Post by Diane Merkel on Oct 19, 2008 8:16:45 GMT -6
Rosebud Battlefield/Where the Girl Saved Her Brother
- Rosebud Battlefield is associated with the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877, considered to be the greatest Indian conflict ever to occur in America. The Great Sioux War is dominated by the victory of the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors over Colonel George Custer and his 263 soldiers at Little Bighorn. This defeat shocked the nation celebrating its Centennial and ultimate led to a counter attack and to the Lakota’s loss of the Black Hills.
- Rosebud Battlefield is associated with the lead up to the Battle of Little Bighorn. It represents the proactive position of the 1,500 Sioux and Northern Cheyenne as they forced the withdrawal of Brigadier General George Crook’s 1,000 troops at Rosebud Creek. The presence of thousands of warriors and soldiers on the field on June 17, 1876, made the day one of the largest battles of the Indian wars.
- Eight days later, because Crook’s troops were withdrawn from the war zone to resupply, they were not available to support Colonel Custer and his troops at Little Bighorn. This situation led to the disaster a week later at Little Bighorn.
- The battle at Rosebud Creek was exceptionally significant because the Indians fought as an army with great intensity to defend their traditional land.
- The Northern Cheyenne view the Rosebud Battlefield as sacred ground and hold ceremonies at the site in honor of the warriors and soldiers.
Wolf Mountains Battlefield/Where Big Crow Walked Back and Forth
- The defeat of Custer and his 263 men under his command at Little Bighorn at the hands of the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors on June 25, 1876, led to Congressional legislation that significantly increased the cavalry and infantry so they could pour troops into the Black Hills to destroy the tribes’ military power.
- The Battle of Wolf Mountains on January 8, 1877, marked a turning point in the Great Sioux War because it resulted in the eventual surrender of the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne, which led to their removal to reservation lands.
- The arrival of Crazy Horse and his people on May 6 at Camp Robinson, Nebraska, symbolized the formal conclusion of the war.
- The Battle of Wolf Mountains was the last major war of the Great Sioux War. With the end of the war, tribal people were removed from the Northern Plains, making it possible for European Americans to settle and develop the area’s commercial potential. The Indian tribes never roamed freely as before.
Article: www.doi.gov/news/08_News_Releases/101408b.html
