Little Bighorn Lone Survivor
I bet you were taught there were no survivors...
Jenn and I stopped along the ridge that outlined the battlefield of Little Bighorn, overlooking the river.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tall figure walking straight towards Jenn and not stopping.
That’s odd.
Traveling through Montana had been an other-worldly experience.
I just felt small.
We had driven up from Wyoming via Devils Tower and I couldn’t stop gaping at the wide open plains that had inspired many songs, cowboys, and western tall tales.
There it was.
The sign indicated that we were entering the Crow Indian Reservation. The Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument is on the reservation and about 70 miles from both Sheridan, Wyoming, and Billings, Montana.
As we drove up to the Monument, I wondered what it must have been like the morning of June 25th, 1876…147 years before our trip across these great plains…
The Original “Lone Survivor”
Nobody survived Custer’s Last Stand…or so they thought.
It was supposed to have been an easy ride…at least according to Custer.
We had ridden many days and weeks to get to this river…what was it again? Little Big something? I could barely think of that now that we were surrounded by the very people we had been chasing. Bullets and arrows whizzed through the air, as chaos and fear took over the plains. I felt the ground tremble beneath me from the onslaught of warriors and soldiers alike. My heart pounded in rhythm with the beat of the war drums that echoed in the distance. My best friend and partner for the past couple of years, Captain Keogh, rode with me, guiding me through the pandemonium.
Together we pressed forward, his steady hand and firm voice reassuring me despite the chaos around us. We had been through many battles together, but this one felt different. There was a sense of desperation in his voice, a tension in his demeanor.
Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in my flank.
My legs gave way, but I fought to stay standing, to continue fighting. But the pain was too much, and I stumbled, accidentally bringing Captain Keogh with me. I tried to rise, but the pain overpowered me. I watched as he was swallowed up by the chaos, disappearing from my sight.
I lay there in the dust, the battle raging around me.
The noise slowly faded, replaced by a strange silence. The Indian warriors had moved on, leaving behind the fallen and the broken. Days passed in a haze of pain and fear. The battlefield was a grim sight, littered with the casualties of war.
I was alone, nursing my wounds, waiting for the end. But it never came.
Instead, I saw the blurs of blue uniforms appear. They approached cautiously, their eyes scanning the devastation across the hilltop. They found me, injured and unable to move. They spoke in hushed voices, their hands gentle as they tended to my wounds.
Their touch was kind, their voices soothing. I felt the pain recede, replaced by a warm, comforting sensation. They fed me, gave me water, and slowly, I regained my strength.
In the following days, I gained enough strength to show my gratitude and accept their help. They seemed to understand my loss, my pain. They treated me with respect, almost reverence. I was a survivor, a living testament to the battle that had consumed so many at the Little Big Horn River. As I regained my strength, people said I was more than just a survivor.
They said I was a symbol, a beacon of hope amid the devastation.
I just knew that I was Comanche, the horse of Captain Keogh (kee-yo). I was the lone survivor of the Battle of Little Bighorn.
The man walking towards Jenn briefly disappeared as he walked behind a truck…I started to turn and walk towards Jenn as well.
I had lost sight of her for a moment as a tour group passed in front of me but then…surprisingly…I heard laughter.
The group passed and the man was chatting happily away with my better half.
“He recognized me from the channel!” she burst allowed.
He grinned sheepishly…as if almost embarrassed…”I saw the collaboration you guys did with JD and I’ve followed your channel since”
I smiled, JD is a friend of ours with another history YouTube channel…great guy…super supportive.
Of course, the FIRST time Jenn ever gets recognized we are about as far away from home as we’ve ever been. (a little over 2,000 miles in fact)
We got a picture with him and he went on his way. All of us smiling.
Quite a different interaction with a stranger than Custer had.
The story here at Little Bighorn was so much more complex than I expected…with broken promises, ominous forewarnings, and ultimately the decimation of Custer’s troops on Last Stand Hill.
A True Story of a Man and His Horse
The story of Comanche, the horse of Captain Myles Keogh is true.
The horse was found on the battlefield by US Soldiers…who presumed he hadn’t been taken due to his two gunshot wounds. He was standing over his Captain…and the soldiers nursed and eventually nursed him back to health.
The horse stayed at Fort Meade until 1887, when he was shipped to Fort Riley, Kansas. He remained at Fort Riley for the rest of his life.
Comanche received hero attention at Fort Riley. On April 10, 1878, “General Order Number 7" was issued, stating:
“The horse known as ‘Comanche” being the only living representative of the bloody tragedy of the Little Big Horn, June 25th, 1876, his kind treatment and comfort shall be a matter of special pride and solicitude on the part of every member of the Seventh Cavalry to the end that his life be preserved to the utmost limit..."
""Further, Company I will see that a special and comfortable stable is fitted for him and he will not be ridden by any person whatsoever, under any circumstances, nor will be put to any kind of work.”
Having led nearly every parade at the fort during his time there, he became something of a celebrity and was treated with reverence and pride by every soldier.
On November 7, 1891, Comanche died of colic, a digestive disorder not uncommon in elderly horses. He was 29 years old.
The Clash of Cultures: A Deep Dive into the Battle of Little Bighorn
Setting the Scene
Picture the sun setting low over the vast expanse of the Great Plains. The air is tense, disturbed only by the distant echoes of hooves and the soft rustling of prairie grass. In the heart of this sprawling landscape, two worlds stood poised to collide. One world, was driven by a fierce desire to reclaim its lands, while the other was determined to defend its ancestry and way of life. This impending clash of warriors and cultures would eternally etch the Battle of Little Bighorn into the annals of history.
The Journey to Little Bighorn
Jenn and I had the privilege to visit Little Bighorn, nestled in Montana, and what an experience it was. This area is known by several names: the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Battle of Greasy Grass to the American Indians, and Custer's Last Stand, each reflecting different facets of this historical event.
Historical Context
Let's go back to 1876, about ten years post-Civil War. This was a period when Custer rose to fame. Known for his Civil War exploits, Custer was a key figure in the Western expansion campaigns, aiming to secure lands for settlers. On the frontlines of this conflict were the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes, who fiercely defended their territories against encroaching settlers. The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie had designated the Black Hills to the Lakota Sioux. However, the discovery of gold in 1874 disrupted this agreement, leading to increasing tension and skirmishes between the tribes and the U.S. Army.
The Battle Unfolds
By June 25, 1876, the tensions culminated in the Battle of Little Bighorn. Custer divided his 7th Cavalry, composed of around 400 men, into multiple battalions to attack what he believed was a smaller encampment of Native Americans. Unfortunately, he gravely underestimated their numbers. The combined force of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors numbered around 7,000, with approximately 2,000 formidable fighters ready to defend their lands.
Custer's tactical misjudgments led to a swift and decisive defeat. As Reno's battalion engaged from the south, they were quickly overwhelmed and pushed back. Meanwhile, Custer advanced from the north, splitting his forces again under Calhoun. However, these efforts were futile. The Native American forces, led by inspiring figures such as Crazy Horse, engaged Custer’s men with relentless vigor. Within two hours, Custer’s battalion was surrounded and decimated on Last Stand Hill.
Legacy and Remembrance
The aftermath of the battle saw no survivors from Custer's immediate command, leaving many details of his final moments to speculation. The bodies were hastily buried, and Custer’s remains were later relocated to West Point. Over time, the site evolved into a symbol of American history, marked by monuments for both soldiers and Native American warriors who fought there.
The battlefield stands today not only as a reminder of the conflict but also as a testament to the resilience and valor on both sides. The National Park now includes a memorial acknowledging the bravery of the Native American tribes, emphasizing a more holistic view of the historical events.
Final Thoughts
The Battle of Little Bighorn is a complex chapter in American history. It was a clash of cultures, marked by valor and tragedy on both sides. As historians and enthusiasts, Jenn and I strive to honor this legacy by sharing these stories and fostering deeper understanding.
Thank you for joining us on this historical journey. If you enjoyed this podcast, we have numerous other episodes covering various aspects of Western history. Follow us to ensure you don't miss any new episodes. Your support and engagement mean the world to us, and we look forward to sharing more history with you. Until next time, keep exploring and appreciating the rich tapestry of our past.
Thank you.
Chuck Norris’ roundhouse kick is so powerful, it can be seen from outer space by the naked eye.
I had read about the horse somewhere. He was treated like a king rest of his life. I had the privilege of going to the battlefield once. Looking at the land and all the graves. What a brutal day that had to have been. I have always wondered if it would have been different if he didn't split his forces
BTW, love the Chuck Norris quote