Battle of Rush Creek, Nebraska
The Battle of Rush Creek, Nebraska, unfolded on February 8-9, 1865, a clash between the armed forces of the United States Army and a coalition of Native American warriors. Representing the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes, these warriors engaged in a fierce, albeit ultimately inconclusive, confrontation on the plains of western Nebraska. The engagement followed closely on the heels of the Battle of Mud Springs, marking a period of heightened tension and conflict in the region.
The events leading up to the Battle of Rush Creek began after the Battle of Mud Springs, a previous engagement where the same coalition of Native American tribes clashed with U.S. Army forces. Following that encounter, the large group of Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, estimated to number as many as 5,000 individuals, undertook a deliberate and somewhat leisurely movement towards the North Platte River on February 6, 1865. Upon reaching the river, the tribes successfully crossed its frozen surface and established a camp nestled among the protective bluffs located approximately five miles north of the riverbank. This location was intended as a temporary respite, a place to rest their horses and replenish their supplies after the preceding battle. The warriors returning from Mud Springs joined the larger group, reinforcing their numbers and solidifying their intent to remain in the area for several days. The Native Americans did not anticipate that the outnumbered soldiers would follow them.
However, their plans for a peaceful interlude were soon disrupted. Lieutenant Colonel William O. Collins, the commanding officer responsible for the U.S. Army forces in the area, displayed a determined resolve to pursue the Native American coalition. Leaving behind a small garrison of soldiers to maintain order at Mud Springs, Collins assembled a contingent of approximately 140-185 troops and embarked on a pursuit of the retreating tribes. The soldiers followed the trail left by the Native Americans, a path marked by the detritus and evidence of their passage.
The soldiers’ pursuit led them first to the site of the previous camp, a location strewn with the spoils of plunder taken during earlier raids and skirmishes. This visible evidence of the Native Americans’ activities further fueled the soldiers’ determination to bring them to battle. From this abandoned campsite, the soldiers continued to follow the clearly defined trail, eventually reaching the North Platte River.
As the U.S. Army forces approached the vicinity of the Native American camp on the afternoon of February 8, their presence was detected by a vigilant Sioux warrior. The warrior immediately signaled the other members of the tribes, alerting them to the imminent arrival of the soldiers. In response to this warning, a significant force of approximately 1,000 warriors swiftly mounted their horses and prepared to engage the approaching soldiers. The warriors surged across the flat expanse of the Platte Valley, closing the distance between themselves and the U.S. Army troops with remarkable speed.
Faced with the sudden appearance of a large force of Native American warriors, Lieutenant Colonel Collins recognized the immediate need to adopt a defensive posture. He ordered his men to form a "corral" using their wagons and horses, creating a makeshift fortification to provide cover and protection. Simultaneously, Collins instructed his troops to dig pits and establish defense lines amidst the sandy ridges that characterized the terrain of the plain. These hasty preparations were intended to provide the soldiers with a degree of protection against the expected onslaught.
As the Native American warriors advanced towards the U.S. Army position, a long-distance shooting match ensued. The soldiers, positioned behind their makeshift defenses, exchanged gunfire with the approaching warriors. The U.S. Army also employed a howitzer, a type of artillery piece, to fire upon the advancing Native Americans, attempting to keep them at a distance and disrupt their attack. The howitzer’s effectiveness proved instrumental in preventing the warriors from overwhelming the soldiers’ defensive position.
Despite the barrage from the howitzer, some of the Native American warriors managed to creep closer to the U.S. Army lines, utilizing the terrain and available cover to their advantage. In response to this threat, Lieutenant Colonel Collins ordered a detail of 17 men to launch a charge against the encroaching warriors. This daring maneuver was intended to disperse the warriors and disrupt their attempts to breach the defensive lines. The charge proved successful, pushing back the Native American warriors and temporarily relieving the pressure on the U.S. Army position. However, the charge came at a cost, with two of the 17 soldiers being killed in the engagement.
As the afternoon waned, the Native American warriors eventually withdrew from the immediate vicinity of the U.S. Army position. Lieutenant Colonel Collins, recognizing the continued threat posed by the Native American force, opted to remain in his defensive position throughout the night, anticipating a renewed attack. The soldiers spent the night in a state of heightened alert, prepared to repel any further assaults.
The following morning, February 9, several hundred Native American warriors returned to resume their attack on Collins and his men. The warriors focused their efforts on attempting to capture the U.S. Army’s horses, recognizing their importance as a source of transportation and mobility. The battle resumed with long-distance sniping between the two sides, with both the soldiers and the warriors exchanging gunfire from protected positions. This pattern of engagement continued for several hours, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage.
Eventually, after hours of sustained fighting, the Native American warriors broke off the battle. Simultaneously, the remaining members of the tribes broke camp, dismantling their temporary settlement and preparing to move northward. The warriors who had been engaged in the fighting kept the soldiers pinned down, preventing them from interfering with the tribes’ departure.
Following their departure from the Battle of Rush Creek site, the Native Americans embarked on a two-day journey across the Sand Hills, a vast expanse of sand dunes that stretches across western Nebraska. Their destination was westward, towards the Powder River, a region known for its abundance of resources and its significance as a traditional hunting ground.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Rush Creek, Lieutenant Colonel Collins made the decision not to pursue the retreating Native Americans. Recognizing the challenges of chasing a mobile force across difficult terrain, and perhaps also acknowledging the inconclusive nature of the battle, Collins opted to prioritize the safety and well-being of his troops. On February 10, Collins and his command began the journey back to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, their primary base of operations.
In his official report on the Battle of Rush Creek, Lieutenant Colonel Collins documented the casualties suffered by his command. He reported that two men had been killed in action and nine others had been wounded. In addition, Collins noted that ten of his men had suffered from frostbite, a consequence of the harsh winter conditions in which the battle had taken place. Collins estimated the Native American casualties at both Mud Springs and Rush Creek to be between 100 and 150.
However, this estimate of Native American casualties was later disputed by George Bent, a Cheyenne warrior who participated in the battle. According to Bent, the Native American forces suffered significantly fewer casualties than Collins had reported. Bent claimed that only two Indians were wounded and one was killed during the engagement. The discrepancy between these accounts highlights the challenges of accurately assessing casualties in the context of frontier warfare.
The site of the Battle of Rush Creek is located approximately four miles southeast of the present-day town of Broadwater, Nebraska. The battle took place along the banks of the North Platte River, in an area characterized by sandy ridges and open plains. The location serves as a reminder of the conflict that once unfolded on these grounds, a conflict that played a significant role in shaping the history of the American West.