Battle of Little BigHorn

Battle of Little BigHorn

1. Events leading up to it

   • 1. Gold discovered in black hills in 1874
   • 2. Sioux refused to sell land
     • Black hills= high up, close to heavens
     • Ancestors went to BH and were saved from floods
   • 3. Sioux ordered on to reservations, but they refused

2. Us: Battle plan

   • Two-pronged attack
   • Lt Colonel George Custer was ordered to march round the Wolf mountains

3. Sioux: Battle plan

   • Sioux had been joined by the Cheyenne and Arapaho
   • Over 3000 warriors
   • Armed with Winchester repeating rifles.

4. Custer's defeat

   • Went through (not around) wolf mountains
     • Troops and horses tired
   • Divided group of 600 in to 3
     • Captain Frederick Benteen
     • Major Marcus Reno
     • Cluster
   • Arrived first
     • Gibbon's last words to him were: 'Custer, don't be greedy. Wait for us.'
   • Outnumbered
     • Poor info
   • He was arrogant

5. The Battle

   • Custer and all of his troops lost their lives.