Battle of the Little Bighorn

Quick Facts: Who was Battle of the Little Bighorn?

Subject:

Battle of the Little Bighorn

Known for:

The pivotal 1876 battle where Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho forces defeated U.S. troops.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand and known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. It took place on June 25–26, 1876, along the Little Bighorn River in the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana Territory. The battle, which resulted in the defeat of U.S. forces, was the most significant action of the Great Sioux War of 1876.‎ Most battles in the Great Sioux War, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, were on lands those natives had taken from other tribes since 1851. The Lakota were there without consent from the local Crow tribe, which had a treaty claim on the area. Already in 1873, Crow chief Blackfoot had called for U.S. military actions against the native intruders.

Career & Major Achievements

The steady Lakota incursions into treaty areas belonging to the smaller tribes were a direct result of their displacement by the United States in and around Fort Laramie, as well as in reaction to white encroachment into the Black Hills, which the Lakota consider sacred. This pre-existing Indian conflict provided a useful wedge for colonization and ensured the United States a firm Indian alliance with the Arikaras and the Crows during the Lakota Wars. 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 commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (a brevetted major general during the American Civil War), suffered a major defeat. Five of the 7th Cavalry's twelve troops were wiped out and Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, his nephew, and his brother-in-law.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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. Custer's widow Libbie Custer soon began to work to burnish her husband's memory, and during the following decades, Custer and his troops came to be widely considered to be heroic figures in U.S. history. The battle and Custer's actions in particular have been studied extensively by historians. Custer's heroic public image began to tarnish after the death of his widow in 1933 and the publication in 1934 of Glory Hunter – The Life of General Custer by Frederic F. Van de Water, which was the first book to depict Custer in unheroic terms.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1851: 1851 Milestone — ‎ Most battles in the Great Sioux War, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, were on lands those natives had taken from other tribes since 1851.
2. 1873: 1873 Milestone — Already in 1873, Crow chief Blackfoot had called for U.
3. 1876: 1876 Milestone — The 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand and known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army.
4. 1933: 1933 Milestone — Custer's heroic public image began to tarnish after the death of his widow in 1933 and the publication in 1934 of Glory Hunter – The Life of General Custer by Frederic F.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Battle of the Little Bighorn

True or False: “The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought on land that had been ceded to the United States by treaty agreement.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Lakota were fighting over lands they claimed from other tribes, and the conflict arose partly because the U.S. encroachment into the Black Hills violated sacred Lakota grounds.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• A. K. Fazlul Huq — Historical peer (Born in 1873) (1873): Pakistani statesman and jurist, known as Sher-e-Bangla, a founding father of Pakistan.
• Adam Sedgwick — Historical peer (Died in 1873) (1873): Pioneering British geologist and Anglican priest, co-founder of modern geology.
• Abolhassan Banisadr — Historical peer (Born in 1933) (1933): Iranian politician who served as the first president following the Islamic Revolution.
• Adolf Loos — Historical peer (Died in 1933) (1933): Pioneering architect and theorist of modernism, known for his critique of ornamentation.
• Abdullah Ibrahim — Historical peer (Born in 1934) (1934): Pianist and composer, considered the leading figure in the subgenre of Cape jazz.
• Abimael Guzmán — Historical peer (Born in 1934) (1934): Peruvian Maoist revolutionary leader, founder of the Shining Path.

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