Battle of Little Bighorn Informative Essay
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Battle of Little Bighorn Informative
Essay
A factual and objective examination of the causes, events, participants, consequences, and
historical legacy of the 1876 battle.
Introduction
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, fought on June 25 and 26, 1876, was one of the most
important military encounters of the nineteenth-century American West. Along the Little
Bighorn River in what is now Montana, warriors from several Indigenous nations, especially
the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne, defeated a force of the United States Seventh Cavalry
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The battle became famous
because Custer and hundreds of his soldiers were killed, but its importance extends beyond
the dramatic defeat. The confrontation was part of a larger U.S. military campaign intended
to force nonreservation Lakota and Cheyenne communities onto reservations. The battle also
grew from disputes over land, treaty obligations, the Black Hills, and the federal
government's efforts to restrict Indigenous movement and independence. Examining the
causes, participants, course, and aftermath of Little Bighorn reveals how the battle was both
a major Indigenous victory and a turning point in the government's campaign to control the
Northern Plains.
Lakota and Cheyenne Life on the Northern Plains
The Lakota and Northern Cheyenne maintained societies closely connected to the
grasslands, rivers, wildlife, and seasonal movements of the Northern Plains. Horses
transformed travel and hunting, while the buffalo provided food, clothing, shelter materials,
tools, and other resources. Political authority was distributed among leaders, families,
societies, and communities rather than organized as a single centralized government. Large
gatherings could bring together thousands of people for hunting, social activities,
ceremonies, and decision-making. This way of life depended on access to broad territories,
making restrictions on movement and land especially consequential.
The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868
Relations between the United States and the Lakota had been shaped by warfare and
treaties. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 established a large reservation for the Lakota and
recognized their rights to the Black Hills and surrounding territory. Not all Lakota accepted
the treaty system in the same way, and many non-treaty bands continued to live and hunt
outside the reservation. The National Park Service explains that leaders such as Sitting Bull
and Crazy Horse rejected the reservation system and that many roving bands did not
consider themselves bound by its restrictions.
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Gold in the Black Hills
A major new source of conflict appeared in 1874, when George Armstrong Custer led a
U.S. expedition into the Black Hills. The expedition was officially associated with exploration
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and the search for a site for a possible military post, but geologists accompanying the
expedition identified gold deposits. News of gold spread rapidly, bringing miners and other
settlers into an area protected by the 1868 treaty. The influx violated the treaty and
increased pressure on the United States to obtain control of the Black Hills. The Smithsonian
Institution identifies the discovery of gold during Custer's 1874 expedition as a major factor
leading toward the later conflict.
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The 1875 Reservation Ultimatum
By late 1875, federal officials sought to bring Lakota and Cheyenne people who were
living outside reservations under tighter control. The government ordered those classified as
nonreservation Indians to report to agencies by January 31, 1876. Many did not comply. The
National Park Service records that the deadline was ignored by Sitting Bull and his followers
and that the War Department subsequently ordered military operations. This decision
transformed a political dispute over reservation policy into a military campaign.
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The U.S. Military Campaign
The army developed a campaign involving several columns intended to locate and force
nonreservation Lakota and Cheyenne groups back onto reservations. Forces under General
Alfred Terry, General George Crook, and Colonel John Gibbon approached the region from
different directions. Custer's Seventh Cavalry formed a major part of Terry's force. The
strategy was complicated by the mobility of Indigenous communities, the enormous size of
the Northern Plains, and limited communication among military columns. The army hoped to
prevent large groups from escaping into the surrounding country.
Sitting Bull and the Gathering at Little Bighorn
Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota spiritual leader and prominent opponent of reservation
policies, became one of the best-known figures associated with the non-treaty Lakota. During
a Sun Dance in June 1876, he experienced a vision that he interpreted as a sign of victory
over U.S. soldiers. Soon afterward, Lakota and Cheyenne communities gathered in the Little
Bighorn Valley. The National Park Service estimates that approximately 7,000 Lakota and
Cheyenne people were in the large village when the army approached.
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The Village at Greasy Grass
The river valley provided water, grass for horses, and a productive environment for a
large community. Indigenous accounts and archaeological evidence indicate that the village
was extensive, with separate groups arranged along the river. The Lakota name for the area
is often translated as Greasy Grass. Because the settlement was large and mobile, Custer
faced a military situation very different from the smaller groups his soldiers had encountered
during previous operations. The size of the village also meant that many civilians were
present near the fighting.
Custer's Decision to Advance
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On June 22, Custer and the Seventh Cavalry left with orders to move toward the
suspected location of the Lakota and Cheyenne village. Scouts reported signs that a large
community was nearby. Custer's force had roughly 600 cavalrymen, supported by Native
scouts and other personnel. Rather than waiting for the other army columns to arrive, Custer
moved toward the village. The National Park Service notes that General Terry had assigned
Custer a wide flanking movement and that communications among the army forces were
difficult.
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Major Reno's Attack
On the afternoon of June 25, Custer divided his regiment into separate commands. Major
Marcus Reno was ordered to attack the village from the south. Reno's soldiers crossed the
Little Bighorn River and advanced toward the settlement, but they encountered strong
resistance. As the number of Indigenous warriors increased, Reno ordered a retreat across
the river and onto higher ground. His men later joined Captain Frederick Benteen's
command. The Reno and Benteen portions of the battle continued into the following day,
creating a separate defensive struggle from Custer's final engagement.
Benteen and the Search for Custer
Captain Frederick Benteen had been sent to scout an area south of Custer's main
advance. He eventually returned and joined Reno's forces on the bluffs. Custer sent a brief
message requesting that Benteen bring additional supplies and move quickly toward the
large village. Benteen and Reno's men heard heavy gunfire from the direction of Custer's
command but did not reach him in time. The two groups later established a defensive
position on the bluffs, where they remained under pressure until the Indigenous village
began moving away on June 26.
Custer's Movement Along the Ridges
The exact sequence of Custer's final movements cannot be reconstructed with complete
certainty. The National Park Service has combined archaeological evidence, Indigenous
accounts, military records, and the locations of battlefield remains to develop a general
picture. Custer moved north along the bluffs after Reno's attack began. His soldiers
encountered resistance around Medicine Tail Coulee and then withdrew or moved back
toward the ridges. Companies of the Seventh Cavalry became concentrated along what is
now known as Custer or Battle Ridge.
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Lakota and Cheyenne Resistance
Indigenous resistance grew as warriors from different communities responded to the
attack. Important leaders included Crazy Horse, Gall, Two Moons, and others, while many
individual warriors acted according to their own societies and family responsibilities. The
large number of defenders gave the Lakota and Cheyenne a substantial numerical advantage.
Their familiarity with the landscape, horses, weapons, and movement patterns also helped
them respond rapidly to the divided U.S. force. The battle was not simply a victory created by
numbers; it involved coordinated responses, local knowledge, and the ability of many
communities to mobilize quickly.
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The Defeat of Custer's Command
Custer's command was eventually surrounded on the ridges east of the Little Bighorn
River. Companies attempted to establish defensive positions, but the soldiers became
increasingly isolated from Reno and Benteen. Archaeological evidence indicates that the
fighting moved across several positions rather than occurring only at one famous hill. The
National Park Service states that about 210 men were in Custer's immediate command and
that they were overwhelmed by hundreds of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. Custer and the
soldiers with him were killed.
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Casualties
The battle resulted in heavy casualties for the Seventh Cavalry. The National Park Service
chronology records 268 Seventh Cavalry soldiers, civilians, and Indigenous scouts killed
across the battle, while estimating approximately 60 to 100 Lakota and Cheyenne deaths.
Other historical sources give somewhat different totals, partly because records of Indigenous
casualties were incomplete. These differences illustrate one of the difficulties historians face
when reconstructing nineteenth-century battles from sources created by different
participants.
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The Battle Continues on June 26
The battle did not end when Custer's command was destroyed. Reno and Benteen's
soldiers remained in a fortified position on the bluffs and faced attacks through the night.
Water was difficult to obtain, and soldiers were exposed to continued Indigenous fire. On
June 26, the Lakota and Cheyenne began withdrawing as scouts reported the approach of
General Terry's column. The surviving soldiers were relieved when Terry and Gibbon arrived.
The National Park Service records that the village moved away late on June 26 and that
Terry's forces reached the battlefield on June 27.
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Discovery of Custer's Battlefield
When the U.S. forces reached the area, they found the bodies of Custer's command
scattered across the ridges. The soldiers were buried on the battlefield, and the location soon
became a focus of national attention. News of the defeat traveled quickly eastward. Custer's
death transformed the battle from a regional military encounter into a national story, and
newspapers helped create a powerful public image of the event. Later archaeological work
has continued to refine understanding of the fighting.
Why Custer Became the Central Figure
Although many Indigenous leaders and communities played important roles, public
memory in the United States focused heavily on Custer. He had already become a well-known
military figure through service during the Civil War and earlier Plains campaigns. His death
provided a dramatic narrative that could be presented as a heroic last stand. Over time,
however, historians and Native scholars have emphasized that the battle involved many
people whose experiences were overlooked when the story was reduced to Custer's final
moments.
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Indigenous Accounts and Archaeology
For decades, much of the popular history of Little Bighorn depended on U.S. military
accounts and later narratives written from the American perspective. Indigenous oral
histories provided different interpretations of the battle, including details about individual
warriors, movements, and decisions. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, archaeology
added another source of evidence. The locations of cartridge cases, bullets, weapons, and
other objects have helped historians reconstruct movements across the battlefield. The
National Park Service emphasizes that archaeological finds and Indigenous accounts are
essential to understanding what happened, even though some details remain uncertain.
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The Battle's Immediate Consequences
The victory at Little Bighorn was a major short-term success for the Lakota and
Cheyenne, but it did not end the war. Instead, the defeat shocked the United States and
strengthened political support for expanding the military campaign. More soldiers were sent
into the Northern Plains, and pressure on nonreservation communities intensified. The
National Park Service notes that the battle became a rallying point for increased U.S. efforts
to force Native people onto reservations.
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The Loss of the Black Hills
The political consequences were especially severe because the United States continued
its efforts to obtain the Black Hills. Despite the treaty protections associated with the region,
federal policy shifted toward taking control of the area. The Lakota eventually lost the Black
Hills without receiving the consent and compensation they had sought. The struggle over the
Black Hills became a lasting example of the conflict between treaty promises and federal
expansion.
Surrender and the End of the Campaign
Following Little Bighorn, the U.S. Army pursued Lakota and Cheyenne communities more
aggressively. Some groups surrendered during the following year, while others continued
resisting. Crazy Horse surrendered in 1877, and Sitting Bull eventually left for Canada before
returning and surrendering in 1881. The National Park Service chronology records that most
of the major nonreservation groups were forced toward reservation life within a relatively
short period after the battle.
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Sitting Bull's Role and Historical Memory
Sitting Bull is often described as the leader of the Lakota victory, but that description
requires care. He was an important spiritual and political leader and helped unite people who
opposed reservation policies, yet he did not command every warrior in the battle. The
National Park Service states that Sitting Bull was beyond fighting age and did not participate
directly in the combat, although he sent his nephews into the fighting with his medicine. His
influence was therefore important to the community's political and spiritual life rather than
being equivalent to the battlefield command of a modern general.
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Crazy Horse and Other Leaders
Crazy Horse was among the most important Lakota military leaders associated with the
battle. He had already developed a reputation as an effective warrior and tactician. Other
leaders, including Gall among the Hunkpapa and several Cheyenne leaders, also played
significant roles. The Indigenous force was not a single army under one commander. Its
strength came from the presence of many communities and leaders who responded to the
immediate threat in ways that contributed to the defeat of the Seventh Cavalry.
A Turning Point Rather Than a Final Victory
Little Bighorn is sometimes described as the greatest victory of the Plains tribes, and in
military terms it was a remarkable defeat of a U.S. cavalry force. Yet it did not reverse the
broader balance of power. The United States possessed a much larger population, industrial
resources, transportation networks, and ability to reinforce the army. The battle therefore
became a paradox: it demonstrated the ability of Lakota and Cheyenne communities to defeat
a powerful military force while also triggering a stronger campaign against them.
The Battlefield as a National Memorial
The site was first set aside as a national cemetery to memorialize U.S. soldiers who died
in the battle. Over time, public interpretation expanded to include the Indigenous
participants and the broader history of the conflict. The National Park Service now manages
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument as a place to honor and interpret the sacrifices
of people on both sides. The park's Indian Memorial and other interpretive features
recognize the Native American experience as an essential part of the history.
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Historical Significance
The Battle of the Little Bighorn remains significant because it brings together questions
of land, sovereignty, military strategy, cultural survival, and historical memory. It
demonstrates how federal expansion could turn treaty disputes into military conflict and how
Indigenous communities could temporarily defeat a technologically powerful opponent. It
also shows how the interpretation of a historical event can change as new evidence and
previously marginalized perspectives become part of the record. Today, the battlefield is
understood not merely as Custer's last stand but as a place where many Indigenous
communities defended their homes and way of life.
Conclusion
The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought on June 25 and 26, 1876, during a larger U.S.
campaign to force nonreservation Lakota and Cheyenne communities onto reservations.
Tensions had grown because of disputes over treaty lands, the Black Hills gold rush, and
federal efforts to restrict Indigenous movement. Custer's Seventh Cavalry attacked a large
village in the Little Bighorn Valley but became divided and was overwhelmed by Lakota and
Northern Cheyenne resistance. Custer and hundreds of his men died, while Reno and
Benteen's soldiers survived a separate defensive struggle. Although the battle was a major
Indigenous victory, it prompted a stronger U.S. military campaign and was followed by the
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loss of much of the remaining political and territorial independence of the Plains tribes. Its
enduring importance lies in both the battle itself and the larger history of Indigenous
resistance, U.S. expansion, treaty conflict, and the continuing effort to tell the story from
multiple perspectives.
