Battle of Little Bighorn

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In American Indian history the dates of 25th & 26th June 1876 are famous, for it was on these two days at the Little Bighorn River that a famous battle took place, and General George A. Custer became a household name.

The determined resistance of the nomadic Plains tribes in the protection of their hunting grounds and way of life had earned them a number of military victories, and would continue to do so before they were eventually defeated by the stronger US Government forces. The Battle of Little Bighorn (which is also called Custer's Last Stand and Custer’s Massacre and, by Native Americans, the Battle of the Greasy Grass) was an armed engagement between a combined force of Plains tribes and the 7th Cavalry of the United States Army. It occurred near the Little Bighorn River, in Big Horn County, in the Eastern Montana Territory.

The Plains tribes formed an alliance led by the Lakota and featured two of their legendary leaders, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. The Lakota (also known as Lakhota, Teton and Titonwon) are one of a group of seven tribes (the Great Sioux Nation) who speak Lakota - one of the three major dialects of the Sioux language. The Lakota are the Westernmost of the three Sioux groups, occupying lands in both North and South Dakota.

Sitting Bull (in Sioux: Tatanka Iyotake or Tatanka Iyotanka or Ta-Tanka I-Yotank, first named Hunkesni, Slow), was born around 1831 and died on 15th December 1890. He was a Hunkpapa Lakota chief and holy man. He is noted in American and Native American folklore for his premonition of defeating the American forces (at the Little Bighorn) which subsequently became reality.

Crazy Horse (in Lakota: T'ašunka Witko) was slightly younger, having been born around 1840. He died little more than a year after The Little Big Horn, on 15th September 1877, in controversial circumstances having been stabbed by a soldier with a bayonet whilst allegedly resisting arrest. He was a respected member of the Oglala Sioux tribe. Noted for his courage in battle, he was recognised among his own people as a great leader committed to preserving the traditions and values of the Lakota way of life, and for leading his people into a war against the takeover of their lands by the Federal Government of the United States.

They were joined by what are known as the Northern Cheyenne, another nation of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne nation is composed of two united tribes, the Sotaeo'o and the Tsitsistas, which translates to "Like Hearted People". The name Cheyenne itself derives from a Sioux word meaning "Little Cree". During the pre-reservation era, they were traditional allies of the Arapaho and Lakota.

The Arapaho tribe historically lived on the Eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne and loosely aligned with the Sioux, especially the Lakotas.

Primarily, as is now universally recognised, the Native Americans were fighting for their traditional way of life on lands they had occupied, lived upon, grazed animals on and cultivated for centuries. The aggressors were the immigrant "white man" who wanted to take their lands and change their lifestyles. They were being herded onto reservations and deprived of their livelihoods and means of support.

It is not surprising that many chose to fight against these obvious injustices. The United States Government, on the other hand, was determined to enforce its authority, and decided to round up the dissident elements and return them to the reservations. They regularly despatched troops to deal with "local" difficulties. What happened at The Little Bighorn was a combination of ineptitude, inexperience and unpreparedness meeting Native American determination.

Custer took the blame, but it was not all his fault. Many of Custer's troops were recruits who did not possess an adequate level of military training and skill. Archaeological evidence also suggests that they were undernourished and in poor physical condition. They had been on a forced march for nearly 24 hours without sleep at the commencement of the engagement.

His mistake was to issue orders to others before he was there to see the situation for himself, so the Battle was underway before he was totally in command, although he was responsible for the tactics employed (successfully on previous occasions) which turned out to be so disastrous.

What of Custer himself? George Armstrong Custer was born on 5th December 1839. He had been a United States Army cavalry commander in the American Civil War who remained in the army, and had fought in earlier battles in the Indian Wars. Promoted at an early age to Brigadier General, he was a flamboyant and aggressive commander during numerous Civil War battles, known for his personal bravery in leading charges against opposing cavalry. He led the Michigan Brigade whom he called the "Wolverines" during the Civil War. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn along with two brothers, a brother-in-law and a nephew.

Much has been written about the military aspects of the Battle of Little Bighorn and it is likely that much more will be written in the future. The undeniable fact is that the battle was the most famous incident in the Indian Wars and was a remarkable victory for the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. A US cavalry detachment commanded by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer was annihilated.

Modern day celebrations are generally muted and somewhat academic in nature. There have been battle re-enactments close to the original site, and many more simulations by both historical societies and those interested in former military battles.

Some Native Americans also celebrate the event as being a significant battle in their history, although it can be said that they actually lost the war in the long term.