Slow Bull, Oglala Lakota Biography

Slow Bull Portrait
A portrait of Slow Bull, an Oglala Lakota Native American.

Slow Bull.  Oglala Lakota.  Born in 1844.  First war-party at fourteen, under Red Cloud, against Crow (ie. Apsáalooke / Absaroka / Apsaroke).  Engaged in 55 battles with Crow, Shoshoni, Ute, Pawnee, Blackfeet and Kutenai.  Struck seven first coups.  At 17 he captured 170 horses from Crow.  In the same year he received medicine from buffalo in a dream while he slept on a hilltop, not fasting, but resting from travel on the war-path.  Counted two honors in one fight, when the Lakota charged a Crow camp and were routed.  Slow Bull returned to the enemy; his horse stepped into a hole and fell, and a Crow leaped on him.  He threw his antagonist off, jumped on his horse, and struck his enemy in the face with his bow.  At that moment another Crow dashed up and dealt him a glancing blow in the back with a hatchet.  Slow Bull counted coup on him also.  He has been a subchief of the Oglala since 1878.

This biography was written by Edward S. Curtis and can be found in The North American Indian, Volume 3, page 189.

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