Woman War Chief

This is the story about a Crow Warrior called Woman War Chief, a female Native American who became a chief with the River Crow tribe. She lived her eventful life in the region that became Wyoming and Montana, spending much of her time in the Yellowstone River Valley. Born into the Atsina tribe in 1800, the ten-year-old named Shining Sun was abducted by a small band of River Crow hunters. The precocious girl lied to the Crow, telling them she was actually a Crow child who had been previously abducted by the Atsina. Because she could speak a little of the Crow language, some tribal members believed her story. The River Crow adopted her and changed her name to Pine Leaf. As she grew, she convinced her mentors she would serve the tribe better as a hunter and warrior than as a lodge woman.

Around 1828, a black mountain man named James Beckwourth (aka Jim Beckwith) came to live with the River Crow. Jim fought alongside Pine Leaf for nearly ten years. She and Jim had a stormy relationship until Jim left the Crow in 1838. Pine Leaf grew into a fierce warrior and successful hunter; she became famous among natives and white men alike. When her fighting prowess elevated her to positions of authority, her people changed her name to Woman Chief. Eventually she became a war chief and a major figure in the Crow Nation. Woman Chief knew Bill Williams, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson and other mountain men and explorers, who are mentioned in this book. Woman Chief lived a full life until her death in 1860. The book contains a Glossary at the end.