The Battle of Little Bighorn, in Montana, is one of the most famous "non-Civil War encounters" of the 19th century. In class post-Civil War fashion, the US Army was fighting native groups in an effort to take their land/suppress their resistance movements.
The intriguing part of Little Bighorn is the final result. It is one of the rare cases where the natives prevailed and slaughtered the Americans. Usually it was the other way.
For this week's blog, watch this video and this video. Also, read this Arapaho primary source of the event.
For the comment section...
1) What is the basic story of the Battle of Little Bighorn/Custer's Last Stand?
2) Whose side are you most sympathetic towards...the natives or the US Army? Why?
In the 1920s, two elders, Waterman and Left Hand, were interviewed at Custer’s Last Stand. Tom Shakespeare Sr. was the interpreter for Col. Tim McCoy. Shakespeare said that the Arapaho were captives and were not involved in the fighting. However, Waterman does admit to fighting against the white troops. He even admitted that he killed a solider. This death was a ‘mercy killing’. Left Hand accidently killed a Sioux during the fighting. It means that the Arapaho were not part of the battle. They also were rather mere bystanders protecting themselves and those around them. Waterman said when he was a young man it was custom to the Indian to go on small war parties and look for unfriendly tribes. If their medicine was good they would sometimes return with a group of ponies. When and Indian slept, some people would leave their best horse outside their teepee. He had lived twenty-two snows at the time of the battle of the Little Bighorn River. The Arapahoes were camped at Fort Robinson. They drew their rations from the government. They rode north into the buffalo country, and one day near the Little Bighorn River we met a small party of Sioux. They thought they were scouts for the white soldiers. They took all their guns away and told them they were going to kill them. That night they couldn’t escape. Later in the morning they learned they were Arapahoes, so they went to the Sioux Chiefs and made them give them back their guns and set them free. At about 9:00 A.M. they heard shooting coming at the end of the village. The soldiers crossed the river and began to fight. They were easily beaten because there were many Sioux and Cheyennes. Only one Indian was killed that day. Reading this story I am most sympathetic about Indians because the U.S. army came on their land and took away many important lives. (word count:321)
ReplyDeleteThe Battle of Little Bighorn took place in the spring of 1876. The battle is also referred to as Custer’s Last Stand. George Armstrong Custer fought in this battle for the US Army. He is most remembered for this battle because of his courage. Custer was supposed to wait for reinforcements, but Custer was impatient to attack. He loved the thrill of being in battle. People either loved him or hated him. The US Army fought against the Indians to try and take their land. 2 Arapaho elders who fought in the battle shared their experience. The Sioux thought they were scouts for the white soldiers so they were taken as prisoners. The next morning they were freed when they learned they were Arapahoes. A few days later was the battle. The US Army was outnumbered by the thousands of Indians. The US troops were trying to attack the Indian camps, but the Indians fought them back. The Indians took some of their horses, and the soldiers on foot were completely surrounded by the Indians. The soldiers that tried to run away and reach the river were killed. One of the elders says that he saw Custer on his hands and knees. Custer was shot through the side with blood coming from his mouth. He died. The battle was from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Indians won the battle. I am most sympathetic to the Indians because it was the Us Army who attacked the Indians and tried to steal their land from them. (Word Count: 258)
ReplyDeleteThe battle of Little Bighorn and General Custer’s last stand have very interesting stories. First, the battle of Little Bighorn. First of all, General Custer led many men to a native encampment. The native chief Sitting Bull was the leader at that time. Custer followed Sitting Bull’s path to find the natives. Custer ended up making a mistake by splitting his men into 3 groups. He then goes up a hill which is named, “Last Stand Hill”, he realizes he doesn’t have enough men and sends some men to go request more troops and ammo. Custer and his men change from being the attacker to the one being attacked. The natives wiped out Custer and his men.
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I am more sympathetic toward the Natives. The reason I feel this way is due to the U.S army being so furious and showing no mercy. The Natives were minding their own business and the U.S army came in there and tried to wipe them out. The Natives had it harder than the citizens of the U.S, but once the army went out there and tried to kill them that was just one more thing to worry about. The people of the United States were selfish back then because all they wanted was more land, so they thought the best strategy to get more land was by killing off the natives.
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DeleteThere was a native tribe sitting on some land that the United States of America wanted they asking for it but the natives said no so the Americans have their general name Custer take it from them he starts by splitting his forces to attack the natives but soon realized he did not have enough troops so a message sent asking for reinforcements but the natives attack Custer before more troops came and he was out number so has his forces moved to the tallest hill in the area and hold their ground until help arrive but came up with a plan which involve a rain of pain with arrows which decimated Custer’s forces, his horses and him so today and on wards it was call the battle of big horn or also known as Custer’s last stand.
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ReplyDeleteMy pity is towards the natives of America, because we how no right to straight off take their land because to them it is sacred and to us it is just land also they fought us for what they believe in and we did not care short of, we starve them because we kill off the buffaloes, and we did the exact same thing what Andrew Jackson did created similar version of the trail of tears. (80)
In the first video it was talking about now in Montana they sometimes like larp or enact the battle of Little Big Horn. And they dress up and use old weapons that they would use back in 1876. The 2nd video talked about how it was Custers' last Battle, and it was an embarrassing one. They lost a lot men, and he actually died as well. The website and the 2nd video also talked about how the settlers were taking the land of the natives without asking, and they just didn't think the natives winked stand up for themselves. They thought wrong, the natives were experts of the land because they have been living there for years. So they have an advantage, but so do they settlers. The settlers had guns, and more like padding to help them if they got wounded. The natives also had 2 other slight edges, and that's really why I thinks they won that battle. They had ruthless nature, and they had something to loose. If they were the push overs like the settlers thought then they would probably get somehow enslaved, and that's why the fought with such ferocity. Because they had somethings to loose, and they would've lost their lands with their good crops and buffalo. I side with the natives because I don't want random people coming in and taking my land with outs asking and not think I won't fight back. (292 words)
ReplyDeleteGeorge A. Custer led an army of just over 200 men into the Montana territory. Custer's plan was to kill off the Native Americans in order to take their land. The main land area the US Army was interested in was Black Hills. The Native Americans were a nomadic tribe because they knew the Army was coming for them. Custer and his men met the Native American tribe in hills and water stream terrain. This made it very difficulty for the US Army to know where the Native Americans would come from, or know where to go where they wouldn't be exposed. At this point Cister made, what many believe as, his worst decision. He split his men up into threes. He wanted to attack from all three sides, but whenever he got a good view of the tribe he realized his Army was outnumbered.
ReplyDeleteAs I read and listen to people describe this battle I do feel sympathetic to one group. This group is the men being led by Custer. As I said earlier Custer did not being enough men or enough ammo. And to make this problem even worse he split his men into threes. So this made the shrink in numbers even more. This terrible planning shows because it only took about an hour for the Native Americans to kill the entire Army led by Custer. (225)
This encounter could be called the Apocalyptic Chaos or Custer’s Last Stand, in the Spring of June 25, 1876, George A. Cluster and 600 men go to get rid Indians in Southern Montana. The United States have been pushing the frontier West, and putting tribes onto reservations or agencies. Custer divides his army up into 3. Custer heads up the North side.George realizes that he doesn't have enough men or ammo so he sends a message back to the South for his items. The Indians wait at The Little Big Horn for the army and as they arrive around noon the day would be known as Last Stand Hill. Cluster was no longer “being the attacker but he is being the attack”. This defeat devastated America, causing the Government to send out more troops. Less than a year later, Sitting Bull flees to America and Crazy Horse surrenders in Nebraska. The Last Stand has been studied closer than almost any other military engagement in History. In the 1920s, two elders from Arapaho were interviewed in their involvement in Custer’s Last Stand. They were merely captives but they were not involved in the fighting. The men spoken too were named Waterman and Left Hand. Waterman talks about how he died kill a soldier but it was a “mercy killing,” and Left Hand accidentally killed a Sioux during the fight. The Arapaho were just mere bystanders that were protecting themselves and their tribe. The basic story of Little Bighorn would be that Custer went to Montana to get the land that the Indians has but was outnumbered in men, and the Indians killed Custer and 300 of his men. I would be on the Natives side because they have been following the Governments rules killing tribe after tribe. (word count:297)
ReplyDeleteGeorge Armstrong Custer is what some people call an adrenaline junky. He was not a very good student. He used to play the game what all I can do and not get kicked out. He finished last in his class. He was very popular in the day. In the first video they said he would have been an Instagram star. In the spring of 1876 Custer took to the battle field in US Army colors. The battle was for land that the natives were granted by the government. Custer led the battle to take the natives land. During the battle Custer was waiting for reinforcements but he got impatient and went ahead in the battle. There were two Arapho elders that wanted to join the battle but were taken captive by the Soiux for fear of them being scouts for the US Army. The next morning they were let go after the Soiux found out they were from another tribe. Within the next few days of battle the US Army was outnumbered by Indians. Custer was seen with a gunshot wound in his side that ultimately resulted in his death. The Native Americans won the battle in a very quick fashion the battle was seven hours long. I am more sympathetic towards the natives because none of them would have been killed and the battle would not have even happened if the states didn’t stick their nose where it doesn’t belong. (241)
ReplyDeletethis was joey i dont know why my name didnt show up
DeleteGeorge A. Custer brought about 200 men into battle on June 25, 1876 to attack the Indians in Montana. They had no knowledge of what they were going up against because they were greatly out numbered. And that was not their only disadvantage they didn't know anything about the terrain. The Indians on the other hand know the land very well.
ReplyDeleteCuster was a veteran from the civil war that help concur the south. He was very brave and aggressive. But his fatal mistake was he broke the troops into three.
Chief Sitting Bull lead the Indians into battle and massacred the American troops with his army of men. "We rained arrows over the hill." They waited till they stopped hearing gun fire then they ran up the hill and executed the rest of the men. In total about 200 man died that day.
Many people consider George Custer a "lightning rod” meaning people either love him or they hate him. And the Battel of Little Big Horn wasn’t a battle of force it was a battle of the minds. That battle was depected in many different ways, it started off as Custerd being a hero and then it went to him being crazy, it just depended on who you asked what there opinion of him was. When Custer was a boy he wasn’t the brightest he got into west point but he graduated last in his class, he did just enough to get buy in all of his classes he was know as a slacker and a trouble maker. But what dose it hatter he was a General at 23 and he was a war hero to most by 25. And this battle is so important because it was for the land with the last known group of buffalo. i am more symbolic to the americans because for them this was life or death, but for the indians they can survive on the land. The americans have been to reliant on shipping and other means of gathering food. (200)
ReplyDeleteThe battle of Little Big Horn, or often referred to as “Custer’s Last Stand,” took place in 1876. The reasoning behind the battle was mainly about land. The native tribes present in the battle were the Sioux, Cheyenne, and the Arapaho. Led by Crazy Horse and sitting Bull, the Indians slaughtered the United States soldiers. Lt. General George A. Custer led the attack on the Natives. The goal was to force the Indians back into their reservations. Custer divided his men into three different groups, but little did he know his entire army was outnumbered three to one. The group led General Custer soon became trapped, so Custer ordered his men to kill their horses and stack the bodies as cover. The assault by Crazy Horse was too much, though, because in roughly an hour all of Custer’s men were killed. This battle was one of the very rare battles in history where the Natives absolutely slaughtered the United States soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI am probably more sympathetic towards the Native Americans in this fight. Even though the Natives wiped out the soldiers in this fight, I still take their side. I think the American soldiers “had it coming,” since they were the ones who continued to push back the natives and force them into things they didn’t want. The Natives weren’t the ones attacking, they were the ones attacked. That is why I am more sympathetic towards them.
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On June 25, 1876, the battle of Little Big Horn was fought. The two army that were involved in the war were the Americans and the Natives tribes of Sioux and Shian. The American army was lead by General Custord, who was about 36 at the time. He brought about 600 men to fight with him. The Sioux and Shian tribes was lead by Sitting Bull. The Native Americans knew that the A merican were coming after them. The main reason for the battle was the land that is located in Montana. The Natives called the land the greasy grass, but the Americans called it Little Big Horn. when Custord arrived there he made the mistake of splitting his troops into three groups. After he did so the Native Americans attacked them, and after the Native Americans shot their horses down the the Americans hid behind them. The Native American began to shoot uphill at them, and them went after them and killed them. General Custord was one of the many men killed in combat. This was one of the Greatest victories for the Plain Indians. There was also a firsthand account given in the 1920’s. I am most sympathetic to the Natives side because they were just trying to protect their land when the Americans tried to take it from them. If someone tried to take something of yours you would fight back, right?
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The Battle of Little Big Horn was a big mistake for the US army. General Custard led some troops into battle against an Indian camp along the bank of the river Little Big Horn in Montana. Custard was hoping to defeat the Indians and gain land for the American people who were rapidly expanding west. General Custard split his men up into three groups to attack the Indian camp from three different direction. Too bad he didn't know how many Indians there were. Custards troops were way outnumbered and were totally destroyed. The Indians (consisting of at least three different Indian tribes) killed every US troop they set eyes on. The battle did not last long either, it began around 9:00 am and ended around 3:00 pm the same day.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize with the Indians. The US should have never attacked them in the first place because the Indians were given that land to live on. The Americans were terribly unfair to the Indians. The Indians lived in North America first. We came into their territory and drove them out of it and killed them off.
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ReplyDeleteThe battle of little big horn was a great win for the native Americans but a horrible lost for the US. Which Custer had good intentions of winning by splitting up his forces to find the natives, but bad idea when it came to battle time as he had 200 men with him. Which was a bad idea as all of his men and Custer was killed. With the native leaders sitting bull and crazy horse as after that battle the US sent more troops over to get the natives out and whoever resisted were killed. And the US didn't do much after the battle until a couple of natives American found the battle grounds 100’s if years later seeing bullets in the river and arrows and they made it a historic ground today with reenactments and great story telling. Custer was a great general in the civil war as he helped out the union a lot in Gettysburg even tho he was one of the worst in his class he did great in the battle field. Towards the end of his life he was on a down slope he lost his popularity and money and he tried to be great again if he won that battle but didn't work out. 206
ReplyDeleteThe story is about The Battle of Little Bighorn. It took place in Montana. General Custard came into the land that was given to the Native Americans. He was extremely outnumbered by the Native Americans. This was the last Battle that George Armstrong Custard would fight. This battle was about land. The Native Americans did not run. The Native Americans made it a quick victory. General Custard split his army into three groups and each group was outnumbered. His remains were found at Little Bighorn. Sadly, the Natives were pushed to reservations in a near future. The battle started at about 9:00 and it ended at abut 3:00. Custard's army had the upper ground.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to side with the Native Americans or the Americans, I would side with the Native Americans. The reason I would side with them is because the Americans had no business attacking the Native Americans in the space that they were provided. The attack was just unfair. The Native Americans were doing what they were told to do. They were living in the land that the United States Government provided for them. But It is good that the Native Americans came out with the victory because, America was in the wrong. (205)
The Battle of Little Big Horn took place in Montana. The year was 1866 and it was June 25. This battle was a very big mistake on the U.S. army's part. General Custard and 600 other men came charging in to an Indian village, coming in from 3 different directions. Little did they know how many Indians there were in the village. They were very outnumbered and stood no chance. The fight only ended up lasting about 6 hours. The men that died there, including Custard, were buried where they laid dead. They got completely destroyed by the Indians in that village.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize more with the Natives because they weren't looking for the fight in the first place. It was the U.S. army that initiated the fight in the first place, all because they wanted some land. Natives lost their lives on that day because we wanted more land for us. There was no need for a battle that day, even if the Natives had won. I'm sure they didn't want to have to kill our army either, but we forced their hand into having to. They were there first anyways, but we were completely intolerant and decided to either drive them away or kill them off. (208)
The Battle of Little Bighorn, or Custer’s Last Stand took place in Montana on June 25, 1876. It had the combined forces of the Lakota, Cheyenne, and the Arapaho. They were led by Chief Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. This fight was an overwhelming victory was the Native Americans. On the US side, there was the 7th Calvary Battalion. The force consisted of about 700 men led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. Custer was killed, as was two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother in law. The total casualty count included 268 dead and 55 wounded. The battle is said to have lasted about as long as it takes for a hungry man to scarf down his dinner. Custer liked to wear fancy clothes, such as some with scarlet clothes. When Waterman, he had been shot through the side and there was blood coming out of his mouth. He was dressed in buckskin. Waterman said that most of the soldiers had been scalped, but he did not know about Custer. Custer died with a smile on his face and with awls in his ears so he could hear better in the afterlife. This is one of the biggest anomalies of the battle. I’m more sympathetic towards the Native Americans because that is their land being forcefully taken from them. They’re being put on reservations against their will. That is why I’m sympathetic towards the Native Americans. (240)
ReplyDeleteThe story of the battle of Little Bighorn all started when people to move west into Native American territory's after the Civil War. The people who wont to move into a territory of a Native American territory called the Sioux. They where following a heard of Buffalo, and they stop by the river Little Bighorn known by the Americans. The Native American called it the Greasy Grass. Custer was heading to take care of this with a group of men. Custer thoughts it was going to a good group of men. Custer men started to grow around the Sioux, but the Sioux was come up behind them as well. The Native American killed all of them at the hill people called the last stand. Custer died at this battle.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize with the Native American more for they were followed the buffalo. They wear also just wont to keep there land. I was just thinking that they did not wont die with there whole tribe counting on them to keep them safe and keep them feed, man are following them to take there land from them. So I see why they are killing all these men off that have followed them for a long time like a crazy people would do. So at the battle of Little Bighorn I see why they are doing this but they should keep more of men alive then they did.(236)
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ReplyDeleteThe Battle of Little Bighorn was mainly about G.A. Custer trying to surprisingly attack the Indians but underestimated them and got surprisingly ambushed and 200 of Custer's men along with Custer died and the Indians won and claimed their land.
ReplyDeleteI feel more sympathetic towards the U.S. Army because Custer didn't see that coming and the men had to pay the price for trying to ambush the Indians. Technically speaking, it was Custer's fault for trying to lead his men in to Death Valley when they should have saw it coming.