American Horse
Encyclopedia
Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke or American Horse (1840 – December 16, 1908) was a chieftain
of the Oglala Lakota
during the Sioux Wars
of the 1870s. He was also the nephew of the elder American Horse
and son-in-law of Red Cloud
.
Son of Sitting Bear, the leader of True Oglalas, was born near the mouth of the Grand River
, North Dakota. He succeed his father as band leader and due to this valor and importance was elected one of four Shirt Wearers (along with He Dog
, Crazy Horse
, Young Man Afraid Of His Horses
) in 1868. American Horse, nicknamed Spider, became known as one of the Oglala agency chiefs, when he joined Red Cloud in 1871. In 1881 the US Indian Agent made him the leader of the Bear People (Payaba, Tapisleca, and Kiyuksa bands). Representing his tribe, American Horse was one of the signers of a treaty between the Sioux
and the United States
government in 1887 in which the lands of the Sioux Reservation in the Dakota Territory
was reduced by half. However, with the opposition against the treaty by over half of the Oglala, encouraged by the Ghost Dance
uprising as well as the recent death of Sitting Bull
, withdrew from the council and, led by Spotted Elk
, prepared to make a stand against the Federal government. However they were later persuaded by American Horse to agree to the terms of the treaty and letter settled on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A more literal translation of his Lakota name (Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke) is He-Has-A-White-Man's-Horse.
American Horse was an influential figure for the education of Native American Indians within the Anglo-American educational system and his son Samuel and nephew were two of the first students to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School
.
American Horse later led a delegation to Washington, D.C.
in 1891, where he successfully gained government support for improved rations and humane treatment of the Sioux. He, along with other Sioux leaders, toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He died from natural causes in his house near Kyle, Pine Ridge, South Dakota
on December 16, 1908. In the literature he is also known as younger American Horse (eg Hyde, page 312).
, Nebraska on August 18, 1906 (now in Ricker Collection), where he, amongst other things, affirmed that he threw his gun down on Crazy Horse to shoot him, but some Indians pressed between them and prevented him from taking his life(Hardorff, page 66). In his letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated September 1, 1877, the US Indian agent James Irvin stated, amongst other things, the dislike felt by American Horse towards Crazy Horse.
Chieftain
Chieftain may refer to:The leader or head of a group:* a tribal chief or a village head.* a member of the 'House of chiefs'.* a captain, to which 'chieftain' is etymologically related.* Clan chief, the head of a Scottish clan....
of the Oglala Lakota
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala Lakota or Oglala Sioux are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people; along with the Nakota and Dakota, they make up the Great Sioux Nation. A majority of the Oglala live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the eighth-largest Native American reservation in the...
during the Sioux Wars
Sioux Wars
The Sioux Wars were a series of conflicts between the United States and various subgroups of the Sioux people that occurred in the latter half of the 19th century...
of the 1870s. He was also the nephew of the elder American Horse
American Horse (elder)
American Horse was a minor headman of the Oglala Lakota during the Plains Indian wars of the last half of the nineteenth century. More commonly known as Iron Plume, he was probably present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Slim Buttes...
and son-in-law of Red Cloud
Red Cloud
Red Cloud , was a war leader and the head Chief of the Oglala Lakota . His reign was from 1868 to 1909...
.
Son of Sitting Bear, the leader of True Oglalas, was born near the mouth of the Grand River
Grand River (South Dakota)
The Grand River is a tributary of the Missouri River in North Dakota and South Dakota in the United States. The length of the combined branch is 110 mi...
, North Dakota. He succeed his father as band leader and due to this valor and importance was elected one of four Shirt Wearers (along with He Dog
He Dog
He Dog . A member of the Oglala Lakota, He Dog was closely associated with Crazy Horse during the Great Sioux War of 1876-77.-Biography:...
, Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
, Young Man Afraid Of His Horses
Young Man Afraid Of His Horses
Young-Man-Afraid-Of-His-Horses [Tȟašúŋke Kȟokípȟapi] , also translated as His-Horses-Are-Afraid and They-Fear-Even-His-Horses, was a chief of the Oglala Sioux...
) in 1868. American Horse, nicknamed Spider, became known as one of the Oglala agency chiefs, when he joined Red Cloud in 1871. In 1881 the US Indian Agent made him the leader of the Bear People (Payaba, Tapisleca, and Kiyuksa bands). Representing his tribe, American Horse was one of the signers of a treaty between the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government in 1887 in which the lands of the Sioux Reservation in the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
was reduced by half. However, with the opposition against the treaty by over half of the Oglala, encouraged by the Ghost Dance
Ghost Dance
The Ghost Dance was a new religious movement which was incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. The traditional ritual used in the Ghost Dance, the circle dance, has been used by many Native Americans since prehistoric times...
uprising as well as the recent death of Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake (in Standard Lakota Orthography), also nicknamed Slon-he or "Slow"; (c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies...
, withdrew from the council and, led by Spotted Elk
Spotted Elk
Spotted Elk , , was the name of a chief of the Miniconjou Lakota Sioux. He was a son of chief One Horn and became a chief upon the death of his father. He was a highly renowned chief with skills in war and negotiations...
, prepared to make a stand against the Federal government. However they were later persuaded by American Horse to agree to the terms of the treaty and letter settled on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A more literal translation of his Lakota name (Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke) is He-Has-A-White-Man's-Horse.
American Horse was an influential figure for the education of Native American Indians within the Anglo-American educational system and his son Samuel and nephew were two of the first students to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
.
American Horse later led a delegation to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1891, where he successfully gained government support for improved rations and humane treatment of the Sioux. He, along with other Sioux leaders, toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He died from natural causes in his house near Kyle, Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Pine Ridge is a census-designated place in and the most populous community of Shannon County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,308 at the 2010 census. It is the tribal headquarters of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.-History:By 2011, a gang culture...
on December 16, 1908. In the literature he is also known as younger American Horse (eg Hyde, page 312).
Crazy Horse links
American Horse was a member of the decoy party of 14 warriors led by Crazy Horse during the Fetterman Fight. In 1877 he was one of the principal Lakota men to pursue Crazy Horse then on his flight to the Spotted Tail Agency. He was actively involved in the events at Camp Robinson on September 5, 1877, where Crazy Horse was mortally wounded and died, thus in fact American Horse become a witness to the entire incident (according to Hardorff: a tragic episode of Lakota history). He gave an interview regarding the death of Crazy Horse at ChadronChadron, Nebraska
Chadron is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawes County. Chadron is the home of Chadron State College....
, Nebraska on August 18, 1906 (now in Ricker Collection), where he, amongst other things, affirmed that he threw his gun down on Crazy Horse to shoot him, but some Indians pressed between them and prevented him from taking his life(Hardorff, page 66). In his letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated September 1, 1877, the US Indian agent James Irvin stated, amongst other things, the dislike felt by American Horse towards Crazy Horse.