The Battle of the Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand): 145 years ago today.

[Dial H For Hero]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Little_Bighorn

The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. The battle, which resulted in the defeat of U.S. forces, was the most significant action of the Great Sioux War of 1876. It took place on June 25–26, 1876, along the Little Bighorn River in the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana Territory.

The fight was an overwhelming victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, who were led by several major war leaders, including Crazy Horse and Chief Gall, and had been inspired by the visions of Sitting Bull (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake). The U.S. 7th Cavalry, a force of 700 men, suffered a major defeat while commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (formerly a brevetted major general during the American Civil War). Five of the 7th Cavalry's twelve companies were annihilated and Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law. The total U.S. casualty count included 268 dead and 55 severely wounded (six died later from their wounds), including four Crow Indian scouts and at least two Arikara Indian scouts.

Public response to the Great Sioux War varied in the immediate aftermath of the battle. Libbie Custer, Custer's widow, soon worked to burnish her husband's memory, and during the following decades Custer and his troops came to be considered iconic, even heroic, figures in American history. The battle, and Custer's actions in particular, have been studied extensively by historians. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument honors those who fought on both sides.

[MontanaMama]

1. I've visited the battlefield several times.

It’s place that feels very heavy...it’s an emotional experience for sure.

[hauckeye]

5. We'll be visiting the battlefield later this year

It’s on our 2-week bus tour of national parks in the west

[CatWoman]

2. great movie if you have the time

[Dial H For Hero]

4. Thanks, I'll have to check it out! Then there's "He Died With His Boots On". Terrible history, but

Flynn is, as usual, extraordinarily charismatic, and the film is quite well done.

ht

[Retrograde]

8. The book it's based on is also worth reading

"Son of the Morning Star", by Evan Connel. The author is a novelist rather than a historian, and writes more about the people involved in the battle - on both sides - than on military matters. You won't learn much about the battle itself, but it gives some insights on the ordinary enlisted US soldiers and the lives of the Sioux.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

3. I've been there too.

It's a very sobering and somber place. They have done an amazing job analyzing the battle using modern forensics. They can tell you how many times each individual weapon was fired, and where. As I remember, (it's been ten years since I was there), they can also say which bullets hit their mark. You can see where several known people fell. The actual battlefield is about five miles long.

From what I've read, Custer was a fool. He knew full well the strength of the forces he faced. I've read that he believed that they would scatter and/or willingly return to reservations rather than fight.

Stop and spend the day if you're ever in the neighborhood.

[sarisataka]

6. I read an excellent book on the battle

Called Custer's Fall the Native American Side of the Story.

According to eyewitness accounts Custer was one of the first ones killed in battle, although the natives did not realize it. They mistook him for one of the scouts as he had cut off his distinctive hair.

His early death helps explain why the unit did so poorly because even for his other flaws Custer was a good leader on the battlefield. He would have perhaps held the unit together even when they were outnumbered and enabled some to escape.

[Dial H For Hero]

7. He certainly didn't lack for bravery, from all accounts.

[Blue_true]

9. He led Union Calvary charges during the Civil War. That takes guts. nt

[andym]

10. Little Big Man's take on Custer and Little Bighorn

Of course, it's not historical, but a classic film scene.

[PlanetBev]

11. Anybody else remember this song?

“Please Mr. Custer….I don’t wanna go!”

[Dial H For Hero]

12. I was really into novelty songs as a kid. I remember that one on a K-Tel LP.

"Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne (1960). A number one hit at the time! He did a sequel in 1964, but it was a flop, not even charting.