Crow War

War

In 1887 the Blackfoot and the Crow were engaged in a minor conflict involving horse raids. A Blackfoot war party raided the Crow reservation in late spring and took several horses. Against the wishes of the chiefs, Sword Bearer organized a counter raid in September, drawing mainly teenagers eager to prove themselves. According to legend, Sword Bearer received his name after a vision at a Cheyenne reservation, though other sources place the vision after the army was already pursuing him.

The vision promised that carrying a sword in battle would protect him from harm. The raid killed several Blackfoot braves and recovered the Crow horses without loss. On September 30, upon returning to the reservation, Sword Bearer made the mistake of displaying his victory to Indian agent Henry E. Williamson, who was disliked by the native population. In what became known as the Crow Incident, Sword Bearer and his men circled Williamson's home and fired into the air in celebration.

The agent came outside to make arrests, and Sword Bearer fired a few rounds into the ground near him. Williamson ran inside and wired Fort Custer, claiming his house was under attack. Local newspapers, including the Billings Gazette on October 3, reported that the agent's house and office were riddled by bullets, though nobody was hurt, but the accuracy of this report remains uncertain. When Sword Bearer learned the U.S. Army was searching for him, he and about twenty men left the reservation and traveled thirteen miles to Fort Custer to show the soldiers his magical sword.