Posted on 06/25/2004 7:09:26 AM PDT by ijcr
Like the battle at the Alamo, the one fought at the Little Bighorn has entered the realm where history and legend merge. The basic facts are these: on June 25, 1876, seventh U.S. Cavalry troops commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer came upon history's largest known encampment of Indians beside the Little Bighorn River.
In the battle that followed, Custer and all the men with him—more than 260—were wiped out by the Sioux warriors of Chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse as well as Cheyenne warriors.
Ironically, the Native Americans' victory hastened their own downfall, as Custer's loss motivated the U.S. government to move even more aggressively against the Indians.
In a sense, Custer never died. Scores of books and movies have been dedicated to his "Last Stand," and even today the battlefield site is the subject of controversy.
Through the 1980s, the National Monument was called the Custer Battlefield, and events were interpreted in favor of Custer and his men.
In 1991 the Park Service changed the name to Little Bighorn Battlefield to introduce a more balanced interpretation of events. A memorial planned to commemorate the Indians who died in the battle promises a neutral interpretation, although its critics charge that it tips the scale too far the other way.
Gravestones mark the last stand of Custer and his men.
Only because they wanted to be rounded up. Cold and hunger has a way of doing that. Otherwise there would have been six less Mounties.
They awarded something like 24 - TWENTY-FOUR - CMOHs to men at Little Big Horn...
They were very brave, but they had an advantage in that the Indians already regarded them as being representatives of the "Great Mother."
Yeah, and I'm sure those things are right smack dab on the Battlefield, too... not.
But hey, what's athread about indians without all the bitter "Casino/Gaming" references, right?
They are right at the entrance to the battlefield and have greatly changed the landscape and the mood of the battlefield.
So, tell me - how is that different from any other battlefield park in this country? Nearly any battlefield I've been to in this country was bordered by the kitchiest tourist crap.
But, man, when the Indians do it... it's a bad thing.
Happy Birthday to me, too. I have always made this the claim to my birthday's fame.
Of course, I won't be happy until the Crow Agency opens up a Barber Shop right on the spot where Custer was killed. ;0)
I was just going to ping you. (Interesting thread.)
Happy Custer Got His Butt Kicked Day!
The book (author: Douglas C. Jones) was far superior to the "movie".
In the book, the CMOH was given in exchange for Custer's resignation from the Army (as, in the book, he was acquitted of the Charges and so was able to remain in the Army).
In the book, as well, it does a far better job of explaining that, as a result of the Little Bighorn Battle, he was insane.
I had an ancestor (a Blackfoot) at Little Big Horn. Small world ;0)
Monroe, Michigan has a big statue of Custer on His Horse at the city park. I believe he was from Monroe.
Bookman's right. It does look like crap. There are many people on the Crow Agency that hate it, including my mother-in-law.
I'm sure it does... But then, EVERYTHING gets commercialized these days, and it IS a shame... but, again, it's not just an indian thing. It's a human thing, unfortunately...
SNIFF! You...you mean the Robert Shaw version of Custer was WRONG???
According to my book "The Custer Companion" the message you quote was the last message sent by Custer and carried by the Italian immigrant John Martin. The Kanipe message that Custer sent to Capt. McDougall read, "Bring the pack train straight across to high ground- if packs get loose don't stop to fix them, cut them off. Come quick. Big Indian camp."
That gives me an idea. ; )
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