109 Facts About Flying Hawk

Flying Hawk, known as Moses Flying Hawk, was an Oglala Lakota warrior, historian, educator and philosopher.

Flying Hawk was a combatant in Red Cloud's War and in nearly all of the fights with the US Army during the Great Sioux War of 1876.

Flying Hawk fought alongside his first cousin Crazy Horse and his brothers Kicking Bear and Black Fox II in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876, and was present at the death of Crazy Horse in 1877 and the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890.

Flying Hawk was one of the five warrior cousins who sacrificed blood and flesh for Crazy Horse at the Last Sun Dance of 1877.

Flying Hawk was the author of his commentaries and accounts of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Crazy Horse and the Wounded Knee Massacre, and of Native American warriors and statesmen from who fought to protect their families, defend the invasion of their lands and preserve their culture.

Flying Hawk was probably the longest standing Wild Wester, traveling for over 30 years throughout the United States and Europe from about 1898 to about 1930.

Flying Hawk was an educator and believed public education was essential to preserve Lakota culture.

Flying Hawk was born about full moon of March 1854, a few miles south of Rapid Creek, Lakota Territory.

Flying Hawk's father was Oglala Lakota Chief Black Fox, known as Chief Black Fox I, Cut Forehead and Great Kicking Bear.

At the age of 26, Flying Hawk married two sisters, Goes Out Looking and White Day.

Flying Hawk was a youth when the westerners invaded the Sioux country took place after the American Civil War, flowing into the Great Plains and the mountains of Montana.

Flying Hawk wished to be a Chief like his father Black Fox and brother Kicking Bear.

Flying Hawk raised his gun to shoot when I was twenty feet away.

Flying Hawk fought beside his cousin Crazy Horse and his brothers Kicking Bear and Black Fox II in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876, and was one of the Five Warrior Cousins who sacrificed blood and flesh for Crazy Horse at the Last Sun Dance of 1877.

Flying Hawk was present at the death of Crazy Horse in 1877 and the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890.

Flying Hawk must endure the greatest physical pain to ensure that his prayers would be answered.

Chief Flying Hawk was used to royal receptions in Europe and in America had been entertained by most of the dignitaries of the country.

Later, Flying Hawk traveled as a lead performer with Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Show and the Sells Floto Circus.

Chief Flying Hawk was probably the longest standing Wild Wester, traveling for over 30 years throughout the United States and Europe from about 1898 to about 1930.

Chief Flying Hawk was one of Kasebier's most challenging portrait subjects.

Chief Flying Hawk's glare is the most startling of Kasebier's portraits.

Chief Flying Hawk fought along with his cousin Crazy Horse and his brothers Kicking Bear and Black Fox II in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876, and was present at the death of Crazy Horse in 1877 and the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890.

Soon, Chief Flying Hawk learned to appreciate the benefits of a Show Indian with Buffalo Bill's Wild West.

Chief Flying Hawk regularly circulated show grounds in full regalia and sold his "cast card" picture postcards for a penny to supplement promote the show and supplement his income.

Flying Hawk had fulfilled his social obligations when he had submitted to an hour of incessant hand-shaking, as he could talk in English, further crowd mixing did not appeal to him.

Flying Hawk preferred to relax and smoke his redstone pipe and wait his call to the big dining room.

Oglala Lakota Chiefs Iron Tail and Flying Hawk considered The Wigwam their home in the East.

At The Wigwam, Chief Flying Hawk could have rest and relaxation.

Chief Flying Hawk preferred to sleep on the enclosed sun porch at The Wigwam with his robes and blankets and could not be induced to sleep on a white man's mattress and springs.

Flying Hawk refused to be sent to a bedroom, and asked to have the buffalo robes and blankets.

Flying Hawk said that long ago Indians often had hair that reached the ground.

Chief Flying Hawk took the responsibilities of being a chief seriously and always thought about the best way to do things for his people.

Flying Hawk appreciated that youth education was essential to preserve Lakota culture and frequently visited public schools for presentations.

Flying Hawk wanted to talk about making over the white man's history so that the young people would know the truth.

For nearly 30 years, Flying Hawk made periodic visits to The Wigwam, the home of his friend Major Israel McCreight in Du Bois, Pennsylvania.

Chief Flying Hawk's commentaries include classic accounts of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Crazy Horse, the Wounded Knee Massacre, opinions on the European colonization of America, and the statesmen and warriors Red Jacket, Seneca; Little Turtle, Miami; Logan, Oneida; Cornplanter, Seneca; Osceola, Seminole; Red Bird, Winnebago; Pontiac, Ottawa; Tecumseh, Shawnee; Black Hawk, Sauk; Red Cloud, Lakota; and Sitting Bull, Lakota.

Chief Flying Hawk was interested in current affairs and an advocate for Native American rights, and requested that his commentaries include a discussion of the status of United States v Sioux Nation of Indians and the cheating of the Osages in Oklahoma.

Flying Hawk believed that he was nearing the end of his life and wished to review the old notes recorded through the years of visits and add new materials in hope that they would be published.

Flying Hawk did not live to see his book and died on December 24,1931, at his home in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Chief Flying Hawk met every President since President James A Garfield and liked Theodore Roosevelt the best; McCreight was the father of President Roosevelt's conservation policy on public and youth education.

Chief's Flying Hawk's commentaries reflect a Native American's views of US history and speak of warriors and statesmen who fought bravely to protect their families, defend the invasion of their lands and safeguard their culture from total destruction.

Chief Flying Hawk was perhaps the last great Oglala Lakota chief from the Sioux Wars.

Flying Hawk was a nephew of Sitting Bull, his mother and Sitting's Bull's wife being sisters.

Flying Hawk's full brother, Kicking Bear, was a leader of the Ghost Dances.

Flying Hawk had taken part as a lad in tribal wars with the Crows and the Piegans and he had fought alongside the Great Chief Crazy Horse when Custer was defeated on the Little Big Horn in 1876.

Chief Flying Hawk traveled as a lead performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West, Miller Brothers 101 Ranch and Sells-Floto Circus for over 30 years throughout the United States and Europe.

Chief Flying Hawk commented on a variety of topics including Pre-Columbian civilization; the Spanish conquests of Christopher Columbus, Hernan Cortes and Francisco Vasquez de Coronado; the English colonization of America by Sir Walter Raleigh's English Expedition of 1584; the Dutch colonization with New Amsterdam and Kieft's War; and massacres of Indians at Sand Creek, Battle of Washita River, The Baker Massacre and Wounded Knee.

Flying Hawk cited William Penn as a man who wished to see fair play, good faith and honesty extended to the Indians.

Flying Hawk said if Penn had been obeyed by his officials and followers, there would have been no Indian wars in the Pennsylvania.

Flying Hawk asked the Chief how he would explain such a wholly uncalled-for criminal act.

Chief Flying Hawk appreciated that youth education was essential to preserve Lakota culture.

Flying Hawk wanted school history programs to tell the stories of Native American warriors and statesmen who fought to protect their families, defend the invasion of their lands and preserve their culture.

Flying Hawk selected Native American warriors and statesmen from different tribes: Red Jacket, Seneca; Little Turtle, Miami; Logan, Oneida; Cornplanter, Seneca; Osceola, Seminole; Red Bird, Winnebago; Pontiac, Ottawa; Tecumseh, Shawnee; Black Hawk, Sauk; Red Cloud, Lakota; and Sitting Bull, Lakota.

Flying Hawk was impressed with the oratory of Red Jacket, Logan, Black Hawk, Tecumseh, Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, and requested that their speeches be included in his commentaries.

Chief Flying Hawk once visited some of the survivors of the Seneca tribe in New York State and had great admiration for their great Chiefs Cornplanter and Red Jacket.

Flying Hawk wished to put something in his commentaries to show his regard for them.

Flying Hawk knew him well and wished to talk about him.

Flying Hawk observed that Sitting Bull was the key strategist before and again after the fight was over.

Flying Hawk was angry about the killing of Sitting Bull.

Flying Hawk was celebrating the coming of the new Christ who was to restore the buffalo so that his people could once more have peace and plenty, instead of then persecution, hunger, disease and death that confronted them.

Flying Hawk believed that Red Cloud was one of the wisest Native American leaders.

Flying Hawk asked to have the speech read to him, and McCreight brought a volume from the library containing the speech, and it was carefully translated to him by Thunder Bull to refresh his memory.

Flying Hawk's word was not called into question by either white men or red.

Flying Hawk was honored by his own people and respected by his enemies.

Flying Hawk grew to manhood, when it was said of him that he was 'uncommonly handsome, of imposing stature and an Apollo in symmetry, a splendid example of refinement and grace, modest and courteous always, and born leader of men.

Flying Hawk's name derived from a personality like a high-spirited and uncontrolled horse, hence crazy or wild horse.

Crazy Horse spoke this story to Flying Hawk: 'I was sitting on a hill or rise, and something touched me on the head.

Flying Hawk went to the place where his brother was killed and camped in the woods where he could see the settlement.

Flying Hawk killed enough to satisfy and then he came home.

Flying Hawk was always the first in a fight, and the soldiers could not beat him in a fight.

Flying Hawk never told stories and never took a scalp from his enemies when he killed them.

Flying Hawk was the leader and the first at the front of the Custer fight.

Flying Hawk was my friend and we went in the Custer fight together.

Flying Hawk struck the body with a switch - coupstick- to show that he neither cared for their weapons, nor cared to waste his.

Flying Hawk never dressed in gaudy regalia, feathers and paint a beads; never took part in public demonstrations or dances.

Flying Hawk was not an orator and was never known to make a speech.

Flying Hawk's attack on the Fetterman party at the timber-cutting showed that he was a master of strategy.

Flying Hawk was not aware that Crazy Horse had stopped his expected aid from Crook a week before and that he was now here and ready to lead his warriors to his own army's extermination.

Flying Hawk pulled them off their horses when they tried to get across the river where the bank was steep.

Flying Hawk was going to attack the lower end of the village.

Flying Hawk crawled up the ravine to see where he could see the soldiers.

Flying Hawk shot them as fast as he could load his gun.

Flying Hawk got him about half a mile from the place where the other soldiers were lying dead.

Flying Hawk had women and children with him and had to provide food, warm clothing and shelter for them at all times.

Flying Hawk had been their leader and unconquered enemy of the army forces and might lead them again to liberty from their unsatisfactory position if the surrendered horde at any time so decided.

Flying Hawk replied by saying 'only cowards and murderers' and went about his daily routine.

Flying Hawk was overtaken while in the wagon with his sick wife and one other person.

Flying Hawk was not arrested but permitted to deliver his patient into the care of her parents.

Flying Hawk died during the night while his father sand the death song over his prostrate body.

Flying Hawk's word was not called into question by either white men or red.

Flying Hawk was honored by his own people and respected by his enemies.

Chief Flying Hawk was interested in current affairs and was an advocate for Native American rights.

Flying Hawk appealed to his interpreter to make it clear that the treaty with Napoleon was broken at the time that his country was purchased, and that the whites had, from the beginning of relations with their tribe, ignored and wholly repudiated their first and principle obligation toward the Sioux.

Chief Flying Hawk was familiar with the legal claims and pleadings and requested that his commentaries include the swindlings that were perpetrated upon the Sioux tribe in so-called land purchases.

Chief Flying Hawk requested that a portion of the US Indian Commission's Annual Report for 1926 citing the cheating of the Osages in Oklahoma be officially included in his commentaries.

Flying Hawk was telling Jimmy of the cheating of the Osages in Oklahoma, and that it had been published by the Indian Commission in a recent annual report.

Chief Flying Hawk was a Lakota historian and authored a "winter count" covering nearly 150 years of Lakota history.

Chief Flying Hawk specifically requested that his Lakota calendar be included the commentaries.

On Sunday, June 23,1929, Chief Flying Hawk made his last visit to The Wigwam.

Chief Flying Hawk was accompanied by his friend and interpreter Chief Thunder Bull.

Flying Hawk said they always talked with "forked tongues" and did not always do as they agreed on paper.

Flying Hawk's leave of absence was about up and his visit to his white brother was coming to an end.

Flying Hawk said he would not likely ever come again; he felt that he would soon go to join his friends in the Sand Hills.

Flying Hawk kill all the buffalo and let them rot on the ground.

Flying Hawk had been placed on public exhibition as a specimen of the vanishing race to escape the poverty and constraints an Indian reservation.

Flying Hawk was still wearing a coat and vest which had been given to him by the host on a previous visit.

Flying Hawk said that if he had what was due him from the Government he could dress like other people, and have plenty to eat all the time, much of the time he was hungry and could not buy medicine or go to the doctor when sick.

Flying Hawk had been traveling with the circus, and the pony riding, war dances and inclement weather were weighing on his health.

Chief Flying Hawk died at Pine Ridge, South Dakota, December 24,1931, at the age of 77 in want.