Little Bighorn Battlefield - Cavalry

Just before the celebration of the nation's 100th birthday in July 1876, one of the last armed efforts of the Northern Plains Indians to preserve their ancestral way of life took place in Montana at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. 

The battle between the U. S. Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, and combined forces of Lakota, Cheyenne, and other tribes of the Great Plains estimated at 1500 to 2000 warriors took place on June 25 and 26, 1876. It should be noted that Custer divided his 600-man force into three battalions--one led by Custer, one led by Marcus Reno, and the third led by Frederick Benteen. Historians believe that Custer underestimated the size and fighting capability of the Lakota and Cheyenne forces. 

We visited the Battlefield just a couple of days before the anniversary.

The battle was but one encounter in a conflict that began with the arrival of Europeans in North America. Discovery of gold in the Black Hills, the refusal of the Indians to sell the Black Hills, and the influx of gold-seekers to an area considered sacred by Native Americans hastened this violent clash of cultures. The policy of the U. S. Government under U. S. Grant was to move native Americans to reservations.

The battle took place over an area about 5 miles long on ridges and in ravines north of the Big Horn River near what is now Hardin, Montana. Visiting the battlefield, hearing the Rangers talk about the incidents that led up to the battle, and walking the site brings this poignant piece of history into sharp perspective. Scattered throughout the battlefield are markers showing where soldiers, scouts, and civilians of Custer's unit died. This is one of two battlefields in the world where specific combatants fell. 

The first picture is a diarama in the Visitors' Center Museum, depicting the battle. The second picture was taken from Last Stand Hill, where Custer and the last of his unit died. The Seventh Cavalry Memorial, in the third picture, stands at the top of Last Stand Hill. The Memorial inscription reads, "The remains of about 220 soldiers, scouts, and civilians, are buried around the base of this Memorial. The white marble headstones [picture 2] scattered over the battlefield denote where the slain troopers were found and originally buried. In 1881 they were reinterred in a single grave on this site. The officer's remains were removed in 1877 to various cemeteries throughout the country. General Custer was buried at West Point." The final photo shows where Custer fell.

Over 260 soldiers and attached personnel died during the battle. Custer's entire immediate command was killed. The lone survivor was a horse called Comanche.

This normally semi-arid part of Montana was beautifully green during our visit. The view from the battlefield area is awesome. Visiting this battlefield gives one greater perspective on the stories and myths about the Custer Expedition.