How did Crazy Horse help draw Captain William J. Fetterman’s soldiers into an ambush?

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A Cheyenne River Sioux dancer in colorful traditional regalia performs during the Grand Entry at a powwow, with an American flag and other participants in the background. — Oceti Sakowin A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe performing during the Grand Entry at the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Fair Rodeo and Powwow, Eagle Butte, South Dakota, September 4, 2016.

During the Fetterman Massacre in December 1866, Crazy Horse acted as a decoy to lure U.S. soldiers into an ambush.1

The Oceti Sakowin warriors frequently employed a tactic where they used riders who appeared to be injured to bait their enemies into poorly defensible locations. Despite warnings regarding this strategy, Captain William J. Fetterman pursued the decoy—Crazy Horse—leading his troop of approximately 80 soldiers away from the safety of Fort Phil Kearny and into a trap set by warriors under Chief High Backbone. The resulting engagement was the worst defeat for the U.S. military on the Plains up to that time.12