White Swan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
White Swan
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| Crow language: Mee-nah-tsee-us | |
White Swan, photo by Frank Rinehart
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| Crow leader | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c.1850 |
| Died | 1904 |
| Resting place | Little Bighorn National Cemetery |
| Spouses | A wife, who died when White Swan was 23 |
| Relations | An aunt, "Strikes By The Side Of The Water"; a cousin, Curly (sometimes referred to as his brother, according to Crow custom) |
| Known for | One of six Crow Scouts for George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment; fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn; artist in later life |
| Nicknames | "Strikes Enemy", "White Goose" |
White Swan (born around 1850, died 1904), also known as Mee-nah-tsee-us in the Crow language, was a brave Crow scout. He was one of six Crow scouts who worked with George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment. This was during the 1876 war against the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne tribes.
At the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn, White Swan fought alongside Major Reno's soldiers. He was known for being very brave and actively fighting many Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. White Swan was the only Crow scout to be seriously hurt in the battle. He suffered bad injuries to his hand, wrist, leg, and foot. After he was wounded, Half Yellow Face, the leader of the Crow scouts, helped him to safety. This likely saved White Swan's life.
The day after the battle, Half Yellow Face built a special horse travois (a type of sled). He used it to move White Swan to a steamship called the Far West. This ship was waiting on the Bighorn River. White Swan received medical care from army doctors there. He was treated in a temporary Army hospital. Even though some scouts thought he had died, White Swan survived his injuries.
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, White Swan continued to serve as a scout for the U.S. Army for five more years (1876 to 1881). Even with his injuries, he kept working. His right wrist and hand were badly deformed, and he limped because of his leg wound. He also had a scar on his forehead from another fight. Later in life, White Swan could not hear or speak. He eventually received a small army pension (money paid regularly).
In his later years, White Swan lived at the Crow Agency. This agency was moved in 1884 to the Little Bighorn valley in Montana. It was very close to the battlefield. When he could no longer be an Army scout, White Swan started making drawings. These drawings showed important events from his life, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Visitors to the Crow Agency and the nearby Custer Battlefield bought his art. This gave White Swan a way to earn money. Today, his drawings are recognized for their artistic value. They are studied in books and shown in exhibitions.
While living at Crow Agency, White Swan was painted by the artist J.H. Sharp. Sharp described him as "Jolly, good natured and a general favorite." White Swan was also photographed by Frank Rinehart and William A. Petzolt. His wife had died when he was 23, before he became a scout, and he never remarried. He lived for a time with his aunt, "Strikes By The Side Of The Water." She was also the mother of Curly, another Crow scout. White Swan and Curly were known as brothers in the Crow community, even though they were cousins.
White Swan died in 1904. He did not have any children. He is buried in the National Cemetery at the Little Bighorn Battlefield. Even though his early death and his inability to hear and speak kept him from being as famous as other scouts, his amazing bravery and artistic talent left a lasting legacy.
White Swan's Life Story
Early Years and Names
White Swan was born around 1850 or 1851. He grew up following the traditions of his Crow tribe. He became a warrior in his early teenage years by showing bravery.
White Swan got married, but his wife passed away in 1873. This was before he joined the army as a scout. He never married again.
In old records, White Swan was also called "Strikes Enemy" and "White Goose." In the Crow language, his name was Mee-nah-te-hash.
Serving as a Crow Scout in the Great Sioux War
Why the War Started
The Crow tribe had problems with the Sioux tribe. The Sioux were moving onto Crow lands from the east. The Crows asked the U.S. Army for help against these Sioux. In 1876, the Crows believed the army would finally act.
The Great Sioux War of 1876 also started because the U.S. government had its own reasons. Gold was found in 1873 in the Black Hills. These lands belonged to the Sioux tribe because of the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868). Many gold seekers rushed to the Black Hills, causing problems.
The U.S. government tried to buy the Black Hills back from the Sioux in 1875. But the treaty said that three-quarters of the adult Sioux men had to agree. Many Sioux leaders, like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, lived off the reservations. They did not want to give up the Black Hills.
In late 1875, the U.S. government gave an impossible order. They told the Sioux living off the reservations to return to their agencies by January 31, 1876. This was hard to do in deep winter. When the Sioux did not return, the government sent army groups to force them back.
Joining the Army and Early Fights
One army group was led by Colonel John Gibbon. He was ordered to go east along the Yellowstone River. His goal was to stop the Sioux from crossing north of the river. On April 9, 1876, Colonel Gibbon went to the Crow Indian Agency. He wanted to recruit Indian scouts. At first, the Crow chiefs did not want to help. They said soldiers were too slow.
But many young Crow warriors wanted adventure. On April 10, 1876, about 25 Crows joined the 7th Infantry. White Swan and Half Yellow Face were among them. On April 13, the Crow scouts went with Gibbon's army. They marched down the Yellowstone River. The Crow scouts explored south of the Yellowstone. They found the main Sioux village moving from the Tongue River to the Rosebud valley. The Crow scouts had small fights with Sioux scouts during this time.
Meanwhile, General Alfred Terry's army joined Colonel Gibbon's group on June 21, 1876. General Terry's army included the 7th Cavalry, led by General George Armstrong Custer.
Scouting for Custer Before the Battle
On June 21, White Swan and five other Crow scouts joined Custer's 7th Cavalry. The other Crow scouts were Half Yellow Face (their leader), White Man Runs Him, Goes Ahead, Hairy Moccasin, and Curley. Custer was ordered to find the large Sioux camp. This camp was moving west from the Powder River to the Tongue, then to the Rosebud, and finally to the Little Bighorn. The camp was about 20 miles inside the eastern border of the Crow Indian reservation.
The Crow scouts worked with 26 Arikara (Ree) scouts. But the Crow scouts knew the Rosebud area much better. This had been Crow land for hundreds of years. The Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) gave the Crows a large reservation. It included the Tongue, Rosebud, and Little Bighorn river valleys. Sioux groups often moved west beyond the Powder River. This led to a new treaty in 1868. This treaty set a new border between the Sioux and Crow lands. This border area was often used by both tribes for hunting and raiding.
Custer was very impressed by the Crow scouts. He wrote to his wife, Elizabeth B. Custer, that they were "magnificent-looking men." He also said they were "jolly and sportive." Custer knew it was important to have them because they knew the land.
The Crow scouts were very important for Custer's scouting missions. They helped him find the Sioux camp. At first, the scouts estimated the camp had 400 to 450 lodges. This meant about 800 warriors, which was similar to Custer's force of 600 soldiers. However, as the scouts followed the trail, they saw more and more trails joining the main one. Many other Sioux and Cheyenne groups were coming from reservations to join the summer gathering. Custer did not fully understand that the camp was growing much larger. It swelled to about 960 lodges, with nearly 2000 warriors.
On the morning of June 25, 1876, White Swan and other Crow scouts climbed a high point. From this "Crow's Nest" lookout, they saw huge horse herds in the Little Bighorn Valley. These herds showed that the Sioux and Cheyenne camp was much bigger than expected. The camp itself was hidden on the valley floor.
The Crow scouts worried about attacking such a large camp. But Custer thought his force had been seen by Sioux scouts. He feared the large camp would break up and scatter if he did not attack right away. So, Custer planned an immediate attack. He divided his forces into four groups to attack the village from different directions. Major Reno's group would attack the south end. Custer's group would attack the north end. Captain Benteen's group would scout south and then join the battle. Lieutenant McDougall's group would protect the supplies.
Wounded at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
White Swan and Half Yellow Face went with Major Reno's group. The Indian scouts were told to try and scare away the enemy's horses. Reno's group charged the south end of the village. But many warriors came out to defend their homes. Reno ordered his soldiers to get off their horses and form a fighting line.
The scouts, including White Swan and Half Yellow Face, fought alongside the soldiers. They were soon in a fierce fight with more and more Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. At one point, White Swan faced six warriors by himself.
As more warriors attacked, Reno's group moved back into some trees by the river. After losing more men, Reno ordered a retreat. They had to cross the river and go up onto the hills on the east side of the valley. By this time, White Swan had been badly wounded. He had severe bullet wounds in his right hand or wrist and in his leg or foot. He also could not hear, possibly from a blow to his head or a rifle shot close to his ear.
The soldiers' retreat turned into a panicked rush. The Sioux attacked the disorganized soldiers, killing those who were slow or wounded. Back in the trees, Half Yellow Face helped the wounded White Swan onto a horse. He waited until most Sioux warriors turned their attention to Custer's group. Then, Half Yellow Face led White Swan across the river and up the hills. This is where Reno's group was digging in. This act likely saved White Swan's life. Soldiers with Reno later said that White Swan, even though he was wounded, wanted to keep fighting. He tried to crawl back to the front lines.
After Reno's men fled, the Sioux and Cheyenne attacked Custer's group of about 210 men. Custer's men were outnumbered about 8 to 1. Custer's group was pushed back to a low ridge and then completely defeated. All of Custer's men were killed. This intense fight lasted about an hour. After that, the warriors returned to attack Reno's group on the hills. The next day, June 26, the Sioux continued their attack. White Swan was in the wounded section. However, Sioux scouts reported that a large army group was coming from the north. In the late afternoon, the Sioux and Cheyenne stopped their attack. They quickly packed up their camp and moved south.
Medical Care and Injuries
On June 27, 1876, Half Yellow Face made a special horse travois for White Swan. It was designed to carry him sitting up. He used it to carry White Swan about 12 miles from the battle site. They went to the steamship Far West on the Bighorn River. White Swan needed more medical care. He was taken on the Far West about 40 to 50 miles down the Bighorn to the Yellowstone River. There, he was left in a temporary hospital with other wounded soldiers.
Soon after the battle, three other scouts, White Man Runs Him, Goes Ahead, and Hairy Moccasin, went to the main Crow camp. They reported that both White Swan and Half Yellow Face had been killed.
But Curly and Half Yellow Face had not gone to the Crow Village. They returned with Gibbon to where White Swan was in the army hospital. On July 4, Colonel Gibbon gave Curly and Half Yellow Face leave. But he kept White Swan in the hospital so he could keep getting medical treatment.
White Swan was very badly wounded, and his recovery took a long time. When he finally returned to his family, they said it was like someone returning from the dead. White Swan was officially discharged from scout duty in September 1876. But he joined the Army again in November 1877. He continued to recover from his wounds, but they caused disabilities for the rest of his life.
Later Life After the Battle
Even with his injuries, White Swan remained an Army scout for much of the five years after the Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876-1881). When the Crow Reservation was made smaller, the Agency moved in 1884. It moved to its current location at Crow Agency, very close to the battle site. White Swan also moved there.
White Swan was still affected by his battle wounds. He had lost the lower half of his right hand. His right wrist was permanently bent inward. (You can see this in the photo taken from the right side). He also limped from the bullet wound in his leg or foot. He was deaf and could not speak. This was reportedly from a blow to his forehead during a fight with a Sioux warrior, likely not during the Little Bighorn Battle.
J.H. Sharp, a famous painter of the American West, met White Swan at Crow Agency. Sharp painted White Swan and wrote about him: "Reno's scout in Custer battle, wounded many times, picked up in battlefield two days later -- deaf and dumb from stroke of war club in forehead. A good artist in Indian picture-writing. Jolly, good natured and a general favorite. A full brother, and direct opposite in character of 'Curley', Custer's scout."
Even though White Swan could not speak well, he could communicate using the sign language of the Plains Indians.
Records show that White Swan's wife died in 1873, before he became a scout. He never remarried. The 1885 Census shows him living with a widowed aunt named "Strikes By The Side Of The Water." This aunt was the mother of Curley, another Crow Scout. This means White Swan and Curley were cousins. However, the artist J.H. Sharp knew White Swan as Curley's brother.
In 1894, White Swan was crippled and could not hear or speak. In 1897, he applied for and received a pension of $17.00 a month for his military service. The 1900 census lists White Swan as "widowed" and living alone. White Swan had only one other known relative, a half-sister named Sage Woman. This meant White Swan lived a more isolated life than most Crow people, who usually had many close relatives. He died without any direct children.
Artistic Abilities
White Swan was known for his artistic talents. While living at the Crow Agency, he made drawings about important events in his life. These included his role in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. At least fifteen drawings are known to be by White Swan. Even though he did not sign them, his drawings can be recognized by their style and common scenes.
White Swan also made drawings and paintings on pages from old accounting ledgers. He also drew and painted on larger pieces of muslin cloth. These showed many brave acts from his life.
In White Swan's memories of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he often drew himself watching the Lakota camp through a telescope. His warhorse stood close by. This became a favorite scene for him to draw.
After White Swan died, his artistic skills became more recognized. His drawings have been collected. White Swan is now seen as a very talented artist in Crow history. He needed money after he stopped being an army scout. Living near the famous battlefield, he found people who wanted to buy his art. Visitors to the battlefield and the Crow Agency were interested in history and Crow culture. White Swan could not be a guide or interpreter like other scouts because he could not speak. But his art allowed him to offer something special. Visitors could take home a drawing that truly showed their experience with Native Americans of the West. White Swan's art showed the spirit of the Indian warrior tradition and heroic deeds.
Besides his drawings, White Swan's skill is seen in his personal items, especially his tomahawk. You can see it in the photo above. A tomahawk in the Northern Plains warrior culture could become more than just a weapon. It could become an item with spiritual meaning. Decorations on White Swan's tomahawk likely showed brave war deeds or important spiritual messages. These messages might have come from visions or a spiritual leader.
When White Swan lived at Crow Agency, his tepee had drawings around the bottom. These drawings showed the Custer battle.
In his later life, White Swan was photographed by Frank Rinehart and William A. Petzolt. You can see these photos above.
White Swan's tomahawk and his drawings are a lasting legacy. His art is now getting more attention from collectors. It has been shown in exhibits and studied in university papers. Some of his works are part of the Paul Dyck collection of Plains Indians art. They are now at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.
Death and Burial
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White Swan died on August 12, 1904. He was about 53 or 54 years old. Since he never remarried after his wife died, White Swan did not have any direct children to carry on his name or legacy.
White Swan was buried at the Little Bighorn National Cemetery. He is in the section for veterans. The photos show his grave marker and where he is buried.
Places Named After White Swan
The White Swan Memorial Library is located at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. It is in the old stone house that was once the superintendent's office. This library has a great collection of research materials about the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It also has information on other historical events. You can visit the library and the park historian by making an appointment.
