Day 13: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

The drive from Great Falls, Montana to Sheridan, Wyoming was pretty uneventful, except for finding a biker's wallet left behind at a gas pump.  It was loaded with cash, credit cards, and Harley Davidson Club Membership Cards, so we were reluctant to give it to the gas station clerk for fear that some money would disappear.  So we did our good deed for the day and tracked down a police officer to turn in the wallet.

We arrived at the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument around 3:00p.m.  The Visitor's Center had some really cool displays of the battle scenes, clothing, weapons, etc.  A short film also illustrated the movement of troops involved in this 2-day battle, which were more complex than I had realized.  Next we attended a SUPERB Ranger Program narrated by an ex-teacher, football coach, and Vietnam Vet who confessed to being obsessed with this battle since visiting the park at age 14.  Now retired, he explained that he was living his dream by retelling the story to visitors.  I must say that certain people just stand out due to their passion, and this was one of those occasions where we felt blessed to have spent time with this extraordinary (st)ranger!

Greg and our Favorite Ranger

Long story short, more than 260 soldiers, including Lt. Col. George Custer of the 7th Cavalry, died in this valley of the Little Bighorn River in June of 1876 as the Northern Plains Indians (Lakota & Cheyenne) made one last effort to preserve their way of life.  On Last Stand Hill, Custer and his 41 men shot their horses to use as shields, but they were ultimately surrounded and defeated.  As I recall the ranger's description, Custer's mutilated body had been shot in the chest and slashed in the thigh.  One finger was chopped off, and his ears had been pierced several times with sewing needles to symbolize that he wasn't listening to the Indians' message.

The Ranger felt strongly that Custer was misunderstood by most Americans.  He explained that the 36-year-old Custer wasn't the cocky maverick that many people believe him to be.  Rather, he was a product of his surroundings, a leader who often charged way ahead of his men during Civil War Battles, always seeking to be an inspiration to his troops.  The Ranger drew parallels between Custer and Crazy Horse, the Lakota Warrior whose horsemanship and bravery inspired many.

Well, we ended our visit to the monument by taking both the walking and driving tours.  The landscape looks eerily similar to the way it might have been 134 years ago.  You could practically see the battle being fought if you used your imagination.  We spent that evening at the Sheridan, WY, KOA, where some nasty storms prevented the boys from fishing.