Little Bighorn National Monument - Custer National Cemetery, Montana

We departed Yellowstone Holiday on Friday, Sept. 27th with the idea that we would head through Yellowstone Park to Cody, WY.  Well, that idea was nixed with the return of light snow.  Not wanting to take any chances with the roads, we headed north to Bozeman, MT and then east to the Little Bighorn National Monument (Custer's Last Stand) located within the Crow Indian Reservation.  It was interesting to jump back in time and relive the story....

On the morning of June 25, 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer and the 7th Cavalry charged into battle against Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne Indians. Custer's orders were to wait for reinforcements at the mouth of the Little Big Horn River before attacking the Indians, but Chief Sitting Bull had been spotted nearby, and Custer was impatient to attack.

Custer's job was to force the Indians back to their reservations. Some of the Indians refused to leave their sacred land, and other hunters were camped in remote places and never learned of the treaty order. The U.S. Army prepared for battle anyway.

Custer planned to attack the Indian camp from three sides, but Chief Sitting Bull was ready for them. The first two groups, led by Captain Benteen and Major Reno, were immediately forced to retreat to one side of the river, where they continued to fight as best they could.  Custer was not as lucky. 

263 Calvary men were killed and are memorialized with white markers throughout the area, marking where they fell in this historic battle.  There are Native American markers in red granite stone as well but where they fell is somewhat a mystery as soon after the battle, their bodies were removed.  There is also a Native American Memorial but it was being refurbished.  The rolling hills, deep valleys, tall grasses, and roaming horses made it possible to imagine such a battle.   

Adjoining the visitor center is Custer National Cemetery, which includes interments from abandoned frontier military posts, the world wars, Korea and Vietnam.

 

It was a cold and windy day but that didn't stop us from walking the grounds - we used our cell phone at certain points to call a number and hear recorded information about the spot.  There is also a road you can take through the battlefield.  Two tour bus groups filled the small theatre so we were unable to catch the presentation - next time....