Journey of Crazy Horse A Lakota History Book

An excellent biography.

Joseph M. Marshall III’s 2005 history of Crazy Horse was a mesmerizing, sometimes heartbreaking account of the enigmatic Lakota leader.

The Crazy Horse that we meet in Marshall’s chronicle is a quiet man who loved solitude but who was gifted with an exceptional, almost supernatural fighting ability. A somewhat reluctant leader, Crazy Horse was first a fighting man, a warrior who led others because of his ability rather than any ambition to lead.

Marshall punctuates his narrative with editorial asides that adds depth and understanding. Born about a hundred years after his subject, Marshall was nonetheless raised to appreciate the Lakota ways and so he has a unique perspective to offer a sympathetic rendering of the man whose leadership is still studied today.

Leadership as a theme is one in which Marshall spends much time and a subject that adds value and detail to Crazy Horse’s biography. In a time of transition when many other Lakota chose to live within the parameters of agency with the encroaching whites, Crazy Horse was a steadfast defender of the older ways but also a thoughtful steward of the trust in which his people held him.

Marshall describes Crazy Horse’s interactions with other Native American leaders such as Red Cloud and Sitting Bull and provides illuminating depictions of several important events, including the Battle of Little Big Horn, known to the Lakota as the Battle of the Greasy Grass. Most histories are written from the standpoint of the US soldiers, but Marshall’s view from the side of the Lakota was noteworthy and thought provoking.

Marshall does not cast his subject in a false but heroic light (as many depictions of Custer do) but provides an accurate portrayal of a man who was an often-violent defender of his people. Crazy Horse was a warrior and killer, but Marshall reveals that this bellicosity was out of a sincere love of his land and people and out of a desperate defense of what he valued.

Ultimately, out of a love for his people and a desire that they be treated fairly, Crazy Horse surrendered to US General Crook and was murdered only a few months later in disputed circumstances. Crazy Horse had accepted that he could fight to the death, but his selfless concern for those left after him led him to attempt to lead his people to a more secure future.

Marshall has given us a glimpse into a warrior, leader and a great man.