THE LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD
The Little Bighorn Battlefield memorializes the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry, as well as the Sioux and Cheyenne, who died in one of the Indians last armed efforts to preserve their way of life. Here, on June 25, 1876, 263 soldiers and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, including Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, died fighting hundreds of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. The number of Lakota and Cheyenne who died is unknown, but is probably considerably less than the US soldiers.
The Battlefield is an easy drive (1-1 1/2 hours) from Cottonwood Camp. It is 15 miles south of Hardin on I-90, at the US 212 exit. You can either drive to Hardin, or you can take the turnoff on the road to Crow Agency. The right turn to Crow Agency is about 30 miles north of Cottonwood Camp. After the turn, it is about 10 miles to the freeway and then just about 3 miles to the turnoff to the Battlefield, on the 212 exit. The Battlefield is easily seen from the Freeway.
Cottonwood Camp's Webmaster, Brad Harlan, has recently developed a strong interest in the history of the Battle, and has visited the Battlefield several times. He has made a video, Little Bighorn Battlefield Custer's Last Stand Tour, which is based on the Official Battlefield Park Handbook.
An excellent CD automobile tour is available at the Battlefield Visitors Center.
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| Custer Hill Monument: most of the soldiers who died on this hill are buried in a mass grave below the monument. The smaller markers show where they fell. |
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| Indian Memorial Spirit Gate |
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