When you hear the name Little Big Horn, what comes to mind? If you are like most, the last stand of General George Custer while fighting Chief Sitting Bull is the common thought; otherwise known as Custer’s Last Stand. The Nomads visited this battle ground and learned a lot more than what is taught in school or seen in the movies.
The Little Bighorn is described by the National Park Service in the following manner “This area memorializes the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry and the Sioux and Cheyenne in one of the Indian’s last armed efforts to preserve their way of life. Here on June 25 and 26 of 1876, 263 soldiers, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, died fighting several thousand Lakota, and Cheyenne warriors.”
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is located at the Crow Agency, Montana. If you enter “Crow Agency, MT” into your favorite search engine, it will give you directions to this National Monument. Or you can use the map below.
When you arrive and drive through the gates, after paying admission, you will come to an area where you will see gravestones, a few bathrooms, parking lot and a few buildings. The gravestones are not from the Battle of Little Bighorn. Since this is Federal Land, soldiers from many wars throughout the history of the United States are buried here.
The Little Bighorn trail that takes you through important places, times and events of the battle is one that you will drive for miles. Before you head on down the road, I have some tips for you. First, park in the parking lot by the gravestones and head over to the main building. Here you can pick up a trail map and walk through the museum. The museum really helps you to set the stage. It has all manner of artifacts from the Native Americans and the US Calvary. If you pay attention, it will give you a great education.
After visiting the museum, my second tip is to walk up the hill. You will know which one I am referring to. You cannot miss it. This is where Custer took his last stand; named appropriately as Last Stand Hill. You will see gravestones where they say each person fell. The grave stones for Native Americans are a different color than those of the US Calvary. This can help you readily identify where and who fell at that location. On this hillside is where Custer’s men shot their horses, laid them out and used them as cover during the battle. And it is where almost all of them fell. A few tried to run towards the river. I am not sure why. There were over 7,000 Lakota and Cheyenne people there.
If you walk across the road from this “last stand” spot, you will come across a grave that was dug for the horses that died. They should be remembered since they were sacrificed. This just added more sadness to the overall events that transpired here.
Beyond that is a structure called the Indian Memorial. This memorial gave a history of all people and factions that were involved in the battle. Enos Poor Bear, Sr., Oglala Lakota Elder said, “If this memorial is to serve its total purpose, it must not only be a tribute to the dead; it must contain a message for the living…power through unity…“ When you walk into the structure, you will see a metal sculpture depicting Native Americans on horseback. But, all around the circular memorial are engravings on the stone walls that give information about the Arikara, Apsaalooke, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Custer (more on this in a minute), Oyate and more.
This one memorial gave me more information, in one place, than any other story I had heard before. Do not pass this memorial by. For instance, did you know that the Crow were helping the US Calvary because they were tired of being attacked by the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho? Did you know that General Custer sat and smoked a peace pipe with a medicine man of the Cheyenne and said, “…I will never kill another Cheyenne.” To which Stone Forehead, the medicine man, said, “If you break your promise, you and your soldiers will go to dust like this. If you are acting treacherously toward us, sometime you and your whole command will be killed.” Sounds like the prophecy came true.
From the Indian Memorial, head back to your car at the parking lot. I would stop off at the bathrooms as you will not see any on the drive. Head on down the road and pay attention to the signs on your side of the road. They will tell you what happened at that point. You will learn that General Custer commanded more men but he split them up and spread them out. You will learn that a few miles away he had men encamped and not fully aware that he was being attacked. You will also learn that Crazy Horse was attacking these troops but was called back to attack General Custer.
As I said, there is a great deal that you will learn if you take the time to read the signs. But you should also take the time to enjoy the beauty of the landscape and take a moment of to show reverence to all who died at this location. It is mighty powerful when you take it all in. This trip to a battlefield that is far from any large metropolis was completely worth the trek. If you are a history enthusiast, add this to your list of places to visit. I will leave you with this Indian Prayer.
Before Me Peaceful
Behind Me Peaceful
Over Me Peaceful
Under Me Peaceful
All Around Me Peaceful
Safe Travels.
