The Battle of Little Big Horn
by Kris Leja

Introduction
The Battle of Little Big Horn, also known as Custer's Last Stand, took place on June 25, 1876 in southern Montana. Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer split his command of 650 men into three battalions: one led by Major Reno, Captain Benteen, and himself. On the banks of the Little Big Horn River was a large population of Cheyenne, Sans Arcs, Sioux, and Blackfeet indians led by Sioux Chief Gall, and Crazy Horse. Custer’s plan was to wage a three-prong attack from three different sides of the Indian encampment. Major Reno was ordered to attack while Custer made his way for the middle of the encampment. Reno’s men were barely surviving when Captain Benteen’s cavalry met up with them. All of Custer’s 197 men were killed in less than 20 minutes. The next day, the Indians also demolished Reno and Benteen’s calvaries.

“Although this was the biggest defeat of the U.S. Army by the Plains Indians, it was also the beginning of the end for the Indians. With the massacre occurring right before the nation’s centennial birthday, the mood changed against the Indian in Washington. Now the effort was to crush the Indians as if to personally seek revenge for the death of the soldiers at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.” -American Western History Museum.

I like the idea that the Indians were not going to abandon their way of life or their land. They fought for the right reasons and came out victorious. I enjoyed the tour of the battle site very much and also liked hearing the story from two different perspectives: an Indian’s side and an American park ranger’s side. Here are some pictures that I took of the battle site and inside the museum. Enjoy the pictures and music by the Plains Indians.