Battle Of Rosebud – Prelude To Custer’s Last Stand

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On June 17th, 1876, Lakota and Cheyenne military forces defeated U.S. Army troops led by Brigadier General George Crook. The ground the Lakotas and Cheyenne defended that day was part of the territory they had secured during the 1850’s when they fought the Crow for control of the rich buffalo ranges in present-day south-eastern Montana. The United States recognized Lakota ownership of this area in a treaty negotiated in 1868, which established a “permanent reservation” for the Lakota in what is now South Dakota, an area that included their sacred Black Hills. It also defined much of eastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana as “unceded Indian territory.”

Following rumors of gold, in 1874 the United States sent an exploring expedition into the Black Hills, led by General George Armstrong Custer, which found a few flecks of gold. After the Black Hills were publicized as the next El Dorado, prospectors swarmed into them. At first, the U.S. Army upheld the treaty and forced the miners to leave, but in late 1875 President Ulysses S. Grant withdrew the troops from the Black Hills. It was then ordered that the Lakotas and Cheyenne living in the unceded territory move from the Black Hills by January 31, 1876 under the threat of war if they refused. The U.S. Government also made plans to pressure the Lakotas living on the reservation to sell the Black Hills and the unceded territory previously agreed to in the treaty.

Aware that the Lakota and Cheyenne living in the territory would reject any sale of their country, the U.S. Army began preparing for a winter campaign against the people of the territory.

On March 17th, 1876, Crook led 700 troops in an attack on a small camp of Cheyennes and Lakotas on the Powder River, burning their lodges, but inflicting few casualties. In May, he returned to continue his offensive with two additional columns he obtained from Fort Fetterman. One column was led by Brigadier General Alfred Terry and Coronel John Gibbon. The other column was led by George Armstrong Custer.

In early June, Sitting Bull held a Sun Dance on Rosebud Creek a few miles north of present day Lame Deer. After offering 100 pieces of his own flesh as a sacrifice to Wakan Tanka (the Great Spirit), Sitting Bull had a vision in which he saw U.S. soldiers and their horses falling into the Indians’ camp. This prediction gave 3000 Lakotas and Cheyenne confidence and courage. Among the 3000 was the Lakota’s war leader, Crazy Horse, who had earlier vowed to defend the Black Hills and the unceded territory. He now promised to strike a devastating blow against the invaders of his country.

During the next few days the Lakotas and Cheyennes moved up Rosebud Creek. Before dawn on June 17th, Crook, his troops, and 250 Shoshone and Crow auxilaries marched down the Rosebud. When they halted for breakfast, Lakotas and Cheyennes, led by Crazy Horse, attacked. Crook fended off this assault, but Crazy Horse regrouped and pressed the attack into the afternoon, eventually causing Crook to withdraw his forces to a base camp in northern Wyoming.

Casualties were light with both sides losing about ten men. Crook claimed victory, but the battle was a resounding triumph for the Lakota and Cheyenne who, despite being vastly outnumbered, they had battled Crook and forced him out of the area. Although the Lakots and Cheyenne rejoiced in the fact they had repulsed Crook and forced his retreat, they realized that Sitting Bull’s prophecy had yet to be realized.

That would happen eight days later at Little Big Horn.