The Crow War of 1887 was the sole armed conflict between the United States and the Crow tribe, and the last Indian War fought in Montana.
Key Facts
- Year
- 1887
- Location
- Montana, United States
- Crow leader
- Wraps-Up-His-Tail (Sword Bearer)
- Trigger event
- Raid against Blackfoot horse raiders on Crow reservation
- Last Indian War in Montana
- Yes
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In September 1887, a young Crow medicine man known as Sword Bearer led warriors on a retaliatory raid against a Blackfoot group that had stolen horses from the Crow reservation. Upon returning, an incident at the Crow Agency escalated tensions, prompting Sword Bearer to withdraw with his followers into the mountains rather than submit to federal authority.
The United States Army launched a military campaign in response to Sword Bearer's defiance and departure from the Crow Agency. Federal forces pursued the Crow dissidents in what became the only armed conflict between the U.S. government and the Crow tribe, known variously as the Crow War, the Crow Rebellion, or the Crow Uprising.
The U.S. Army successfully suppressed the uprising and returned the Crow to their reservation. The conflict marked the end of armed resistance between the Crow Nation and the United States, and stands as the final Indian War conducted within the state of Montana.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Sword Bearer (Wraps-Up-His-Tail).