RN: We say “good-by” to Bozeman and head for Sheridan WY. Along the way, we head to Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument. The scenery traveling along I-90 in Montana is breathtaking.

The Battle of Little Bighorn is also known as “Custer’s Last Stand” and by Native People as the “Battle of the Greasy Grass.” It was an armed battle of the 7th Calvary Regiment of the US Army, who sought to clear out all native peoples from their land, against the combined forces of tribes from the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, who were camped along the Little Bighorn River in the Crow Indian Reservation on June 25-26, 1876. The defeat of the regiment was viewed as a huge victory for the way of life of the natives; however, this ended shortly after.

FE: On our way we stop to charge at Big Timber and are elated that the nearby store sells the holy GAB trinity (Guns, Ammo and Booze). We select option B. But onto the Little Bighorn Battle site. Two initial thoughts…well, it is the most told native victory, but it nevertheless resulted with all the tribes penned and dying in awful reservations. Second, it was a truly foolish campaign by the US cavalry…they had no idea how many tribal members were camped at the river (there were 8,000- 12,000)…the only explanation is that the leaders thought themselves so vastly superior that basic tactics could be ignored. White Man Hubris (WMH) anybody? Prior to Little Bighorn the Cavalry had split into three detachments, one already had been defeated when Custer runs into the tribes camped here. He channels his own WMH and splits his roughly 600 men into three groups to better attack the 3,000 warriors below. Predicable outcome, see below, each white stone marks the spot where a cavalryman fell, Custer’s with black paint.

and here is the nearby column, memorializing the men, neatly sorted by rank

The last stand is simply the final end of the chase of the cavalry by the tribes along a several mile long ridge. We drive along the ridge and see many more white markers, wherever one or many perished. I sense that this unfolded similar to a buffalo hunt. We also see a few brown markers where oral history reports a warrior fell. We know where cavalrymen fell because a short time later the army found the remains and artifacts laying where they fell. The Park Service did a good job placing informative signs along battle ridge road, reporting lots of oral history from both sides.

I still felt that a good part of the tribes story was not full represented. Fortunately, we notice an unassuming earthen mound across the road from the Custer memorial. It seems as if the clouds are guiding us there

Ah, it is the Indian Memorial, completed in 2003. The mound is hollow and, when you walk in, the surrounding walls tell the story from the native point of view, including those of the tribes that fought on Custer’s side. Below is the depiction of the last stand.

RN: One of the walls tells the story of Custer smoking a peace pipe with a native chief in 1869, swearing never to kill another Indian. Clearly he is not a man of his word, and the tribes know that.

FE: The wall of the mound is open at the back and we see a wire-sculpture of warriors riding to battle

and finally a message for thought

We arrive in Sheridan and find it well occupied by motorcyclists. With my impeccable planning I bring us here during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.. half a million to share the road with…

That explains this last warrior, spotted at Custer’s memorial