The Battle of Little Bighorn

Until recently, the world had only known the white image of cough in the last four centuries of American history. The Battle of Little Bighorn, also known as the last confrontation of Custer, is an example. This is an attractive legend. A group of American cavalry were ambushed on the Little Bighorn River, Montana, on June 25, 1876. Indian warriors from the plains surrounded the soldiers. The soldiers, despite their large number, fought with great courage until only one man remained: General George Armstrong Custer. On the top of a hill, surrounded by the bodies of his soldiers and horses, this hero of the war of secession, whose blonde hair reached to his shoulders, resisted and fired until he fell to the ground. As a result, the battle became the most famous event of the Indian wars and the humiliating defeat became an example of the indomitable spirit of the pioneers. Military, officials, artists, and historians contributed to this version. According to legend, no one survived to mention the story of the last confrontation and the white Americans accepted the official version.

The Sioux, Arabah and Cheyen warriors, as well as their families, were many who survived that battle. The U.S. military was always subjective, but their testimony was ignored because they were Indians and therefore inclined. A coherent picture of the battle can be found in the accounts of the oral tradition of the Indians, which coincide with the archaeological finds. The clash at Little Bighorn was a disorderly riot that lasted just over half an hour instead of a last heroic and prolonged clash.

The Battle of Little Bighorn was a monumental confrontation that left a deep mark on American history. The scene was a vast Montana field, where the combined forces of the Lakots, Cheyenes and Arapajos, led by the temerary Crazy Horse, confronted the 7th Knightry Regiment of the United States Army, under the command of the bold Colonel George Armstrong Custer.

The army of Crazy Horse was an impressive and varied force, composed of seven tribes (hunkpapas, sans arc, black feet, miniconjou, brule, cheyenes and oglala), as well as women, children and a vast herd of cargo and livestock for subsistence. While estimates vary, it is believed that the full contingent could have ranged between 6,000 and 9,000 individuals, with around 3,000 warriors and an astonishing sequence of 30,000 animals.

At the heart of this powerful army, the spiritual leaders of the Sioux played a vital role. Sitting Bull led the hunkpapa lakota, Red Horse to the minneconjous, Two Lunas to the cheyenes, Crazy Horse at the sioux oglala, Gall to the lakota siounan and Rain in the Face to the Northern cheyennes.

However, the battle became a disaster for Custer and his men. (escuadrones C, E, F, I y L). There have been speculations about several reasons that could have contributed to the defeat. First, Custer may have underestimated the magnitude of the Indian force and overestimate the ability of his regiment to overcome it. His confidence in the risky cavalry loads that had succeeded in the Civil War could have led him to make hasty decisions.

Another factor contributing to the defeat was the division of Custer's forces on the battlefield, which could have been an attempt to prevent other commanders such as Terry or Gibbon from stealing him the merit of victory. Custer also refused to equip himself with heavy weapons, such as the Gatling machine guns, and did not seek support forces because of his desire to enter combat immediately.

In addition, he disobeyed the advice of his native explorers, who advised him to expect reinforcements, as they were at a numerical disadvantage over the Indians. The rush to attack and win before July 4th, American Independence Day, and the Democratic Party Convention, where Custer had political aspirations, also influenced his hasty decisions.

These strategic and judgmental errors led to an overwhelming defeat for Custer and his regiment, with the tragic loss of 268 men, including 16 officers, as well as 10 civilians and explorers. In comparison, indigenous casualties were much smaller, with about 50 warriors and 10 civilians.

However, a more modern theory suggests that a wound in Custer's chest, inflicted while trying to cross a fence and attack the village, could have contributed to the collapse of his regiment. This theory also raises the possibility that the subsequent war council, which blamed Custer, was used to cover up the responsibility of other commanders such as Reno and Benteen.

The Battle of Little Bighorn, with its complex circumstances and its impact on history, continues to be the subject of debate and study by historians and enthusiasts of military history.

In a painting by Edgar Paxson, Custer and his soldiers, including the painter's brother, courageously but uselessly repel the Indians at Little Bighorn. The battle is depicted in the Sioux drawing as the dispersed chaos in which it actually became.

However, Paxson is true in one aspect: Custer cut his famous hair shortly before the fight.