2018.09.29 - Little Bighorn Battlefield
2018.09.29 - Little Bighorn Battlefield - It's dark, cloudy and cold this morning as we head to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, about 3 miles north of Garryowen, MT. The 7th Ranch RV Park is still pretty empty as we pull out - got a wave from Chip, the owner, as we drove by.
After free entrance with our Golden Pass Card, we decided to head along the tour road before it got too busy. It's a really tight road and not too accommodating for motorhomes (but we didn't see any signs that disallowed them). We decided to turn back when the road crossed onto private property and Kuna Pit suffered another ding when we made the maneuver. Add that to the repair list.
We returned to the Visitor Center and started by watching a short film documenting the battle. The room was filled - all seemingly retired folks, no kids. After the video, a ranger gave what turned out to be an hour-plus talk on the battle - hugely informative and delivered with a lot of animation and detail. Didn't get his name, but he was from Pennsylvania and comes to the battlefield to speak about a month per year. Glad our visit was timed so we could catch him while he was here.
Between the video and the Ranger's presentation, we got a pretty detailed accounting of the history behind the battle that took place on June 25 & 26, 1876. We made a quick trip to the gift shop, then took a walk up the hill to see the 7th Cavalry Memorial where Custer and about 40 men made their "Last Stand." It was quite sobering to look down into the valley where Sitting Bull's village was located, imagining hundreds of warriors streaming across Greasy Grass Ridge and coming up out of Deep Ravine to surround Custer and his last survivors. They even had a small memorial for the cavalry horses that were shot and used for breastwork defenses as the soldiers made their last stand.
It's estimated that between 60-100 Lakota and Cheyenne warriors died during the fighting. Their families placed their bodies in tipis, on scaffolds and on the hillsides before leaving after the battle. A total of 260 soldiers and attached personnel of the US Army died during the two-day siege. The bodies of Custer and his command were buried in shallow marked graves at or near where they fell. Terry's command and survivors under Reno and Benteen returned with Terry to Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory instead of pursuing the Indians further. A year later, the remains of Custer, 10 officers and 2 civilians were transferred to eastern cemeteries. Custer's remains were buried at the US Military Academy at West Point. In 1881, the remains of the rest of the command were re-buried around the base of the memorial shaft that bears each of their names. In 1890 the army erected individual headstones across the battlefield where each had fallen.
Deep Ravine Trail - Watch for rattlesnakes!
Last Stand Hill from Deep Ravine Trail
Indian Village site below Deep Ravine
On the way back to Garryowen, we stopped at the local Trading Post outside the park gate to see if we could buy some milk. Lots of cheesy trinkets and junk, but no groceries. We also checked the Custer Museum at Garryowen. No luck there as well, and no interest to see the museum (which was hooked at the hip to another cheesy gift shop).
Tomorrow - Devils Tower in N.E. Wyoming, then probably heading south due to bad weather to the east.
7th Ranch - Nearly empty
After free entrance with our Golden Pass Card, we decided to head along the tour road before it got too busy. It's a really tight road and not too accommodating for motorhomes (but we didn't see any signs that disallowed them). We decided to turn back when the road crossed onto private property and Kuna Pit suffered another ding when we made the maneuver. Add that to the repair list.
Have a GOAL before backing up (Get Out And Look)
We returned to the Visitor Center and started by watching a short film documenting the battle. The room was filled - all seemingly retired folks, no kids. After the video, a ranger gave what turned out to be an hour-plus talk on the battle - hugely informative and delivered with a lot of animation and detail. Didn't get his name, but he was from Pennsylvania and comes to the battlefield to speak about a month per year. Glad our visit was timed so we could catch him while he was here.
Last Stand Hill - During the battle
Last Stand Hill - It's over for Custer
Sitting Bull, John and US Grant
Between the video and the Ranger's presentation, we got a pretty detailed accounting of the history behind the battle that took place on June 25 & 26, 1876. We made a quick trip to the gift shop, then took a walk up the hill to see the 7th Cavalry Memorial where Custer and about 40 men made their "Last Stand." It was quite sobering to look down into the valley where Sitting Bull's village was located, imagining hundreds of warriors streaming across Greasy Grass Ridge and coming up out of Deep Ravine to surround Custer and his last survivors. They even had a small memorial for the cavalry horses that were shot and used for breastwork defenses as the soldiers made their last stand.
Making the climb today to Last Stand Hill
Headstones marking the fallen, Custer's in black
The balance of Custers cavalry under the command of Maj. Reno and Capt. Benteen was engaged in a separate battle about 4-miles to the south of last Stand Hill. While trapped in heavy fighting on a ridge aptly named Reno-Benteen Battlefield, they did not know the fate of Custer and his command. Their two-day siege finally ended when the Indians left their valley camp after learning that General Terry and his columns were approaching from the north. 53 of their command were killed.
It's estimated that between 60-100 Lakota and Cheyenne warriors died during the fighting. Their families placed their bodies in tipis, on scaffolds and on the hillsides before leaving after the battle. A total of 260 soldiers and attached personnel of the US Army died during the two-day siege. The bodies of Custer and his command were buried in shallow marked graves at or near where they fell. Terry's command and survivors under Reno and Benteen returned with Terry to Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory instead of pursuing the Indians further. A year later, the remains of Custer, 10 officers and 2 civilians were transferred to eastern cemeteries. Custer's remains were buried at the US Military Academy at West Point. In 1881, the remains of the rest of the command were re-buried around the base of the memorial shaft that bears each of their names. In 1890 the army erected individual headstones across the battlefield where each had fallen.
7th Cavalry Memorial
In 1988, a movement was started to commemorate as well, the sacrifices experienced by the many Native American tribes that participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. In 1991, the National park Service started erecting red granite markers at known Cheyenne and Lakota warrior casualty sites throughout the battlefield and in 2003 the Indian Memorial was completed and dedicated with the theme, "Peace Through Unity." The circular design, constructed with native sandstone, includes engraved granite panels with words and images of the of the Arikara, Apsaalooke, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Lakota and Oyate tribes. There are openings towards each of the four cardinal directions in respect of the belief that spirits need to move freely thru the space. Most interestingly, however, is the wall portal opening called the "Spirit Gate" that is oriented directly towards the 7th Cavalry Memorial. The Spirit Gate acts as a passage for the cavalry dead to enter into the Indian Memorial's sacred central circle where they, too, can then proceed on to the afterlife.
Red Granite markers where Cheyenne and Lakota
warriors were known to have fallen
Spirit Warriors riding off to battle
Spirit Gate portal oriented directly towards the
7th Cavalry Memorial
By the early afternoon, the wind was blowing pretty steadily and it was getting too cold to do much more. On the way back to the Visitor Center, we took a short walk down the Deep Ravine trail, just below Last Stand Hill. Deep Ravine was actually that, a ravine that wound down to the valley where the main village had been located. It was basically the most direct route that the Indians could take to get from their village to Custer's location on the hill. Towards the end of the battle, it is thought that some soldiers tried to charge or flee towards Deep Ravine but were quickly overwhelmed and killed. Thus the many markers along the trail that indicated where soldiers and Indians as well had fallen.
Kuna Pit has grown it's own Tipi sticks
Tomorrow - Devils Tower in N.E. Wyoming, then probably heading south due to bad weather to the east.
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