More Than Numbers: Native American Actions at the Battle of the Little Bighorn

For most Americans, the Battle of the Little Bighorn is epitomized during thefinal minutes of the film “They Died With Their Boots On.”1 In this account, the nobleand dashing Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn, andthe U.S. 7th Cavalry are pitted against an enormous band of savage and bloodthirstyIndians. Custer realizes that his command is hopelessly outnumbered and an attack onthe Indians will certainly lead to its annihilation, but he also knows that if he fails toattack the army column led by General Alfred Terry will be doomed to destruction. Inthe grand tradition of military sacrifice for the greater good, Custer purposely leads hisloyal men into an ambush prepared by thousands of Sioux braves. Within moments, thecavalrymen are completely encircled by hordes of horse-mounted Indians, who rainscores of arrows and spears on the beleaguered troopers. The brave soldiers kill manyIndians as they ride “carousel like” around the troopers, but the sheer number of Siouxwarriors dwindle the number of cavalrymen standing until only Custer and several loyalmen remain valiantly fighting. Finally, the mounted Indians charge in an overwhelmingattack and slay the last man standing, George Armstrong Custer.
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