We loaded up all of our luggage and checked out of the Canyon Lodge. We planned on driving northeast back through the Lamar Valley. We decided to take our time and do some more wildlife spotting.
We spied the usual herds of bison. There were also more pronghorn active in the area as well. We also saw a solitary coyote who stood across the road eyeing the herds. He was way too small to make a meal out of any of these large animals.
We thought that the drive through the Lamar Valley and the eastern part of the park would only take us an hour or so at most. It ended up taking well over two hours. One of the issues is that the bison have an annoying habit of crossing back and forth on the road. Sometimes, they would just stop there and take their time before moving along. This would cause long traffic jams as cars would have to stop to avoid hitting one of these beasts.
It took us so long, that we had to pull over at one of the designated rest areas to use the primitive bathrooms. A flock of swallows were using the eaves of the building to build their nests. It was fascinating watching the swarm of activity as the adults were zipping around bringing food to their chicks in those nests.
The Beartooth Highway was once called the "the most beautiful drive in America" by the late CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt. From what we saw, he may be right. It was an alpine wonderland of snow-peaked mountains and icy-blue lochs.
The journey was slow as the road took us through many switchbacks. We also pulled over on the side of the road several times to take in all the scenery. At one such break, there was a friendly little marmot that came within only a foot or two from us. It sensed that we didn't have any food, so it soon scampered away.
An hour later after descending from the Beartooth Mountains, we were on the outskirts of Billings, Montana. It was still only early afternoon, so we decided drive an hour further east and visit the Little Bighorn National Monument.
There are few military disasters that have captured the attention of the American public for so long as Custer's Last Stand. It has become one of the most researched and analyzed battlefields involving American troops.
On June 25, 1876, Brevet General George A. Custer led his 7th Cavalry Regiment against a collection of Plains Indians tribes. Inspired by the Sioux Chief Sitting Bull, these Indians had left their reservation over a multitude of grievances. Custer had split his regiment into 3 battalions. He took five companies with him of 261 men as the main body. His second-in-command Major Marcus Reno led a smaller force of three companies as the spearhead. And finally Captain Frederick Benteen took up the rear with his 144 man battalion that was escorting the pack train. While most of the company commanders and enlisted men were Custer loyalists, both Reno and Benteen despised their commander.
The Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors completely annihilated Custer's battalion and crippled those of Reno and Benteen's. Movies and TV shows often portray Custer as an arrogant fool who led his heavily-outnumbered men to their deaths. However, seeing the battlefield in its entirety can help people understand Custer's motivation and see how Sitting Bull and his allies carried the day.
The battlefield itself is just a bunch of grassy hills overlooking the Little Bighorn River and valley below. Unless visitors understand the history behind the battle, they would probably find the site to be mundane. The visitor center shows a film that gives a brief overview about the Battle of Little Bighorn. However, the ranger talk that is given a few times a day is a much more informative and entertaining option. The one giving the talk that we heard was a retired history teacher who brought a lot of energy and drama to Custer's story. It was definitely worth listening to the 30-45 minute program.
Afterwards, we walked over the actual battlefield which is laid out in reverse chronological order. Since the battlefield has been so thoroughly researched, markers have been placed to memorialize where participants had fallen. The enlisted cavalry men are given anonymous white markers.
In contrast, the officers of the U.S. Army, such as George Custer and his brother Thomas Custer, are identified individually by name. A special memorial is also given to the hundreds of horses that died during the battle. In fact, the sole survivor from Custer's battalion was a severely wounded horse named "Comanche." When he died 15 years later, he was buried with full military honors.
The battle began with Custer ordering Major Reno's battalion to charge the Indian village head-on. Custer would make a flanking maneuver on the hills overlooking the village. Reno's men got within four hundred yards of the village before realizing that his men would be overwhelmed by its immense size. His men halted, formed a skirmish line, and then retreated to the safety of a nearby copse of trees. The Indians who were initially caught by surprise, soon mobilized and attacked the troopers.
Despite holding a well-defending position, Major Reno panicked after his lead Indian scout was killed in mid conversation with him. A haphazard retreat up the steep bluffs of a nearby ridge was ordered. This led to a rout with heavy casualties as soldiers were overtaken and struck down by warriors on faster horses. The survivors were able to reestablish defensive positions on the high ground known as the Reno-Benteen Hill.
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| The view from atop of the Reno-Benteen Hill. In the valley below, Reno's battalion had charged from the left to the village on the right. |
While Reno's battalion was fighting for their lives, Custer was on the high ground and able to see the expansive Indian village below. His scouts estimated that there were about 2,000 warriors, most of whom were riding towards Reno's men. Running the opposite way were the women, children, and elderly. Since he knew that he was vastly outnumbered and that his horses couldn't outrun those of the Indians, Custer came up with a daring plan. He would ride down and capture the "civilians" and use them as human shields. This strategy had worked for him eight years earlier in his victory at the Battle of the Washita against the Cheyenne. Sensing that he did not have enough soldiers to accomplish this task, Custer sent out his last communication--a note to Captain Benteen to "be quick" and "bring packs."
Eventually, the Indian warriors noticed Custer's battalion on the ridge and shifted the brunt of their attack away from Reno. Still on the offensive with the expectation that reinforcements were on their way, Custer further divided his battalion into two forces. His "right wing" formed a skirmish line on Calhoun Hill that rained fire down on the attacking Indians as they crept up the grassy hills. Custer took up positions a mile further ahead with his "left wing." Eventually, warriors led by the Sioux Chief Gall and the Cheyenne Chiefs Lame White Man and Two Moon charged and fought the right wing troopers in intense hand-to-hand combat. In the confusion, Lame White Man was killed and inadvertently scalped by one of his Sioux allies. He would be the only Indian chief to die that day.
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| Several men of the Custer's right wing met their fate on Calhoun's Hill. |
Meanwhile, the Sioux battle chief, Crazy Horse, was able to slip his band of warriors around the flanks of the right wing troopers and attacked from behind. Under fire from three directions, the soldiers' discipline quickly collapsed. The rout was on. Several troopers abandoned their positions and ran on foot trying to reach the safety of the surviving left wing companies. Mounted Indian warriors were able to overtake many of them and cut them down as they fled. Eyewitness accounts from surviving Indian warriors noted that many soldiers committed suicide when they realized that escape was impossible.
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| Several white stones mark the spots where cavalry men were cut down as they ran towards Custer's left wing. |
From their hill a mile away, Custer's remaining men could see the utter collapse of the right wing. They knew that they would be next. A small group of soldiers tried to make a dash for safety through the Deep Ravine. They were cut down by hordes of mounted warriors. Surrounded and outnumbered, the soldiers shot their horses and used them as cover. On "Last Stand Hill," the remaining soldiers had no chance. Here George Custer was killed alongside his brothers Thomas Custer (a two-time Medal of Honor recipient and company commander) and Boston Custer (a civilian scout) and their 18-year old nephew.
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| 42 white markers decorate Last Stand Hill. |
George Custer died not knowing that he never had a chance of receiving the reinforcements that he desperately needed. Captain Benteen did indeed receive the order to rejoin Custer's force. However, he halted his battalion once he reached the Reno-Benteen Hill. Instead of rushing to his regimental commander's aid, he ordered his men to take up defensive positions with Reno's troopers. Many historians speculate that Benteen's actions stemmed from his hatred of Custer.
One Custer loyalist, Captain Thomas Weir, eventually broke away from Benteen and tried to lead his D Company troopers to the rescue. They reached Weir Point where they were able to see the events on Last Stand Hill transpire. Weir retreated back to safety of the Reno-Benteen Hill.
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| The view from Weir's Point with Last Stand Hill far in the distance. |
The remnants of the 7th Cavalry Regiment spent the next two days hunkered down as they received further attacks and sniper fire from Indian warriors. The Sioux and Cheyenne village packed up and quickly moved on. On June 27, a large army led by Brigadier General Alfred Terry relieved the cavalry. From then on did the nation discover the extent of Custer's disastrous defeat.
For almost 100 years, this national cemetery and monument focused on honoring the dead troopers. A monument to the 7th Cavalry dead was erected five years after the battle was fought. The white marble stones were placed a decade later.
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| This memorial commemorates the 258 men of the 7th Cavalry who died. |
Only in the 1990's did the National Park Service began take into account the Native American experience. A handful of reddish-brown stones were placed to honor the Indian warriors who fell during the battle.
A large monument celebrating the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho participants was also built.
As a fan of military history, I enjoyed visiting The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. However, The Wife and The Kids who don't share my interest were ambivalent about the park. At least we had visited it on such a beautiful day.
We drove an hour back to Billings, Montana. For dinner we took a chance on a restaurant called Uberbrew. Although we aren't big beer drinkers, we were floored by how good their beer is. Both our favorites was the Giuchie Giuchie, a coffee cream stout. The food was good and our server was friendly and great.
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| A flight of beers |
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| Cheese crunchies |
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| Sausage macaroni and cheese |
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| Reuben sausage sandwich |
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| Jammin' burger |
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| Whiskey burger |
We had reservations at the TownPlace Suites. There was plenty of room for the four of us, and we even had a little kitchenette.
This hotel is great for travelers who want the flexibility to cook their own meals in their hotel room. The front desk even allows guests to borrow an Instant Pot to use inside their rooms. I did find it ironic that we used our Instant Pot religiously in Yellowstone at a hotel where it wasn't allowed, but then went out to eat once we had a hotel where it was perfectly acceptable.
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