Charging Bear - Leader of the Sihasapa (Blackfoot) Sioux

29 August 2018

Ma-tow-a-tak-pe or Charging Bear or Jumping Bear (or John Grass) had many names and fought in several battles against tribal enemies in the 1850s and 1860s as leader of the Sihasapa (Blackfoot) Sioux.

But when he saw how many soldiers Custer was taking with him, he could not believe that the expedition was really going in peace. It has been said that he was the originator of the plan to have the tribes meet at Greasy Grass where Sitting Bull laid out his vision for the Indian nations.

At the battle itself, Crazy Horse just happened to be where Custer’s force first arrived into the area. Charging Bear's friend, Chief Gall was already fighting Reno’s force at the other end of the camp and did not get to the last stand until the battle was almost over.

It could have been that Chief Charging Bear and his Sihasapa, Brule and Two Kettles warriors were with Crazy Horse. They were after all camped next to Crazy Horse in the village, so it could mean that they might have been with him in the northern attack on Custer’s Hill.

After the battle, of Charging Bear, it is said that “he was a great warrior at that fight”.

The Sihasapa (Blackfoot) Sioux are a tribe of the Lakota people, Titonwan, or Tetonglala.

The Sihasapa lived in the western Dakotas on the Great Plains, and consequently are among the Plains Indians.

Two Kettles or the O'ohenuŋpa meaning “Two Boilings” or “Two Kettles” are a large tribe within the Lakota Sioux tribe .

Brulé are one of the tribes of the Lakota Indians. They are known as Sichaŋgu Oyate or "Burnt Thighs".


Indian Forces - Jumping Bear 


The Project for Jumping Bears Warriors 

Chief Jumping Bear Warriors are now based and we are showing them as both Foot and Mounted mixed on the base together, in this this way we are attempting to show how the warriors fought. So here are the Blackfeet, Brule and Two Kettle forces.