Curly
Private, Indian Scouts, U.S. Army

Curly, also called Shay-shee-ahsh, a Crow Indian, was born in 1856 in Little Rosebud Creek, Montana Territory.

He enlisted 10 April 1876 at Crow Agency, MT, for six months with the 7th Infantry. He accompanied Lieutenant Charles Varnum, 7th Cavalry, on the trip to Crow's Nest on 26 June 1876. Assigned to Custer's attacking column that afternoon, he may have witnessed the final moments of the attack. He may be the only human survivor of the Custer Column.

He carried the news of Custer's defeat to the rendezvous point with the steamer "Far West" and although he did not speak English (and no one on the steamer spoke Crow), conveyed the idea of the disaster to the 7th Cavalry.

In 1886, he divorced his wife, Bird Woman, and married Takes a Shield, another Crow. He received a pension for his service to the 7th Cavalry. He resided in the Little Big Horn Valley on his ranch near Crow Agency, MT, and died there.

Death and Burial

Curly died of pneumonia on 21 May 1923 at Crow Agency, MI. He is buried at Custer (formerly Little Bighorn) National Cemetery in Crow Agency, MT.