Young Man Afraid of His Horses
Young Man Afraid of His Horses was a prominent Oglala Lakota leader known for his significant role during a tumultuous period in American history, particularly in relation to the Sioux people's struggles against white expansion in the 1860s. His name symbolizes his powerful influence, as even the sight of his horses instilled fear in his adversaries. He was respected among various tribes and was inducted into the Cheyenne's Crooked Lances clan in 1865. A pragmatic leader, he attempted to guide his people away from the misleading promises of the Ghost Dance movement. Following the tragic Wounded Knee massacre, Young Man recognized the futility of continued resistance, advocating for his people's surrender and acceptance of peace terms with General Nelson Miles. In 1891, he negotiated for better treatment for a large group of starving Sioux entering the Pine Ridge Reservation. While he garnered respect from white authorities, opinions among Sioux people were mixed, with some viewing him as an apologist while others recognized his efforts to protect their interests under difficult circumstances. Young Man Afraid of His Horses passed away at the Pine Ridge Reservation at the age of seventy.
Young Man Afraid of His Horses
- Born: c. 1830
- Birthplace: Unknown
- Died: 1900
- Place of death: Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota
Category: War Chief
Tribal affiliation: Oglala Sioux
Significance: Realizing the futility of further resistance to white expansionism, Young Man worked for improved conditions on the Pine Ridge Reservation
Young Man Afraid of His Horses’ name, the same as his father’s, is intended to convey the idea that, in war, he is so powerful that even the sight of his horses inspires fear in others. Young Man was instrumental in helping to delay white expansion during the 1860’s. Various tribes respected his leadership abilities and, in 1865, the Cheyenne inducted him into their Crooked Lances clan. A realist, Young Man tried unsuccessfully to warn his people of the falseness of the Ghost Dance prophesies. After the massacre at Wounded Knee, Young Man—realizing the hopelessness of any further Sioux resistance—convinced his people to surrender and accept General Nelson Miles’s peace terms, which included confinement at Pine Ridge Reservation. In January of 1891, thirty-five hundred starving Sioux men, women, and children—wounded, sick, and demoralized—entered the reservation. Young Man Afraid of His Horses negotiated and won fairer treatment for them. White authorities respected him, but some Sioux felt he was an apologist; other Sioux understood that he was protecting their interests as best he could under the circumstances. He was seventy when he died at the Pine Ridge Reservation.
