The Battle of Little Bighorn, Montana
The Battle of Little Bighorn, often referred to as Custer’s Last Stand, stands as a pivotal and deeply resonant event in the history of the American West. It was a clash of cultures, a military engagement of profound consequences, and a source of enduring legend. Fought over two days, June 25-26, 1876, this battle pitted the combined forces of the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne tribes against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. The site of this historic confrontation was the valley of the Little Bighorn River, nestled within the vast expanse of the Montana Territory. The Battle of Little Bighorn resulted in a stunning and complete victory for the Native American forces, etching itself into the collective memory as one of the most significant and debated episodes of the Indian Wars.
The roots of the Battle of Little Bighorn lie in the complex and often fraught relationship between the United States government and the Native American tribes inhabiting the Great Plains. In the years leading up to the battle, tensions had been steadily escalating due to the relentless encroachment of white settlers onto lands traditionally held sacred by the Sioux and Cheyenne. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota, a region considered especially sacred by the Lakota, served as a major catalyst for this conflict. Despite treaty agreements that guaranteed these lands to the tribes, the lure of gold proved too strong, and prospectors, miners, and settlers flooded into the area, disregarding Native American rights and fueling resentment.
By late 1875, the situation had reached a boiling point. Defiant and angered by the continued incursions into their sacred lands, large numbers of Sioux and Cheyenne people abandoned their designated reservations. They coalesced in Montana, drawn together by the leadership of prominent figures like Sitting Bull, a respected Lakota holy man and leader, and Crazy Horse, a fearless and highly skilled Oglala Lakota warrior. These individuals, along with other tribal leaders, were determined to defend their ancestral territories and way of life against the relentless tide of westward expansion.
In response to the growing unrest and the increasing number of Native Americans gathering in Montana, the U.S. government initiated a military campaign aimed at forcing the tribes back onto their reservations. On November 9, 1875, U.S. forces were dispatched with orders to engage and subdue those Native Americans deemed hostile to U.S. interests. This decision was partly based on a report from an Indian Inspector who claimed that hundreds of Lakota and Northern Cheyenne, aligned with Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, posed a threat to American expansion. The immense value of the gold-rich Black Hills further motivated the U.S. military’s actions. The stage was now set for a dramatic and tragic confrontation on the banks of the Little Bighorn.
The 7th Cavalry Regiment, under the command of the ambitious and controversial Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, played a central role in the unfolding events. Custer, a Civil War hero known for his daring tactics and flamboyant personality, was eager to secure another victory and further enhance his reputation. As part of a larger military force led by General Alfred Terry, Custer’s command approached the Little Bighorn River on the night of June 24, 1876. While the main body of Terry’s troops moved towards the mouth of the Little Bighorn to establish a blocking position, Custer, impatient and confident, decided to take the initiative. He dispatched two Crow Indian scouts to reconnoiter the area. The scouts returned with alarming news: a vast and well-populated Native American encampment lay along the Little Bighorn River. Ignoring this critical information, Custer, convinced that the Indians would scatter at the first sign of attack, made the fateful decision to divide his regiment into four separate commands and press forward with an immediate assault on June 25.
Custer’s plan involved a three-pronged attack designed to overwhelm the Native American village. Major Marcus Reno was ordered to lead one battalion in an assault on the southern end of the encampment, while Captain Frederick Benteen was dispatched with another force to scout the surrounding area and prevent any potential escape routes. Custer himself would lead the remaining troops in a direct attack on the northern end of the village. This division of forces, coupled with Custer’s underestimation of the size and strength of the Native American forces, would prove to be a fatal miscalculation.
Reno’s attack on the southern end of the village quickly ran into serious trouble. Expecting to find a small and disorganized group of Indians, Reno and his 175 men were shocked to encounter a far larger and more determined force than they had anticipated. The Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors, far from fleeing in panic, met the soldiers with fierce resistance. Realizing that he was severely outnumbered and facing a potentially disastrous situation, Reno sent a desperate message to Custer requesting reinforcements. However, receiving no response, Reno initiated his attack northward.
Facing overwhelming odds and the prospect of being surrounded, Reno ordered his men to halt their charge, dismount, and form a defensive line. For approximately twenty minutes, the soldiers exchanged fire with the Native American warriors, inflicting minimal casualties on the enemy while sustaining losses themselves. With no sign of Custer’s promised reinforcements, Reno made the decision to retreat into the timber and brush along the riverbank. This retreat quickly turned into a chaotic rout, as the soldiers were relentlessly pursued by Cheyenne and Sioux warriors. The battalion suffered heavy casualties as they fled uphill toward the bluffs east of the river.
As Reno’s beleaguered force struggled to reach the high ground, they were met by the timely arrival of Captain Benteen and his squadron. Benteen, who had been sent by Custer to scout the area, had been moving slowly and cautiously. His arrival on the bluffs proved crucial in preventing the complete annihilation of Reno’s men. The combined forces of Reno and Benteen were further reinforced by a smaller command escorting Benteen’s pack train, bringing much-needed supplies and ammunition. Despite the sound of heavy gunfire emanating from the north, indicating that Custer’s command was engaged in a fierce battle, Reno and Benteen hesitated to move towards the sound of the guns for at least an hour. This delay would later become a subject of intense controversy and criticism, with many arguing that Benteen had disobeyed Custer’s orders to "march to the sound of the guns."
While Reno and Benteen were struggling to maintain their position on the bluffs, Custer and his remaining troops were advancing towards the northern end of the Native American encampment. Unbeknownst to Custer, Reno’s attack had already been repulsed, and the Native American warriors were now free to concentrate their full attention on his approaching force. Custer’s plan to strike the village simultaneously with Reno’s attack was now in shambles.
As Custer approached the Little Bighorn River, he encountered unexpected difficulties in navigating the rugged terrain. The bluffs and ravines slowed his advance, delaying his arrival at the riverbank. By the time Custer reached his intended attack position, Reno had already been driven back, and the Native American warriors were well aware of Custer’s approach. The Cheyenne and Sioux warriors crossed the river and launched a fierce counterattack, pushing back the advancing soldiers and forcing them to retreat to a long, high ridge to the north.
Meanwhile, another large force of Sioux warriors, under the command of the legendary Crazy Horse, executed a brilliant flanking maneuver. They moved swiftly downstream, crossed the river, and then doubled back in a sweeping arc, effectively encircling Custer and his men. Cut off from any hope of reinforcement or escape, Custer and his command were trapped.
As the noose tightened around Custer and his men, he ordered them to shoot their horses and use the carcasses as makeshift defensive barriers. However, these makeshift fortifications provided little protection against the relentless onslaught of bullets and arrows raining down upon the soldiers. In a desperate and increasingly hopeless situation, Custer and his 210 men fought valiantly, but they were hopelessly outnumbered and outmaneuvered.
The battle raged for less than an hour. The exact details of the fighting remain a subject of historical debate, but it is clear that Custer and his men were overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the Native American warriors. In what became known as "Custer’s Last Stand," every soldier in Custer’s immediate command was killed.
The Battle of Little Bighorn was a resounding victory for the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. While exact casualty figures are difficult to ascertain, it is estimated that the Native American forces outnumbered the U.S. soldiers by approximately three to one. The victory, however, was short-lived.
After annihilating Custer’s command, the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors turned their attention to the remaining U.S. troops under Reno and Benteen, who had finally begun to move towards the sound of the fighting. For the next 24 hours, the Native American warriors relentlessly attacked the entrenched soldiers, but the U.S. troops managed to hold their ground until the arrival of General Terry and his reinforcements from the north. With the arrival of Terry’s troops, the tide of the battle turned. The Native American forces, realizing that they were now facing a much larger and better-equipped enemy, began to retreat south.
By the time Terry’s troops reached the battlefield, the Native Americans had already removed most of their dead and wounded. The bodies of the fallen soldiers, however, remained where they had fallen, many stripped of their clothing and mutilated. The task of identifying the dead was a grim and difficult one.
Custer’s body was found near the top of the hill that now bears his name. He had been shot in the temple and the left chest, but his body was left unmutilated. It is speculated that this was because he was wearing buckskins rather than a military uniform. Two hundred and ten men died with Custer, while another 52 perished under Reno’s command. The soldiers were given hasty burials on the battlefield. Estimates suggest that approximately 60 Native American warriors lost their lives in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
The news of the Battle of Little Bighorn sent shockwaves across the United States. Coming shortly before the nation’s centennial celebrations, the defeat was a profound blow to national pride and fueled a desire for revenge. The U.S. Army responded by significantly increasing the number of troops in the region with orders to "crush the Indians" and avenge the fallen soldiers.
In 1879, three years after the battle, an army court of inquiry was convened to investigate the events leading up to the disaster. The actions of Reno, Benteen, Terry, and Custer were carefully scrutinized during the investigation. Testimony suggested that Reno was a drunk and a coward, while Benteen was criticized for disobeying Custer’s orders. General Terry was also blamed for his late arrival on the scene. Ultimately, the inquiry concluded that faulty intelligence and poor communication were the primary factors contributing to the U.S. defeat. The subsequent military careers of both Reno and Benteen were negatively impacted by the controversy surrounding the battle.
In the same year as the military investigation, the Little Bighorn Battlefield was designated a national cemetery, administered by the War Department. In 1881, a memorial was erected over the mass grave of the Seventh Cavalry soldiers, U.S. Indian Scouts, and other personnel killed in the battle. In 1940, the battlefield’s jurisdiction was transferred to the National Park Service.
Over the years, public sentiment towards Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn has evolved. As understanding and recognition of the injustices suffered by Native Americans during America’s westward expansion have grown, so too has the perception of Custer as a symbol of that injustice.
In 1991, the U.S. Congress officially changed the name of the battlefield from Custer Battlefield National Monument to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, a move that reflected a growing recognition of the Native American perspective on the battle. Congress also ordered the construction of an Indian Memorial to honor the Native American warriors who fought and died defending their way of life.
Today, additional red granite memorials have been erected at the site, commemorating individual Native American warriors who participated in the battle, including Cheyenne warriors Lame White Man and Noisy Walking, and Lakota warriors Long Road and Dog’s Back Bone.
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, located in southeastern Montana near Crow Agency, Montana, is administered by the National Park Service and serves as a powerful reminder of the complex and often tragic history of the American West. It is a place where visitors can reflect on the events of that fateful summer in 1876 and learn about the perspectives of all those who were involved in this pivotal moment in American history.