American Battlefields - Battle of Little Bighorn

The Battle of Little Bighorn is perhaps the mosttraining.
famous conflict between Native Americans andAdditional Activities
the U.S. government.An adventure vacation can be a living classroom.
The clashes between the settlers of theYou can retrace the paths our ancestors took in
American West and the Native Americanssettling the past. Fun can be had on an outdoor
between 1865 and 1890 are known as the Indianwild west vacation.
Wars. Little Bighorn Battlefield is the site of theCrow Fair and Rodeo
June 25, 1876 battle between the U.S. Army'sCuster Battlefield Museum
seventh cavalry, and several bands of LakotaCuster Battlefield Museum is located on the
Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho.former site of Sitting Bull's camp, on the famous
This is where your vacation begins, living the lifeGarryowen bend of the Little Bighorn River, a
of an Army horse soldier on the Americantraditional summer hunting campsite for many
Frontier, studying the tactics, techniques, andPlains Indian tribes.
customs of the frontier army.Several famous locations associated with the
Relive one of the most celebrated, controversial,Battle of the Little Bighorn are visible from
and debated military events in America: the BattleGarryowen. These sites include Reno's hilltop
of the Little Bighorn. Ride out on a three-daydefense site, Weir Point, Last Stand Hill, Medicine
campaign, living in authentic period tents at aTail Coulee, the Crow's Nest, the Wolf Mountains
traditional cavalry field encampment whileas well as the Little Bighorn Battlefield National
conducting realistic cavalry operations.Monument and Custer National Cemetery.
Participate in basic cavalry encampment trainingArtifacts at the museum include many items
where you'll learn horse and soldier skills, practicefound at the battle site, such as:
mounted cavalry drills, and how to use weapons· Crow Dog's rifle
of the frontier cavalrymen. Cavalry training will be· war clubs and trade knives
held near Medicine Tail Coulee, next to the Little· cavalry spurs
Bighorn River, where Custer is thought to have· Tom Custer's Kerr revolver and an
flanked the Sioux Indian village.Army pistol
Some wild west outfitters offer horseback riding· Lakota lance made from a cavalry
tours where the actual battle of the Little Bighornguidon pole
took place and see a reenactment of the battle.· U.S. Army-issue revolver with a holster
For a more challenging adventure, you can train to· Beaded Indian War Shirts
become a re-enactor and participate in the Real· A collection of moccasins
Bird's Battle of the Little Bighorn.· shovels used to bury the cavalry dead
U.S. Cavalry School offers U.S. cavalry· an Indian necklace made from one of
horsemanship and tactics training, gunthe rings on General Custer's saddle,
familiarization training for horses, reenactment· an early Sioux dugout canoe
training, cavalry encampments, and cavalryTomb of the Unknown Soldier - Located at the
history instruction. Both novice and advanceCuster Battlefield Museum
training courses are available.The remains of this unknown trooper were found
This reenactment vacation is open to everyonein 1926 and presumed to have been one of Major
over the age of 14. This would make a greatReno's men. The soldier's body was not found
family vacation as there are a number ofuntil the road crew building the US 87 highway
programs offered that are specifically oriented touncovered it 50 years later.
family members not participating in cavalry