Battle of the Rosebud
From birchyHistory
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== Background == | == Background == | ||
| − | The Lakota and their northern Cheyenne allies won in the [[ | + | The Lakota and their northern Cheyenne allies won in the [[Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868]] a reservation, including the [[Black Hills]], in [[Dakota Territory]] and a large area of "unceded territory" in what became Montana and Wyoming. Both areas were for the exclusive use of the Indians and whites, except for government officials, were forbidden to trespass. In 1874, the discovery of gold in the Black Hills caused the U.S. to attempt to buy the Black Hills from the Indians. The U.S. ordered all bands of Lakota and Cheyenne to come to the agencies on the reservation by January 31, 1876 to negotiate the sale. A few bands did not comply and when the deadline of January 31 passed the U.S. undertook to force [[Sitting Bull]], Crazy Horse, and their followers onto the reservation. The first military expedition against the recalcitrant Indians in March 1876 was a failure, ending in the [[Battle of Powder River]]. |
In June 1876, the U.S. renewed the fight with a three-pronged invasion of the [[Bighorn River|Bighorn]] and [[Powder River (Montana)|Powder]] river country. Colonel [[John Gibbon]] led a force from the west; General [[Alfred Terry]] (with Lt. Col. [[George Armstrong Custer]]) came from the east; and General George Crook advanced northward from [[Fort Fetterman]], near present day [[Douglas, Wyoming]]. The objective of the converging columns was to find and defeat the Indians and force them onto the reservation. Crook's force, called the Bighorn and Yellowstone Expedition, consisted of 993 cavalry and mule-mounted infantry, 197 civilian packers and teamsters, 65 Montan miners, three scouts, and five journalists. Crook's much valued chief scout was [[Frank Grouard]]. Among the teamsters was [[Calamity Jane]], disguised as a man. | In June 1876, the U.S. renewed the fight with a three-pronged invasion of the [[Bighorn River|Bighorn]] and [[Powder River (Montana)|Powder]] river country. Colonel [[John Gibbon]] led a force from the west; General [[Alfred Terry]] (with Lt. Col. [[George Armstrong Custer]]) came from the east; and General George Crook advanced northward from [[Fort Fetterman]], near present day [[Douglas, Wyoming]]. The objective of the converging columns was to find and defeat the Indians and force them onto the reservation. Crook's force, called the Bighorn and Yellowstone Expedition, consisted of 993 cavalry and mule-mounted infantry, 197 civilian packers and teamsters, 65 Montan miners, three scouts, and five journalists. Crook's much valued chief scout was [[Frank Grouard]]. Among the teamsters was [[Calamity Jane]], disguised as a man. | ||
