Half Yellow Face facts for kids

Crow Indians by D.F. Barry. This might be the only photo of Half Yellow Face, possibly the man in the cavalry coat.

Half Yellow Face (whose name in the Crow language was Ischu Shi Dish) was a brave leader of the Crow people. He lived from about 1830 to 1879. He is most famous for leading six Crow Scouts for George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry. This was during the 1876 campaign against the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne tribes.

Half Yellow Face guided Custer's soldiers through the Rosebud and Little Bighorn valleys. He was there when Custer decided to attack a large Sioux-Cheyenne camp. This attack led to the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. During the battle, Half Yellow Face fought with Major Marcus Reno's troops and survived. He even saved his friend, another Crow Scout named White Swan, who was badly hurt.

After the battle, Half Yellow Face made a special stretcher, called a travois. He used it to help White Swan get to a hospital ship, the Far West. This way, White Swan could get medical help from the Army doctor. Half Yellow Face continued to scout for General John Gibbon after the battle. He is believed to have died around 1879 while chasing Sioux warriors who had stolen Crow horses.

Early Life and Adventures

Before the famous battle, Half Yellow Face was already a respected warrior. He once led a group of 11 Crow men, including a young warrior named Two Leggins. They went on a dangerous mission to steal horses from the Shoshonis. They started their journey on foot, hoping to return with many horses.

They traveled from the Yellowstone Valley into the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming. They even reached the shores of Lake Yellowstone. Food was scarce, and they were very hungry. Despite their weakness, they bravely snuck into an enemy camp during the day. They managed to take 24 horses and rode them safely back to their village.

Joining the Army as a Scout

In 1876, the U.S. Army began a campaign against the Sioux. General John Gibbon was ordered to march his troops east along the Yellowstone River. His goal was to stop the Sioux from crossing the river.

While on this march, Lieutenant Bradley, Gibbon's Chief of Scouts, visited the Crow Agency. This was near what is now Absarokee, Montana. On April 10, 1876, he enlisted several Crow men as scouts. Half Yellow Face was one of these men. They agreed to serve as scouts for six months.

Half Yellow Face first served with Gibbon's forces. But on June 21, 1876, things changed. General Terry decided that Custer would take the 7th Cavalry to find the Sioux and Cheyenne camp. Six Crow scouts, including Half Yellow Face, were chosen to go with Custer. They knew the land much better than the Arikara scouts. So, on June 21, these Crow scouts joined Custer and the 7th Cavalry.

Leader of the Crow Scouts

Half Yellow Face was the "pipe carrier" or main leader of the six Crow Indian scouts. They were assigned to General George Armstrong Custer in June 1876. The other Crow scouts were White Swan, White Man Runs Him, Hairy Moccasin, Goes Ahead, and Curly.

Half Yellow Face was chosen as the "pipe carrier" because he was older, around 40 years old. As a traditional Crow man, he had led more war parties than the others. The other five scouts were all in their early 20s. The Army recognized his leadership. They gave him the rank of corporal. He even received a military coat with corporal stripes, which he wore for the rest of his life.

Before the Battle of Little Bighorn

In the days leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Custer relied heavily on Half Yellow Face and the other Crow Scouts. They knew the land very well. Half Yellow Face usually stayed with Custer. The other Crow scouts would ride ahead to explore the area.

On June 24, the Crow scouts sent word back to Custer. They reported that the large Sioux-Cheyenne village had moved from the Rosebud River to the Little Bighorn Valley. Custer decided to follow their trail. Half Yellow Face guided the 7th Cavalry during their night march on June 24–25. This march took them to the high ground between the Rosebud and Little Bighorn valleys.

Early on June 25, the day of the battle, the Crow scouts went to a high point called the "Crows Nest." From there, they looked toward the Little Bighorn Valley. They saw signs of campfires and a huge herd of horses. This meant the camp was much bigger than anyone expected.

The Crow scouts warned Custer about the large size of the camp. They also told him that Sioux warriors had already seen his soldiers. They explained that Custer had to either attack or retreat. Custer worried that if he waited, the camp would scatter. He wanted a decisive fight.

A Prophetic Warning to Custer

Half Yellow Face is often remembered for a powerful and prophetic statement. He made it to Custer on the morning of June 25, 1876. This was after Custer decided to attack the huge Sioux-Cheyenne camp. Another Crow Scout, White Man Runs Him, remembered the moment. He said that after Custer heard the warnings but ignored them, Half Yellow Face spoke through the interpreter, Mitch Boyer:

You and I are both going home tonight by a road we do not know.

Some historians have questioned this statement. They wondered how Half Yellow Face, who didn't speak English, could have said this to Custer. However, White Man Runs Him, who was there, confirmed it. He said Half Yellow Face spoke through Mitch Boyer, who knew both Crow and English.

Whether the remark was spoken or made through sign language, two things are clear. First, Custer probably didn't pay much attention to it. He continued with his plan to divide his troops and attack. Second, the remark turned out to be tragically true for Custer and the five troops of cavalry who went with him.

Actions During the Battle

When the battle began, Half Yellow Face and another Crow scout, White Swan, joined Major Marcus Reno's group. They fought bravely at the south end of the village.

White Swan was severely wounded during the fighting. As Reno ordered his soldiers to retreat to the bluffs, Half Yellow Face stayed behind to help his friend. White Swan was lying near some thick bushes. Half Yellow Face crawled back and got help from an Arikara scout named Young Hawk. Together, they dragged White Swan into some trees.

Eventually, Half Yellow Face got White Swan onto a horse. He then led the horse through the trees, across the river, and up a steep trail. They reached the safety of Reno's hilltop defenses around 5 p.m. This escape was possible because the Sioux warriors had moved. After pushing Reno's troops back, the Sioux saw Custer's group approaching from the east. The main Sioux force left the valley to attack Custer and protect their village.

After getting White Swan to the hospital area, Half Yellow Face continued to help Reno. He rode south to find the Benteen group. Benteen was coming from the south with ammunition, as Custer had requested. Half Yellow Face guided Benteen's group to where Reno's soldiers were dug in.

After the Battle

After fighting the 7th Cavalry on June 25 and continuing to surround Reno's group on the 26th, the Sioux and Cheyenne realized General Gibbon was coming from the north. Late on the 26th, they packed up their village and moved south.

On the 27th, after the Sioux had left, Half Yellow Face made a special travois. He used it to move the wounded Crow Scout White Swan twelve miles down the valley. They went to the "Far West" steamship. This way, White Swan could get medical care with other wounded soldiers.

Half Yellow Face and another Crow scout, Curly, stayed with Gibbon's forces. They remained on the Yellowstone until they were allowed to visit their Crow village. The other three Crow scouts, White Man Runs Him, Hairy Moccasin, and Goes Ahead, had left Reno's defenses earlier on June 25. They went back to their village, not knowing that White Swan and Half Yellow Face had survived. So, they reported that White Swan and Half Yellow Face were dead. This mistake was corrected later when Half Yellow Face and Curly returned to their village.

Death and Legacy

In 1877, Lt. General Philip H. Sheridan sent his brother, Lt. Col. Michael V. Sheridan, to the battlefield. He was there to re-bury the soldiers and bring back the remains of officers. Half Yellow Face went with Col. Sheridan on his tour of the battlefield in 1877.

Traditional Crow stories say that Half Yellow Face died in 1879, three years after the battle. He continued to live as a traditional Crow warrior. Oral reports from the Crow people say he was killed on the Yellowstone River. He was chasing a Sioux raiding party who had stolen Crow horses. The 1885 Census records confirm that Half Yellow Face had passed away. He left behind his wife, Can't Get Up, and three children.

Images for kids

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  Crow Indians by D.F. Barry. This might be the only photo of Half Yellow Face, possibly the man in the cavalry coat.