Custer's Last Stand: The Battle Of Little Bighorn

The Battle of Little Bighorn

Custer’s Last Stand, also known as the Battle of Little Bighorn, was a much disputed battle between the American army and 2000 Native Americans of joint tribes. While the violence can be blamed on both parties, it must be said that it was caused by the Americans, and that the Natives were, to an extent, justified in their actions. The battle was between a mass conglomerate of western Natives and the 7th Cavalry, led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer.

As white settlers continued to expand American territory, they encountered Native Americans. One such group was the Lakota Sioux. Because their land was invaded, the Sioux responded with raids of white settlements, some of which resulted in the deaths of

settlers. In response, the U.S government ordered all Lakota Sioux to return to their reservation by January 31, 1876. They refused. The situation was turned over to the military.
With the discovery of gold on western Lakota land, white setting became more aggressive. Although J.D. Cameron, Secretary of War, insisted that gold was unrelated to the situation and that the military let the peaceful natives be, that was not true. In fact, Kate Bighead, a surviving Cheyenne Native, said that “When gold was discovered white people came and the Indians were moved again. My brothers and I left for the open plains where our band of Cheyenne was again attacked by white soldiers in the winter of 1875” (Kate Bighead Interview). It is because of this cruel treatment that Natives disliked Americans.
Eventually, this cycle of violence led to the Battle of Little Bighorn. In 1876, an already outnumbered General Custer divided his troops into three battalions led by Reno, Benteen and himself. Benteen was sent south as a scout, but was called back as the other battalions needed reinforcements. Driven by the prospect of gold, Custer’s greed consumed him, and instead of waiting for further orders from the government, Custer charged into battle. Despite knowing he was outnumbered, Custer led his troops into a slaughter; he was unable to even cross the Little Bighorn River. Upon retreating, Custer and many of his remaining troops were hunted down and killed.