Memorial: A memorial stands on the Last Stand Hill honoring those lives lost in the Battle of Little Bighorn. The memorial plaque reads: ‘The remains of about 220 soldiers, scouts, and civilians are buried around the base of this memorial. The white marble headstones scattered over the battlefield denotes where slain troopers were found and originally buried. In 1881 they were reinterred in a single grave on this site. Remains of the officers were removed in 1877 to various cemeteries throughout the country. General Custer was buried at West Point.’ Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Battlefield Markers: The white headstones mark where soldiers were found on the battlefield. The marker in the center with the black background is where Custer fell. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos

Battle Of Little Bighorn National Monument

Our travels take us to a variety of sites, attractions, and events across the country that are entertaining, fun and maybe even educational. But there are some sites that we visit that make us think, imagine or ask why. We usually leave those sites in a more somber mood.

One of the historical sites that we have visited a couple of times is the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. This park sits on the site of the battle which was also known as Custer’s Last Stand. We were unaware of the date but we visited the battlefield on June 25, 2023. The battle began on June 25, 1876!

The National Monument was originally named Custer Battlefield National Monument but that was changed in 1991 to reflect and honor the Native Americans who fought in the battle. The Custer National Cemetery sits on the national monument property just down the hill from the battlefield site.

The Battle of Little Bighorn took place near the Big Horn River in southern Montana. The battle occurred on June 25-26, 1876.

Lieutenant Colonel George Custer led a contingent of 7th Cavalry soldiers in battle against Native Americans including members of the Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe tribes. Custer and his men did not know how large the force of the Native Americans and when the battle ended all 210 soldiers including Custer were killed. The number of Native Americans is not known but studies estimate at least 2,000 Native Americans fought in the battle.

There have been many studies of the battle over the decades since. Numerous books have recorded the events of the Battle of Little Bighorn and Hollywood has featured the battle in movies.

It is indeed a sobering experience to stand on the ridge where the battle occurred and gaze across dozens of crosses which mark the spot where each soldier was killed. A monument sits on the ridge near the site of the battle with the names of each of the soldiers engraved on the marker.

If travels take you to Montana, a stop at the Battle of Little Big Horn National Monument is recommended. The park Visitors Center and battlefield provide a closer look and understanding of the events of June 25-26, 1876.

Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Battlefield Markers and Memorial: The white markers on the battlefield and the memorial are shown together in a view downhill from the battlefield. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Indian Memorial: In 1991 the National Monument was renamed the Battle of Little Bighorn to honor the U.S. soldiers and Native American soldiers who fought in the battle. An Indian Memorial was added and dedicated in 2003. The theme of the Indian Memorial is ‘Peace Through Unity’. The memorial is a circular structure, which contains the names of Native Americans who died in the battle and honors the Native American view of the battle that took place in June 1876. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Spirit Warrior: The sculpture at the Indian Memorial portrays three warriors as they are riding off to battle while a woman is  handing a shield to one of the warriors. The bronze sculpture is silhouetted against the Montana sky. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Custer National Cemetery: A National Cemetery was established a short distance away from the battlefield in 1879. The cemetery contains graves of known and unknown veterans of our wars including women and children. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com