture taken of the war chief.
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But that Crazy Horses invariable reply was quote My friend, why
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should you wish to shorten my life by taking from me my
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shadow? End Quote.
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Red Cloud Agency interpreter William Garnett offered another
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explanation. He replied to a later inquiry
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from Mcgillicuddy that quote, Crazy Horse never had a picture
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taken that I know of and if there was 1 taken someone
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sneaked up and took it, for he never would consent to be
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photographed. He was very peculiar about this
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and was a very modest man considering his fighting ability
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and bravery. End Quote.
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The failure to take a photograph of Crazy Horse can be marked
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down both to resistance and to lack of opportunity.
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First, Crazy Horse lived near the agency in the white man's
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world for only four months. This time period, when he could
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have possibly been induced to have his photograph taken, was
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further reduced when he became alienated by the government's
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failure to respond to his wishes by mid August.
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Secondly, it's possible he distrusted the white man's image
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making machine, that it would somehow capture some of his
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personal power. Crazy Horse did not live long
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enough to overcome this distrust.
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It's interesting that two of his chief lieutenants who
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surrendered with him, HE Dog and Little Big Man, were not
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photographed until after his death, September 5th, 1877.
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Finally, Crazy Horse tended to eschew public display.
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Having his picture taken was foreign to his nature.
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Two men close to Crazy Horse for most of his life and who
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commented later on his physical appearance were Horn Chips and
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He Dog. Horn Chips, four years older
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than Crazy Horse, was raised in the same Ogallala camp, becoming
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his adopted brother by ceremony and spiritual mentor.
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As they grew to manhood, it was Horn Chips who counseled Crazy
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Horse on what to wear and what charms to carry to protect him
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in battle. He directed Crazy Horse to wear
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only one feather. Crazy Horse never wore a war
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bonnet. Hornchips said Crazy Horse
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painted his face with a zigzag streak of red earth from the top
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of his forehead down one side of his nose to his chin, which
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represented lightning. Other selected items were
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carried on his person or in a pouch.
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Hornchips described Crazy Horse as quote a small man in stature,
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rather light in frame and weight, and light in complexion.
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End Quote. His hair was always light,
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reaching down below his hips. In a later interview, Hornchips
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stated quote Crazy Horse was of medium height and was slender,
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light hair and light complexion and full face.
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He was a full blood Ogallala, End Quote.
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He dog was a fellow Ogallala warrior who was born the same
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year as Crazy Horse, said he Dog quote.
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We grew up together in the same band, played together, courted
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girls together and fought together.
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End Quote. When they were young men, the
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Ogallala band divided into two groups.
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He Dog and Crazy Horse stayed with the camp led by Man Afraid
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of his horse. Later, Man Afraid of his Horse's
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band divided again. He Dog went with the northern
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half and Crazy Horse stayed with the southern half.
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As a result of their prowess in battle and leadership in peace,
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both were appointed shirt wearers or protectors of the
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people of the respective bands. When Crazy Horse came into Camp
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Robinson the spring of 1877, Key Dogs participation at the
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surrender ceremony was second only to that of Crazy Horse.
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Key Dog described Crazy Horse as having very light colored hair.
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Quote. His father was an Ogallala
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Sioux, his mother was a Mini Koju Sioux.
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He was not a very big man. He was of medium stature and
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build. End Quote.
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During the summer of 1870, Crazy Horse induced Black Buffalo
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woman wife, a fellow Ogallala warrior, No Water to elope with
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him while No Water was away. Upon returning to their village
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and finding his wife gone, No Water tracked them down, walked
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into the teepee where Crazy Horse was lodged, and fired
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point blank into his face. Crazy Horse was severely wounded
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but recovered. The wound left a pronounced scar
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on the left side of Crazy Horse's face.
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Hornchips and he Dog give us the most exact descriptions of the
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scar. Hornchips said of the wound in
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Crazy Horses face that quote, the ball entered at the side of
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his nose low down on the right side and came out the base of
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the skull on the backside and quote.
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This is countered by he Dog who said quote no water shot him
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just below the left nostril. The bullet followed the line of
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teeth and fractured his upper jaw.
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And quote others who witnessed the scar on Crazy Horse's face
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during the summer of 1877 corroborate that the scar was on
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the left side of his face. George Washington Oaks, who
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hauled freight to Camp Robinson in 1877, saw Crazy Horse 3 or 4
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times. He said Crazy Horse had quite a
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scar on his left cheek. A sketch described by
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interpreter Louis Bordeaux, Crazy Horses relation, Misses
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Amos Clown and other close associates give a fair legible
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facial appearance of Crazy Horse.
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This source shows and states that the scar was on the left
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cheek. Also, an unidentified newspaper
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reporter for the New York Sun wrote of Crazy Horse when he
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came in to surrender on May 6th, 1877.
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Quote A bullet wound threw his left cheek, disfigures his face,
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and gives to the mouth a drawn and somewhat fierce or brutal
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expression. End Quote.
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That the bullet wound left a pronounced scar on his face was
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also confirmed by a reporter for the New York Tribune on May 7th,
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1877. Quote Crazy Horse is an Ogallala
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Sioux, tall, slender and about 37 years old.
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He exhibits 2 bullet wounds, one through the face, leaving an
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ugly scar. End Quote.
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Other Ogallala warriors who grew up with Crazy Horse and who
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commented on his appearance, including Red Feather who was
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the younger brother of Crazy Horse's first wife and a member
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of Crazy Horses band 1876 to 1877.
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Red Feather said quote. Crazy Horse was a nice looking
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man with brown, not black hair, a sharp nose and narrow face.
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His nose was straight and thin. His hair was very long, straight
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and fine in texture. End Quote.
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Short Bull. Youngest brother of he Dog.
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Also described Crazy Horse's appearance.
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Quote Crazy Horse was a man, not very tall and not very short,
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neither broad nor thin. His hair was very light.
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He was A trifle under 6 feet tall, had a very light
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complexion, much lighter than other Indians.
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His features were not like the rest of us.
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His face was not broad and he had a sharp high nose.
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He had black eyes and hardly ever looked straight at a man
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End Quote. Finally, we have Little Killer
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who was connected to Crazy Horse by marriage, being the youngest
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brother of club man who married Crazy Horse's sister.
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Little Killer was a member of Crazy Horses band and a personal
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admirer. He said.
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Quote, Crazy Horse was a short little man.
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He did not have black hair. He had brown hair like a white
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man's and long straight nose. His eyes were black like the
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Lakotas. End Quote.
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White Bull, a mini Konju Lakota warrior who fought in both the
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Fetterman fight and at the Little Bighorn with Crazy Horse,
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said that the last time he saw Crazy Horse was after the Little
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Bighorn fight and before the Battle of Slim Butes.
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In September of 1876, White Bull came upon a party led by Crazy
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Horse returning from a raid in the Black Hills.
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White Bull said quote. That evening, Crazy Horse wore
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white cloth leggings and a white muslin shirt for a robe.
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His face was not painted, End Quote.
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White Bull described Crazy Horse as being about 5 feet 10 inches
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tall quote, but slimmer with a light complexion, small sharp
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nose, quiet in manner and rated a good warrior, End Quote.
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Later in a separate interview, White Bull described the battle
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dress of Crazy Horse as follows Quote In a fight he generally
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wore white buckskin suit, both shirt and leggings painted his
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face with small white spots. His hair he wore loose and
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flying. This costume, paint and hairdo
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were the what away or battle charm of Crazy Horse.
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End Quote. Other witnesses to Crazy Horses
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appearance were primarily mixed blood scouts and interpreters.
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Frank Gerrard knew Crazy Horse longer than did any of the
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others. Gerrard was of mixed race,
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either Pacific Islander and White or black and Indian.
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He was captured by the Sioux around 1869 and initially lived
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in Sitting Bulls camp. After a serious falling out with
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Sitting Bull, he went on to live with Crazy Horses Ogallala Band
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in 1873. Sometime in the spring or early
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summer of 1875 he drifted into Camp Robinson and became a scout
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for the Army. He was General Crooks most
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trusted scout during the 1876 campaigns.
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Gerard had this to say of Crazy Horses appearance quote.
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Crazy Horse had somewhat peculiar features.
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He had sandy hair and was very light complexion.
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He didn't have the high cheekbones that the Indians
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generally have. He was a young looking Indian,
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appeared much younger than his age.
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There were a few powder marks on one side of his face, End Quote.
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Gerard later commented. Quote.
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Crazy Horse was remarkably white for an Indian.
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His hair, which was sandy brown was unlike any other man's in
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the tribe, End Quote. Gerard said Crazy Horse was fine
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looking, quote A trifle less than 6 feet tall.
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He was straight as an arrow. He was naturally spare and could
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stand any amount of hardship. End Quote.
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A number of other interpreters interacted with Crazy Horse
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during the summer of 1877. William Garnett, the son of an
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Army officer and an Ogallala woman at Fort Laramie, was an
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interpreter at Red Cloud Agency and was actively involved as an
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interpreter for the Army that summer.
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Garnett, who witnessed Crazy Horse's fatal struggle with
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Little Big Man outside of the guard House of Camp Robinson,
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said that Crazy Horse was relatively small in frame
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compared to his antagonist. Garnett later wrote.
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Quote, Crazy Horse was an Indian a little past 30 years old when
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he was killed. Crazy Horse never wore a war
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bonnet in his life and I'm very sure he never had his photograph
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taken. End Quote.
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Louis Bordeaux, the son of trader James Bordeaux and a
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Brule woman, became a government interpreter at Spotted Tell
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Agency and Camp Sheridan. He was also active as an
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interpreter at Camp Robinson during the summer of 1877.
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Bordeaux said that Crazy Horse was quote, slight, informed,
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tall, very light and complexion, hair long and hung down to his
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hips. End Quote.
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Baptiste Big Bat Poirier was another interpreter of French
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extraction. Born in St.
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Charles, MO, at age 14, he moved W as a teamster with Indian
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traders. He married Josephine Richard an
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Ogallala, mixed blood of French extraction.
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The Army employed him as a scout, guide and interpreter for
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many years. He was active in the Sioux
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campaigns of 1876. Poirier, who thought highly of
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Crazy Horse, said that he was quote, a slim light man, weight
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of about 140 lbs End Quote. Louis Bordeaux's sister Susan
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said this of Crazy Horse's appearance.
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Quote, my husband Charles Tackett was a scout, but when he
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was not on duty he clerked at Jewett's store at Spotted Tel
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Agency and had waited on Crazy Horse.
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My mother-in-law and I drove up to the store one day when Crazy
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Horse was there. She pointed him out to me.
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He was a very handsome young man of about 36 years or so.
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He was not so dark. He had Hazel eyes, nice long
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light brown hair. His scalp lock was ornamented
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with beads and hung clear to his waist.
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His braids were wrapped in fur. He was above medium height and
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was slender. End Quote.
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White men also commented on Crazy Horses appearance.
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Post surgeon Doctor Valentine Mcgillicuddy came to know Crazy
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Horse well during the summer of 1877 while attending the Chief's
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wife, who was sick with tuberculosis.
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Mcgillicuddy was also the attending surgeon at Crazy
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Horses, wounding and death in the 1920s.
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His response to a picture purported to be of Crazy Horse,
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Mcgillicuddy decided it was a fake, referring to his unusual
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appearance for a Lakota. Mcgillicuddy stated.
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Quote. Crazy Horse was a strange
18:45
looking Indian and I would have known him anywhere.
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End Quote. Lieutenant John Gregory Bork,
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who spent many years as an aide to General George Crook in both
18:55
Arizona and the Northern Plains and became his chronicler.
18:59
He was active in the Sioux campaigns of 1876.
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Bork wrote that following comment upon Crazy Horse's
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surrender on May 6th of 1877. Quote.
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I saw before me a man who looked quite young, not over 30 years
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old, five feet 8 inches high, life in sinewy, with a scar on
19:18
his face. The expression of his
19:21
countenance was one of quiet dignity, but morose dodged
19:26
tenacious and melancholy. He behaved with stolidity, like
19:30
a man who realized he had to give in to fate, but would do so
19:34
as sullenly as possible. End Quote.
19:37
Lieutenant Colonel Luther Bradley became commander of Camp
19:39
Robinson in late May 1877. Bradley saw extensive service in
19:45
the Civil War and became Brigadier General of volunteers
19:48
at the end of the war. He became Lieutenant Colonel of
19:51
the 9th Infantry on March 15th, 1869.
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It was Bradley who oversaw events during the summer of 1877
19:59
that eventually resulted in the death of Crazy Horse.
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Upon meeting Crazy Horse for the first time in May of 1877,
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Bradley wrote to his wife. Quote I had an introduction to
20:11
Crazy Horse and a handshake. He is a young, slender and mild
20:16
mannered fellow, but is evidently the leader of his
20:19
band. End Quote.
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From these first hand accounts we get an impression of what
20:24
Crazy Horse looked like. That he was somewhat different
20:28
in appearance from the average Lakota man is evident.
20:31
He had light skin and light hair that hung down well below his
20:34
waist. He had a somewhat narrow face
20:37
with a sharp, straight nose and lacked the prominent cheekbones
20:41
of the majority of his people. The bullet wound, delivered by
20:45
no water, struck the jawbone just to the left and below the
20:49
left nostril, glancing off the underlying bone structure and
20:52
deflecting through the fleshy layer of the gum and the cheek,
20:57
fracturing the upper jaw before exiting near the neck at the
21:00
base of the skull. The bullet wound gave the left
21:03
side of his mouth a drawn and fierce expression.
21:07
He appeared to be slightly above average height, possibly 5 feet
21:11
10 inches, but light in frame and weight.
21:15
Purported Crazy Horse images persist to this day. 110 type
21:19
repeatedly surfaces. Though it has been generally
21:22
discredit by historians, the privately owned Custer
21:26
Battlefield Trading Post and the Custer Battlefield Museum in
21:30
Gary Owen, Montana each promote this tin type as an authentic
21:34
image of the Ogallala chief. The image shows a man with broad
21:38
cheekbones lacking a sharp beak like nose with no evidence
21:42
scarring or disfigurement on his face.
21:45
In addition, he wears A breastplate that he, Dog and
21:48
other Ogallala contemporaries of Crazy Horse said he was not
21:52
known to have worn. Finally, the elaborately painted
21:55
backdrop suggest an urban studio rather than that of Red Cloud
21:59
Agency or Camp Robinson. The stone carving of the Crazy
22:04
Horse Memorial in the Black Hills does partially match his
22:07
description, A relatively narrow face and straight beak like
22:11
nose. However, there is no evidence of
22:14
disfigurement on the left side of the sculptures face.
22:17
So why should we care what Crazy Horse looked like?
22:22
To this I replied that his prominence as a Lakota warrior
22:25
chief demands attention. Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, and
22:29
Spotted Tail all lived long enough to have their photograph
22:33
taken numerous times. Crazy Horse did not.
22:37
The window of opportunity to have his photo taken was limited
22:40
to three or four months. By mid August 1877, his wishes
22:44
denied, he had become so alienated from white authority
22:48
that he was barely approachable. In addition, he either failed to
22:52
overcome his distrust of photo technology or had some cultural
22:57
aversion, or having his photo taken was simply not important
23:00
to him. It is quite possible that his
23:03
personality precluded any chance that he would live long enough
23:07
to consent to having his photograph taken.
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Thank you for listening to the Nebraska History Podcast.
23:13
To learn more about Nebraska History Magazine, to listen to
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your favorite podcast platform. Until next time, I'm Chris
23:32
Goforth.