Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A Wet Western Wednesday...!

Looks like the wet weather will be here for a day or two.

Some places around Houston are expected to get around 1 1/2 to 7 inches of rain. As you might have guessed, we don't have the best drainage system for that much rain. I'm hoping that the majority of the rain misses me, but you just never know! Anyway, today let's talk about Crazy Horse!


Jan 8, 1877:
Crazy Horse fights last battle

On this day in 1877, Crazy Horse and his warriors--outnumbered, low on ammunition and forced to use outdated weapons to defend themselves--fight their final losing battle against the U.S. Cavalry in Montana.

Six months earlier, in the Battle of Little Bighorn, Crazy Horse and his ally, Chief Sitting Bull, led their combined forces of Sioux and Cheyenne to a stunning victory over Lieutenant Colonel George Custer (1839-76) and his men. The Indians were resisting the U.S. government's efforts to force them back to their reservations. After Custer and over 200 of his soldiers were killed in the conflict, later dubbed "Custer's Last Stand," the American public wanted revenge. As a result, the U.S. Army launched a winter campaign in 1876-77, led by General Nelson Miles (1839-1925), against the remaining hostile Indians on the Northern Plains.

Combining military force with diplomatic overtures, Nelson convinced many Indians to surrender and return to their reservations. Much to Nelson's frustration, though, Sitting Bull refused to give in and fled across the border to Canada, where he and his people remained for four years before finally returning to the U.S. to surrender in 1881. Sitting Bull died in 1890. Meanwhile, Crazy Horse and his band also refused to surrender, even though they were suffering from illness and starvation.

On January 8, 1877, General Miles found Crazy Horse's camp along Montana's Tongue River. U.S. soldiers opened fire with their big wagon-mounted guns, driving the Indians from their warm tents out into a raging blizzard. Crazy Horse and his warriors managed to regroup on a ridge and return fire, but most of their ammunition was gone, and they were reduced to fighting with bows and arrows. They managed to hold off the soldiers long enough for the women and children to escape under cover of the blinding blizzard before they turned to follow them.

Though he had escaped decisive defeat, Crazy Horse realized that Miles and his well-equipped cavalry troops would eventually hunt down and destroy his cold, hungry followers. On May 6, 1877, Crazy Horse led approximately 1,100 Indians to the Red Cloud reservation near Nebraska's Fort Robinson and surrendered. Five months later, a guard fatally stabbed him after he allegedly resisted imprisonment by Indian policemen.

In 1948, American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began work on the Crazy Horse Memorial, a massive monument carved into a mountain in South Dakota. Still a work in progress, the monument will stand 641 feet high and 563 feet long when completed.

Our Winter weather this year gives us a good idea of what some of the conditions that faced Crazy Horse and his followers. The main difference being that today we are better prepared for it, and we aren't being pursued by folks trying to destroy or capture us, ya know?

Better have our coffee inside this morning. Anyone up for donuts?

7 comments:

Phyllis (N/W Jersey) said...

Took a look-see at that memorial. Just Crazy Horse's head is complete. The detail on it is amazing. It is going to be massive when and if it ever gets completed.
Sorry you are getting so much rain. We have melting snow - it's 38 here and mud is everywhere. Save the chocolate donuts for me!

Momlady said...

I've been to the Crazy Horse monument and it is going to be wonderful. Ironically the monument is located in Custer county. The sculptor's family continues the work and will hopefully get it finished.

Anonymous said...

We are welcoming the needed rain down here in the Rio Grande Valley, you feel free to swat those clouds back down here.

They don't make men like Crazy Horse anymore. I wonder what they would label him nowadays ? Probably start to legislate 'assault bows and arrows' even . . .

linda m said...

i have been fortunate enough to see the Crazy Horse monument. It is very awe-inspiring. A fitting monument to great leader. you know the Government probably would ban "assault bows and arrows". hehe Sunshine and 40 here today, so the snow is melting. Coffee and donuts sound good.

JO said...

I get so upset every time I think about how we treated these real Americans.

Coffee in the kitchen sounds great. By Friday our temps are going to dip down into the high fortys for the days high. I can't remember ever having this much cold here. So pass that hot pot please.

HermitJim said...

Hey Phyllis...
It's a pretty massive project, isn't it?

The guys that make these sculptures certainly have some big talent.

Melting snow sure is messy! That much I do remember!

Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Momlady...
I've never seen it, only the pictures. I can tell it is going to be impressive, though!

Thanks so much for dropping in today!


Hey Anon 7:26...
I don't guess the valley will ever turn down the rain, or gripe about it!

Hope the flowers will go crazy this Spring!

Many thanks for coming over today!


Hey Linda...
You can bet that Crazy Horse would be classified as "domestic terrorist" for sure!

I'm really glad you could come over today!


Hey Jo...
The weather has certainly been crazy over the last year!

Your weather there just bounces back and forth, it seems!

Thanks, sweetie, for dropping in today!

commoncents said...

Today's CC post are maps of the 2012 US Presidential Election by County - to include trending maps...

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/01/maps-of-2012-us-presidential-election.html