Comparing Custer And Crazy Horse In The Battle Of Little Bighorn
The Battle of Little Bighorn was an intense, gory battle fought on June 25th, 1876. A group of federal troops led by George Custer were defeated by the Lakota tribe led by Crazy Horse and other Cheyenne warriors. George A. Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Crazy Horse was an Oglala Sioux Indian chief who fought for the removal of Indian reservations. He was born in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1840. George A. Custer and Crazy Horse fought against each other in the Battle Of Little Bighorn. Though they are famous historical enemies, they have much more in common than first meets the eye.
In many ways, Custer and Crazy Horse are mirror images of each other. George …show more content…
A. Custer and Crazy Horse's lives took parallel paths that led them to The Battle of Little Bighorn. First off, Crazy Horse and Custer both became leaders in their societies at very young ages. Custer was the youngest Civil War general in the Union Army. (A&E Network's 2016). Despite Custer being very young when he became a leader, he took charge and led a lot of men in the Union Army. He was able to do this because he had a very strong personality and was extremely determined. Crazy Horse also led his first war party before the age of 20. (A&E Network's 2016). Along with Custer, Crazy Horse led a large group in war at the young age of 20. Just like Custer, Crazy Horse was able to do this because of his leadership qualities and determined personality. Crazy Horse and Custers strong personalities helped make their goals of leadership possible, regardless of their young ages. They were both able to become leaders early in their lives rather than later. Both Crazy Horse and Custer were stripped of power by their followers in disgrace. Though both men gained power in their communities quickly, their leadership was not perfect. For example, Crazy Horse stole another man's wife and was looked down on for this by his followers for a while. “ Stealing other men's wives might be a pastime for Sioux men but it was forbidden to chiefs, as a result Crazy Horse was stripped of his power.” (The killing of Crazy Horse, Thomas Powers.) This quote shows Crazy Horse doing something that was forbidden for him to do. He stole another man's wife and this was not acceptable for chiefs like Crazy Horse. Because he did this, he was stripped of his power. He had to earn it back over time before he received full respect again from his peers and men.
During the Battle Of Little Bighorn, Custer lost his power when he and his army realized they were outnumbered.
Custer's army had warned him about this, but he never seemed to listen. Right when the battle started, Custer's men realized they were majorly outnumbered and took away Custers power for good. The only difference between Custer and Crazy Horse in this situation is that Custer never had the chance to regain his power. This was because he and his men were all killed in the Battle Of Little Bighorn due to his bad choice as a leader. George Custer and Crazy Horse both were very determined men with great goals for themselves and their armies or tribes. Despite their very different beliefs, their general personality traits are similar in many ways. Crazy Horse and Custer were both very successful men. In defiance of this fact, they both thought they could achieve more than possible and take on any challenge.
Custer was ignorant of the fact that he and his men would be outnumbered in the Battles of Little Bighorn. “Custer’s scouts warned him that it would be dangerous to attach such a large camp, but he ignored them.” ( Uschan 28). This shows Custer thinking that he could take on any challenge. Despite Custer's scouts warning him, Custer ignored them and proceeded with attacking a large camp. Custer should have listened to his scouts because he and his whole army got brutally killed at the Battle Of Little Bighorn because they were outnumbered. Custer was clearly overconfident …show more content…
in his ability to win any war.
Crazy Horse thought he and his tribe could do more than possible by thinking that even after they had won the war, they would be treated any differently in America. “The Battle Of Little Bighorn was a stunning Native American victory, but, it made little difference in the large struggle being waged between the Indian and White society's.” (January 26). This quote shows that although the Native Americans won their war against the American soldiers, nothing they were fighting for changed after their victorious win. Things may have even gotten worse after they won because the American government thought of them as cold blooded murders. Crazy Horse should have known that the win of the Native Americans in the war wouldn't have had made any difference in society. Changing the way people viewed Native Americans was going to take way more than a win in a war. Crazy Horse and Custer both believed that their capabilities as leaders were stronger than they actually were.
George Custer and Crazy Horse were also both very committed men who never gave up. A quote said by Crazy Horse states his belief in following dreams. "A very great vision is needed and the man who has it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky.” - Crazy Horse, Sioux Chief. This quote was said by Crazy Horse himself. The quote means that anyone who has a dream or vision must pursue it and make the vision or dream possible. This shows that Crazy Horse was a very determined man. A quote said by George Custer states his opinion about battle and determination. “I would be willing, yes glad, to see a battle every day during my life, if it meant victory.” -George A. Custer. Custer is saying in this quote that he wouldn't mind being in war every day of his life as long as he would win. This quote shows just how determined George Custer was to win and be victorious.
Custer and Crazy Horse were also both men of great aggression. Custer fought in over ten wars and battles. This fact shows that he was very belligerent because you need to be hostile in order to fight in over ten wars and battles. Custer also once said that he would regret seeing the war end, even if peace was already established. “You ask me if I will not be glad when the last battle is fought, so far as the country is concerned I, of course, must wish for peace, and will be glad when the war is ended, but if I answer for myself alone, I must say that I shall regret to see the war end.” -George Custer. In this quote, Custer states that even though he has to wish for peace in his country, he will be sad when the war ends. This shows how aggressive Custer was and how he loved fighting.
Crazy Horse was also a man of great aggression. Crazy Horse once said something that expressed eagerness to fight. “Hoka hey! It's a good day to die!” -Crazy Horse. This is an expression of willingness and even eagerness to give one's life in the name of their beliefs. Crazy Horse and his people wanted to win the battle so badly they would be willing to die in a war. This quote gives us an idea about just how aggressive Crazy Horse could be.
Crazy Horse and George Custer were both men with overly high standards for themselves, men with determination who never gave up, and men with lots of aggression.
These personality traits are the ones that prove Custer and Crazy Horse's major similarities. Lastly, the things people would say and the ways people would treat Custer and Crazy Horse proves that they were very similar men. Officer Cyrus T. Brady referred to both Custer and Crazy Horse in the same way. “Their most bitter enemies can never accuse them of cowardice… they are men of great and remarkable endurance…” (Source 8) This quote can show how they were both very similar. This can also show how even one of Custer's men admitted that they were both very strong leaders who were never afraid of
battle.
Crazy Horse and Custers followers both trusted them and had a lot of faith in them as leaders. For instance, General Mcclellan said to Custer that he had faith in him to save the country. “The moment for action has arrived, and I know that I can trust in you to save our country.” -General Mcclellan. This was something General Mcclellan said to Custer. General Mcclellan had so much faith in Custer's abilities that he trusted him to save the country. Similar things were also said and known about Crazy Horse. For example, Crazy Horse was known as the shirt wearer. This is something that Native Americans would call their leaders. To be the shirt wearer means that a lot of pressure is put on you to lead in the right ways. In order to become the shirt wearer, people needed to have a lot of trust and faith in you. This shows how all of Crazy Horse's followers had so much faith in him that they gave him an amazing title such as the shirt wearer. Both Crazy Horse and Custer were looked up to and had lots of pressure put on them to be good leaders because people had lots of faith in them both. This is shown through the things people said about them and the way they treated them.
In many ways, Custer and Crazy Horse are mirror images of each other. George …show more content…
A. Custer and Crazy Horse's lives took parallel paths that led them to The Battle of Little Bighorn. First off, Crazy Horse and Custer both became leaders in their societies at very young ages. Custer was the youngest Civil War general in the Union Army. (A&E Network's 2016). Despite Custer being very young when he became a leader, he took charge and led a lot of men in the Union Army. He was able to do this because he had a very strong personality and was extremely determined. Crazy Horse also led his first war party before the age of 20. (A&E Network's 2016). Along with Custer, Crazy Horse led a large group in war at the young age of 20. Just like Custer, Crazy Horse was able to do this because of his leadership qualities and determined personality. Crazy Horse and Custers strong personalities helped make their goals of leadership possible, regardless of their young ages. They were both able to become leaders early in their lives rather than later. Both Crazy Horse and Custer were stripped of power by their followers in disgrace. Though both men gained power in their communities quickly, their leadership was not perfect. For example, Crazy Horse stole another man's wife and was looked down on for this by his followers for a while. “ Stealing other men's wives might be a pastime for Sioux men but it was forbidden to chiefs, as a result Crazy Horse was stripped of his power.” (The killing of Crazy Horse, Thomas Powers.) This quote shows Crazy Horse doing something that was forbidden for him to do. He stole another man's wife and this was not acceptable for chiefs like Crazy Horse. Because he did this, he was stripped of his power. He had to earn it back over time before he received full respect again from his peers and men.
During the Battle Of Little Bighorn, Custer lost his power when he and his army realized they were outnumbered.
Custer's army had warned him about this, but he never seemed to listen. Right when the battle started, Custer's men realized they were majorly outnumbered and took away Custers power for good. The only difference between Custer and Crazy Horse in this situation is that Custer never had the chance to regain his power. This was because he and his men were all killed in the Battle Of Little Bighorn due to his bad choice as a leader. George Custer and Crazy Horse both were very determined men with great goals for themselves and their armies or tribes. Despite their very different beliefs, their general personality traits are similar in many ways. Crazy Horse and Custer were both very successful men. In defiance of this fact, they both thought they could achieve more than possible and take on any challenge.
Custer was ignorant of the fact that he and his men would be outnumbered in the Battles of Little Bighorn. “Custer’s scouts warned him that it would be dangerous to attach such a large camp, but he ignored them.” ( Uschan 28). This shows Custer thinking that he could take on any challenge. Despite Custer's scouts warning him, Custer ignored them and proceeded with attacking a large camp. Custer should have listened to his scouts because he and his whole army got brutally killed at the Battle Of Little Bighorn because they were outnumbered. Custer was clearly overconfident …show more content…
in his ability to win any war.
Crazy Horse thought he and his tribe could do more than possible by thinking that even after they had won the war, they would be treated any differently in America. “The Battle Of Little Bighorn was a stunning Native American victory, but, it made little difference in the large struggle being waged between the Indian and White society's.” (January 26). This quote shows that although the Native Americans won their war against the American soldiers, nothing they were fighting for changed after their victorious win. Things may have even gotten worse after they won because the American government thought of them as cold blooded murders. Crazy Horse should have known that the win of the Native Americans in the war wouldn't have had made any difference in society. Changing the way people viewed Native Americans was going to take way more than a win in a war. Crazy Horse and Custer both believed that their capabilities as leaders were stronger than they actually were.
George Custer and Crazy Horse were also both very committed men who never gave up. A quote said by Crazy Horse states his belief in following dreams. "A very great vision is needed and the man who has it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky.” - Crazy Horse, Sioux Chief. This quote was said by Crazy Horse himself. The quote means that anyone who has a dream or vision must pursue it and make the vision or dream possible. This shows that Crazy Horse was a very determined man. A quote said by George Custer states his opinion about battle and determination. “I would be willing, yes glad, to see a battle every day during my life, if it meant victory.” -George A. Custer. Custer is saying in this quote that he wouldn't mind being in war every day of his life as long as he would win. This quote shows just how determined George Custer was to win and be victorious.
Custer and Crazy Horse were also both men of great aggression. Custer fought in over ten wars and battles. This fact shows that he was very belligerent because you need to be hostile in order to fight in over ten wars and battles. Custer also once said that he would regret seeing the war end, even if peace was already established. “You ask me if I will not be glad when the last battle is fought, so far as the country is concerned I, of course, must wish for peace, and will be glad when the war is ended, but if I answer for myself alone, I must say that I shall regret to see the war end.” -George Custer. In this quote, Custer states that even though he has to wish for peace in his country, he will be sad when the war ends. This shows how aggressive Custer was and how he loved fighting.
Crazy Horse was also a man of great aggression. Crazy Horse once said something that expressed eagerness to fight. “Hoka hey! It's a good day to die!” -Crazy Horse. This is an expression of willingness and even eagerness to give one's life in the name of their beliefs. Crazy Horse and his people wanted to win the battle so badly they would be willing to die in a war. This quote gives us an idea about just how aggressive Crazy Horse could be.
Crazy Horse and George Custer were both men with overly high standards for themselves, men with determination who never gave up, and men with lots of aggression.
These personality traits are the ones that prove Custer and Crazy Horse's major similarities. Lastly, the things people would say and the ways people would treat Custer and Crazy Horse proves that they were very similar men. Officer Cyrus T. Brady referred to both Custer and Crazy Horse in the same way. “Their most bitter enemies can never accuse them of cowardice… they are men of great and remarkable endurance…” (Source 8) This quote can show how they were both very similar. This can also show how even one of Custer's men admitted that they were both very strong leaders who were never afraid of
battle.
Crazy Horse and Custers followers both trusted them and had a lot of faith in them as leaders. For instance, General Mcclellan said to Custer that he had faith in him to save the country. “The moment for action has arrived, and I know that I can trust in you to save our country.” -General Mcclellan. This was something General Mcclellan said to Custer. General Mcclellan had so much faith in Custer's abilities that he trusted him to save the country. Similar things were also said and known about Crazy Horse. For example, Crazy Horse was known as the shirt wearer. This is something that Native Americans would call their leaders. To be the shirt wearer means that a lot of pressure is put on you to lead in the right ways. In order to become the shirt wearer, people needed to have a lot of trust and faith in you. This shows how all of Crazy Horse's followers had so much faith in him that they gave him an amazing title such as the shirt wearer. Both Crazy Horse and Custer were looked up to and had lots of pressure put on them to be good leaders because people had lots of faith in them both. This is shown through the things people said about them and the way they treated them.