Custer and LeDoux - Little Bighorn and Kaycee

Monday morning we left Billings, Montana, after breakfast in a nice coffee shop, Mazevo Coffee, and enjoyed their freshly roasted coffee. We headed south, to Wyoming, but our first stop this morning was at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. We have had a quick tour two years ago, but now we had more time and did the driving tour over the battlefield on our own again: impressive landscape, though, the vision was a bit impaired due to the wildfires in Wyoming (about 100 mi away).

The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also called "Custer's Last Stand" was fought along the ridges, bluffs, and ravines of the Little Bighorn River on June 25-26, 1876. Warriors of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes fought against soldiers of the 7^th Regiment of the US Cavalry. This battle was part of a much larger strategic campaign designed to force the capitulation of Lakota and Cheyenne. Their leaders such as Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse had rejected the reservation system and did not sign the 1868 treaty.

Tension escalated in 1874, when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer was ordered to make an exploration of the Black Hills inside the boundary of the Great Sioux Reservation. Deposits of gold were discovered and the U.S.wanted to purchase the Black Hills from the Lakota, but their offer was rejected. It leaded to a battle fought by the 7^th Cavalry, commanded by Custer, but - to make a long story short -  his strategy failed completely, mostly due to Custers big ego and the huge Indian warrior force. Hundreds of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors surrounded the troups and brought Custer's group to a close. It was a momentary victory for the tribes, but also a rallying point for the U.S. to increase their efforts to force native peoples onto reservation lands. 

 

 

 

National Cemetery

Little Bighorn Trading Post

On we drove, to Kaycee/Wyoming, a little cowtown with about three saloons/bars rowing up at a dusty main street. Focal point is the Chris LeDoux Park with the “Good Ride Cowboy” monument honoring Chris LeDoux, a world champion bareback rider and celebrated country musician who died in 2005 at the age of 56. His son Ned is a successful musician, too.

After about 4.5 hours (300+ mi) driving we reached Casper, WY, where we stayed overnight. Checked out Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters on Main Street first, then had a drink at the local Black Tooth Brewing Company.