Anniversary of the Seventh

reinert · June 25, 2017, 10:39 AM

A big day in history today; 141 years ago the Seventh cavalry unit under Gen G.A. Custer was killed to a man on the Little Big Horn. My wife and I drove up to Forsyth, MT, yesterday on an errand and followed Rosebud Creek most of the way up to the Yellowstone. There's a plaque on the highway that designates where the 7th camped the night before that big day, not far outside the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. You could look down on the Rosebud and easily imagine a camp of troopers in bivouac, tending to their mounts.

As we made our turn to the east on Hwy 212, and just outside of Busby, MT, on our way to Lame Deer, there was a camp of Cheyenne (my wife and I presumed, and probably some Lakota folk, too) tending to their fair number of horses getting ready for the big re-enactment near Hardin, MT, on the 25th.

Years ago, I talked to a Lakota man working in the trading post/restaurant near the entrance to the Battlefield and asked him if he'd been to the re-enactment. He told me I should go sometime, which I haven't yet, and said it gets quite "Western." He said he'd been there a couple of times, but didn't need to go anymore because, as he said, "it always turns out the same."

Screwball · June 25, 2017, 10:44 AM

Wish I knew that sooner... too late to go to the range with my Custer-era Trapdoor Carbine.

SIGSHR · June 25, 2017, 12:42 PM

When he said "It always turns out the same." did he mean the Battle of the Little Big Horn-or the Indian Wars ?
The Little Big Horn is a good example of how NOT to fight a battle-underestimating the enemy, both in numbers and fighting ability, poor reconaissance, splitting one's forces in the face of the enemy, having them not mutually supporting, poor choice of battlefield, etc..

reinert · June 25, 2017, 02:08 PM

"did he mean the Battle of the Little Big Horn-or the Indian Wars?"

It was a tongue in cheek comment, most certainly, and it pertained to the re-enactment of the Little Big Horn battle back on June 25th, 1876 (that particular day). The re-enactment is held near Hardin, MT, and it's been an annual event there for many years.

June 25, 2017, 10:39 AM	#1
reinert Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 646	Anniversary of the Seventh A big day in history today; 141 years ago the Seventh cavalry unit under Gen G.A. Custer was killed to a man on the Little Big Horn. My wife and I drove up to Forsyth, MT, yesterday on an errand and followed Rosebud Creek most of the way up to the Yellowstone. There's a plaque on the highway that designates where the 7th camped the night before that big day, not far outside the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. You could look down on the Rosebud and easily imagine a camp of troopers in bivouac, tending to their mounts. As we made our turn to the east on Hwy 212, and just outside of Busby, MT, on our way to Lame Deer, there was a camp of Cheyenne (my wife and I presumed, and probably some Lakota folk, too) tending to their fair number of horses getting ready for the big re-enactment near Hardin, MT, on the 25th. Years ago, I talked to a Lakota man working in the trading post/restaurant near the entrance to the Battlefield and asked him if he'd been to the re-enactment. He told me I should go sometime, which I haven't yet, and said it gets quite "Western." He said he'd been there a couple of times, but didn't need to go anymore because, as he said, "it always turns out the same."

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June 25, 2017, 10:44 AM	#2
Screwball Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2012 Location: ME Posts: 771	Wish I knew that sooner... too late to go to the range with my Custer-era Trapdoor Carbine.

June 25, 2017, 12:42 PM	#3
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	When he said "It always turns out the same." did he mean the Battle of the Little Big Horn-or the Indian Wars ? The Little Big Horn is a good example of how NOT to fight a battle-underestimating the enemy, both in numbers and fighting ability, poor reconaissance, splitting one's forces in the face of the enemy, having them not mutually supporting, poor choice of battlefield, etc..

June 25, 2017, 02:08 PM	#4
reinert Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 646	"did he mean the Battle of the Little Big Horn-or the Indian Wars?" It was a tongue in cheek comment, most certainly, and it pertained to the re-enactment of the Little Big Horn battle back on June 25th, 1876 (that particular day). The re-enactment is held near Hardin, MT, and it's been an annual event there for many years.