Recent DNA investigations reveal something interesting. Many of the men under Custer were more closely related to the warriors they fought here than they were to Custer himself. If only that gold was not found.
Hope your having a a good time in the states Kevin. I and I’m sure most Americans are very grateful for your respectable approach to this story and American history in general. Thank you for your maticulous attention to detail Kevin. But anyway thank you for being respectful Kevin and I hope you have a long TH-cam career and the wife says how you doing lady!!
@@thehistorysquad Yes, this Texan is offering Kevin a warm welcome to the US. I've been watching History Squad for a while now, and Kevin does a right bang up job with every presentation, and this one is no exception. Thank you, Kevin!
I’m glad you reported the more accurate total of Indian deaths , the Indian acct if 31 dead is clearly false . I’ve read reports from different Indian combatants and the numbers they report don’t jibe with the official total. And you are right the families took away the dead and many died after the battle from their wounds.
Fascinating, had no idea what the actual battlefield looked like. The individual markers for the fallen are unique and moving. And being British I am of course fascinated by famous defeats, whether it be the battle of Hastings, Isandlwana or the charge of the light brigade. Thanks Kev and have a good weekend!
Little Big Horn is a rare battlefield. The Native Americans left the soldiers bodies lie mostly after the battle after recovering what they needed from them. When later U.S. soldiers came they buried the soldiers basically where they lay with temporary markers. So the American dead are relatively buried close to where they fell. So the modern markers are basically where the men were originally buried.
Wow! I’ve seen many documentaries and surveys of the battle of Little big Horn. But you really brought it to life by telling the story and showing us where all the events happened. This is the best one I’ve ever seen. Thank you Kevin Hicks.
If you ever get to Montana, it is definitely worth a visit. I live in Billings, which is not that far away, and have been there at least twice. It's an amazing place. The Crow tribe usually does a re-enactment every year (the battlefield is on their reservation).reservation. I'll be the first one to say that the way the Native peoples were treated was terrible. We'd promise to leave them alone and let them wander the prairies andn keep their traditional life, but then forced them onto reservations.
they were troublesome...blocking the trails...which meant the wagon trains and stage lines were impeded and the railroad could not advance...they had to be removed and that task fell to the army which was grossly under strength at this time@@jleechadwick
The Blackhills were captured by the Sioux from the Crow whose homeland it originally was. This is why so many Crow were recruited as scouts with Custer’s 7th Cavalry at the Little Bighorn. Nice guide Kevin!
@@robinrobyn1714Yes.That's why we stil need a strong military defence against possible assaults or invasion.Putin is trying it & what a gruesome sad affair a war is !
I'm an American following your channel primarily for your medieval history, and you are brilliant in your story telling! I've visited this battle site and of course grew up with the history, but you showed it to me in a new light. Well done, you!
I find that the revisionist history is pathetic. Modern American history loves say Americans were evil and “Natives” were innocent bystanders just peacefully skipping through the tulips then all of a sudden these evil Europeans showed up. Truth is, Humans are brutal, people have since before recorded history..have been opportunistic just like every other animal. The horse is a good example. They can be nice sometimes they can be assholes. Sometimes they can be evil. When you walk across a land and somebody attacks you and tries to take all your stuff just because that’s how they live.. then you tend to get mad about that. That is American history.
Small world, my great great Grandfather was Rain in the Face, the war chief that supposedly killed Custer. (Me personally I don't know how true that is, as he himself said he did kill him, then said he didn't, then said yeah maybe he did haha.) I went to the site there once when our group was returning from a wild land fire, such a surreal experience to have knowing your ancestors won a huge battle on that land. Great video as always Kevin, looking forward to seeing what you do next!
What an incredible link to have with such an important event in history; to be related to Ité Omáǧažu. I’ve been reading into the battle & it was particularly interesting to discover that in June 2005, at a public meeting, Northern Cheyenne storytellers said that according to their oral tradition, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, a Northern Cheyenne heroine of the Battle of the Rosebud, struck the final blow against Custer, which knocked him off his horse before he died. It’s also worth noting that Custer suffered two gun shot wounds; either one would’ve been fatal, but only bled from one…meaning one was done following his death. There is also some dispute over whereabouts on the battlefield he was shot. The testimony of an Oglala named Joseph White Cow Bull stated he had shot a rider wearing a buckskin jacket and big hat at the riverside when the soldiers first approached the from the east. But, the fact the both wounds on Custer would’ve been fatal, it makes it unlikely he was killed at the ford; more than a mile from where his body was found. Also, it is unlikely that any Native American recognized Custer during or after the battle. Shave Elk said, 'We did not suspect that we were fighting Custer and did not recognize him either alive or dead.' Wooden Leg said no one could recognize any enemy during the fight, for they were too far away. The Cheyennes did not even know a man named Custer was in the fight until weeks later; in fact they weren’t aware several members of Custer’s family had been in the battle until 1922. This in itself could be the reason why your Great Great Grandfather wasn’t sure if he killed Custer. That said, when he did confess that he might have killed Custer, Ité Omáǧažu apparently said that he shot him at such close range that he left powder marks on his face.
@@chrisbold56 You know what sounds like a broken, boring record? The claim that the Lakota were fighting for "their" land! Rain in the Face admitted that on the very morning of the battle...he and several other warriors were making plans for an attack on a Crow village! He admitted that they were actually an invasion force!
Great summary. Custer's fatal error was to divide his command. He should have listened to his Crow and Arikara scouts. One of them straight up told him "Colonel, you must not divide your command now, there are far too many hostiles in that camp." His response; "You stick to the scouting, I'll do the fighting."
IT IS, isn't it?? :) A friend of mine, who travels a lot on bike throughout the whole of the US, each time he's on vacation, told me once that they have a saying over there : "BIG SKY COUNTRY" - when they talk about Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc. It's a reference to the sensation of being under an "ENORMOUS, VAST SKY" in all those aforementioned territories that are not heavily urbanized like on the East Coast, in New England or on the far edge of the West Coast, where you (simply) cannot see that "far horizon". I've never been to Montana, but I always wanted to visit there. Who knows ? ...maybe in another life...
I am from the Apache Ancestry, from South Texas and talk about Big Skies and flat lands! You can actually see for miles! I’ve been here all my life and my ancestors too.
@@The_ZeroLine - I was born in a Farming family in 1955 and we picked cotton as part of the family’s income. Yes I’ve stood and watched the coming storms from pure clear skies to the actual storms fury and tornadoes dancing across our fields hundreds of yards from our farmhouse. It’s truly Amazing, Incredible feeling! You feel the power of Mother Nature and its Glory. Then the freshness of the lands afterwards. This I cannot forget.
You really understand just how the soldiers were picked off bit by bit a lot better when you see how spread out most of them were. If you read Custer’s book My life on the plains, you see what he was thinking, every time prior to this he was chasing the natives they would find a way to escape, he never understood they would stand and fight until it was too late for him.
Exactly. Custer's only concern was that the tribes would scatter at the sight of the approaching US Army, thereby making it impossible to contain them. He wasn't aware of their victory at the battle at Rosebud the week prior and how they were full of 'good medicine' which would motivate them to stand their ground, once and for all. Something else to note - The native warriors weren't dressed in traditional garb, which is always depicted in film and imagination. Being off the reservations, they were wearing ordinary workwear and liked their bowler hats.
@@RW4X4X3006 What evidence is there that the natives were wearing workwear? In Red Horse's and One Bull's drawings of the battle, they are wearing traditional garb. And most had been off the reservations for months.
Book some years back. Apparently, this and wearing army blouses made it difficult for the soldiers and warriors to distinguish between each other in the dust clouded melee. They wore what was practical for them.@@richardstephens5570
01.27.2024 Very interesting. Thank you Kevin for all your hard work & dedication to making your channel, your videos the best that they could be. Hope you're enjoying your USA adventure. Hello from the mid-west; as in St. Louis, Missouri 🇺🇲
You never fail to amaze Kevin ,explaining historical events so graphically. Your heart has to go out to the Native Americans by the way they were treated and it’s just and right that the full story is told.
Welcome to the states, friend from across the pond! I hope you stay awhile and pick up the sights. Please make it your destination to visit the battle of gettysburg and all of the surrounding shops and museums. You'd think you'd died and gone to heaven there! Enjoy your stay here. 🇬🇧 ❤ 🇺🇸
I've just stumble across your channel, (it's perfect timing as I've been in a youtube rut lately). I absolutely love watching you and learning some absolutely fascinating aspects of history. Now I'm binge-watching. Your narrations are captivating...thank you
Hes great, check out his medieval European stuff. His first video I watched was the one where he talks about removing an arrow from king Henry IV I believe. His style is what got me.
Subscribed originally for the English longbow videos when I bought one as my first ever bow; staying for your exciting and attention arresting narrations and history videos!
This is my favorite part of US History simply because it's often forgotten about. Custer was a brevet General in the Civil War. He was reduced to his permanent rank after the war. It wasn't because he did anything wrong, it was because the size of the army was reduced and there was no need for so many generals. This is why you see the general star on his uniform. People often referred to him as General as a sign of respect for his Civil War service. One thing you'll notice about the terrain is that it's very easy to hide. It initially seems like flat grasslands, but the rolling hills are tall enough to conceal several hundred people. By looking at the landscape with your own eyes, you'll understand why it's cavalry country. Phenomenal video. Great story telling. I didn't know that spoons were crafted into arrow heads. I hope you are able to visit other historical sites in the US and tell their stories as well.
Custer brings out incredibly strong emotions in people, especially considering he's been dead for 148 years. As for rank, the reduction applied to everybody. The captains in the 7th who were Civil War vets were mostly brevet Lt. Colonels, and it was a courtesy in social situations to refer to them as "Colonel" rather than "Captain." Same applies to Custer, which is why he is known as "General."
Custer did plenty of wrong and was even recieved a court martial in 1867 then sent to Leavenworth. He was also reknowned for slaughtering the elderly, women, children and babies.
I’ve seen a few people talk about this event. Which we in the UK know as Custer’s last stand. You engage me in the real story better than anyone else. You also make sure to speak about all sides in the conflict, explaining the background and not judging the actions of people who existed at a different time in a vastly different environment.
I went to school in Wyoming, the fort Laramie treaties and the fetterman fight are big deals around here! I’m doing an college course and I’ve always loved your videos and historical knowledge and insights take care man!
The Custer family lost 5 members at the Little Big Horn, George A. Custer, his brother Tom Custer, their younger brother Boston Custer, and a nephew, Henry Armstrong Reed. James Calhoun, his brother in law also was killed. George Custer was not mutilated after the battle, but his brother Tom Custer was because he had dishonored an Indian woman in his past. An embedded reporter, Marcus Henry Kellogg, was so badly mutilated that his boots were only way to identify him. I guess the Sioux and the Cheyenne did not like Journalists. Custer was not mutilated, but the Cheyenne punctured his ear drums after death, to remind him, that he a broke a promise not to wage war on them. Myles Keogh, his 2nd in command was an Irish native, who before coming to America, had served in the Irish Brigade of the Papal Army in Italy, for his service during the War of Italian Unification, He was awarded a Papal medal for his service. He was awarded the Pro Petri Sede for gallantry and the Cross of the Knight of the Order of St. Gregory The Great. When the Cheyenne and Sioux came across these medals they felt that held great magic, so they did not disfigure his body also. When I was at the park, in the museum, there was a display that showed the origins of all the soldiers of the 7th cavalry come from.
The Sioux hadn't been there forever. The were relatively new. The Cree had ran them out of what is now Canada The Sioux had just brutality displaced the Pawnee.
That’s incorrect. We came from Minnesota and chased out due to colonial chaos. And yes, we are brilliant fighters. We had to be. My nation is called the burnt thigh Lakota because the Anishinaabe set fire to the prairies driving my family out, which burned the legs of my nation. There are more to the story than you can imagine. I know because I’m Lakota and we still keep our oral tradition, as well as winter counts that go back 2,000 years. No indigenous nation ever, ever claimed ownership of land. Didn’t you know that before you framed our world in your own simple terms?
Oh this was brilliant ! As Europeans, we only know so much about US history if we don't actively research it. It is really fascinating but also very tragic, especially for natives. I remember being absolutely baffled when I learnt that reserves still exist... Despite the horrors that happened there the landscape is beautiful !
The reservations are still around, because they allow the tribes have some form of self-government, and not ruled entirely by US law. Peter Santenello has stunning ty videos visiting different reservations and tribes.
If you visit South Dakota again, The Crazy Horse Memorial is well worth a visit, it has a long ways to go, but they are carving an entire mountain, into a statue of him and his horse, and have a museum as well, Rushmore was interesting, but Crazy Horse was truly awe inspiring.
I have to agree, the battlefield site is very well mapped and put together. One thing always strikes me is how much it's like Dartmoor (beyond the tors) when I'm up there I can't help but think of massed warriors. Not the easiest of journeys from the UK, but Montana and the battlefield is well worth the trip.
Mr. Hicks, a very respectfully done video,I truly enjoyed it! I hope you and your wife are enjoying your time in the States. You said some things I hadn't known before about this battle and I thank you for that sir. Little Bighorn is one battlefield my late husband and I wanted to go to but never got there. I've been to Gettysburg, and I live 10 miles outside of where the Battle of Saratoga was fought and I've been there quite a few times. Anyhow, be safe in your travels,and I look forward to your next video!
Yet another great video Kev!!! I heard that when Custer was found that an arrow had been pushed through his ear clean though and out the other ear. It was so he could hear in the next world, because the Native Americans said he never listened. How true this is I don't know but I heard it many years ago. It was so sad that they were pushed off their land. When Sitting Bull was in the Bill Cody show he used to give a lot of his earnings to the poor children in the towns they visited. It was reputed that he was a kind and very wise man. As always, my best to you and Julie! Dave.
I saw another TH-cam historian theorize that Custer was wounded and either took his own life or a fellow soldier did it for him. That way he could escape the inevitable torture that was to come. I can't recall the TH-camrs name right now.
The Indians didn't even know who Custer was. Custer was at the LBH because the Sioux and Cheyenne invaded Crow land. Sitting Bull was killed by a mortally wounded Indian officer who was leading a detachment of Indian police to arrest SB for fomenting trouble on the reservation. The officer was shot by SB's followers. So much for your fake history.
It was a sewing awl that was used to "clean" out his ears. It was done so he would listen better in the next life. I descend from the Santee people who were at this battle. My family was heavily involved with the Major Reno fight.
@@chucks4328Custer was shot at the river below Last Stand hill, and he was dead by the time the fight was over. When his body was found, his head wound was still bleeding. So he had to have been shot in the head after trying to cross the river. It was when he thought it was the end of the village but it was only the middle. If you pause the video at 1:06 Custer was shot in this area under the left breast. If you pause it at 1:14 is where I'd place my bet this is where Custer was shot. There is even a little dip leading towards the river. Scout Mitch Bouyer was last seen in this same area too. I think that Custer was possibly still alive after the attempted river crossing and the shot in the head going towards or on Last Stand hill. But either shot would have been fatal in the end.
The Black Hills belonged to the Cheyenne until the Sioux invaded and conquered them around 1776. Curious how most people always leave out this rather important detail and focus entirely on how "sacred" the site was for the Sioux, making it seem as if the Sioux owned the Black Hills since the beginning of time. When in reality the Sioux held the Black Hills for only a century at the time of the battle of the Little Bighorn.
If you don’t understand a topic concerning both of our nations, the history of Paha Sapa that wasn’t written by a European and fail to understand both us Lakota and Cheyenne fought together and are now very close relations, why are you commenting? The most important thing we have in common that unites us is you and your judgement. You represent a thousand other white people who comment on Native stuff, something heard before, an argument inherently racist, yet here you are. If I don’t know something I learn or sit the fck down. I suggest you take that hint to heart.
Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thank you for an absolutely fascinating look into one of THE most talked about battles in American history. This subject is complicated, as most, if not all, stories of conflicts through out time are. You REALLY have a gift, you are A man who can tell an amazing story, fair and true. Be safe and be well, Arthur
The Black Hills may have been 'sacred' to the Sioux, but they were late-comers to the territory. Both the Crow and Cheyenne laid claim to the same land before the Sioux arrived in the 18th Century. There was a lot of bitterness among the Crow in particular and they petitioned the US Government to help them re-acquire their land. The Crow had provided scouting support for US Cavalry for some time, there was a good relationship with that tribe. The point being, the situation wasn't black and white but had lots of shades of grey as well. One correction, there were likely far more Warriors than the 2000 you stated. 3000-4000 are more recent estimates.
Oh kevin you have no idea how happy i was watching this. I lived in south dakota when i was very young and those plains have never left my mind. Seeing that beautiful land and just knowing the rich history makes me miss it so much more
You did a great jobs telling the story of the little bighorn. I collect and shoot firearms from Early to late 1800s. Everytime I shoot a trapdoor springfield or a colt SAA. It always makes me think about how horrible being in this battle would have been.
Fun fact: 5 members of the Custer family died at the Little Bighorn. Custer, his nephew, his brother-in-law, and two of his brothers (one who was a Medal of Honor recipient during the civil war.) great video kev, would have been great to meet you in Montana!
Hi Kevin! I've never been to Montana, the closest I've been is Cheyenne, Wyoming. I'm familiar with the battle through some of the contemporary accounts. I can't remember the title, but I read a book on Custer. He had a rather inglorious career at West point, spending endless hours on guard duty as punishment for his many infractions, and graduating last in his class. The high points of his life and career were in the Civil War, and he was present at the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox Court House. His personal life was rather interesting as well. Have a great weekend, Kevin!
My personal theory, after having worked with a young lady with ADHD, is that Custer and his brothers and their dad were absolute poster children for that condition, which of course was not identified at the time. It does tend to run in families. That is part of the reason for his lousy West Point record. He excelled at the things he liked, and barely scraped by with the other stuff. And he was a joker. Possibly the only reason he graduated is that the Civil War had started and they needed officers. I have been told that the only officer to graduate with a worse record than Custer was Ulysses S. Grant.
Lieutenant Sturgis’s body was never found. The marker was erected to placate his family who (understandably) were grief stricken. His father was Samuel Sturgis. The detached commander of the 7th calvary who was in St. Louis when the battle took place. Great video. Seeing the terrain helped me get a better understanding of how the battle might have played out.
Dang good video Kevin, you do a great justice to show us important historical sites and stories that took place there. You should do a video about the Trail of Tears. I can look out my front door and see the road and the Tennessee River they floated down to go to Oklahoma. Its just absolutely insane, no words can express what the govt did to the Ani-yun-wiya, you'd know them by the name of Chalakee or Cherokee.
Hi Kevin, just discovered your channel by accident, absolutely loving it, and my kids are too. I have now have your entire back catalogue to enjoy. Keep up the good work.
In the final analysis the Native Americans were doomed. It was actually their last stand. They won the battle, but lost the country. Many of the soldiers were recent immigrants. They were very poorly trained and many of them only spoke limited English. Custer was an egotistical fool. I hold him responsible for what happened to the Troopers. Sitting Bull was a great man.
Very cool that you visited that battlefield. Not enough people even remember Custer had his last stand in MT. Ive been there a couple times while visiting family the rez. It’s always a treat. The LaForge cabins are pretty cool too.
I'm Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South Dakota. My great (x7) grandfather, Running Antelope was one of thw signers of The Ft Laramie Treaty of 1868. He was also a chief and was friends with Sitting Bull until they disagreed over whether to move to the reservation. He was later part of the welcoming committee when Sitting Bull returned from Canada. There are historical records of how Custer's wife. Libby sat in on most of the meetings between the Army and the Lakota chiefs before the battle at Greasy Grass Montana (Little Bighorn) ever took place. As Lakota we still hold the Black Hills as sacred land and will never give up on the land being returned to the tribe to care for and we will never accept the billions that have been offered as compensation for the broken treaty. The land remains unceded because the government failed to uphold their end.
It sounds like Running Antelope was wise! As a signatory of the Laramie treaty, I'm sure he knew that the Greasy Grass was on Crow lands. And as such...the Lakota were breaking their treaty with the Crow tribe!
As far as I'm concerned, the important thing to understand is that many of the native tribes were moving around the continent fighting each other for land/resources. The Sioux themselves were pushed out of the Minnesota region and in their migration pushed out the Crow. The Comanche originated from Colorado but pushed out and nearly genocided the Osage. In other words, the natives were constantly at war with each other in addition to the Spaniards/Mexicans/Texans/Americans. As far as I'm concerned, it was the US army who pacified the entire continent.
Kevin! I was SO excited to see you present here in The States! You’re the best & I hope you continue to not have any limits with regard to our history & the history of the world, my friend!😊
Their is always two sides to a tale the Brave noble Lakota warriors you refer too at LBH also butchered a Pawnee camp killing some 150-200 women and children burning them alive by some accounts on bonfires this happed three years before LBH the Lakota had also been raiding and killing other tribes most notably the Crow , Pawnee , Cree , Omaha and Kiowa while gold in the black hills certainly was a factor Grant had also received delegations from tribes that were being constantly attacked by the Lakota hence the reason why the US army had no problem recruiting native scouts. While most bleeding hearts would say what a shame the Lakota lost their lands their are some tribes who owe their existence to what the US government did otherwise they might well have been wiped out of course their is no excuse to what happed after hostilities ended with the re-education of tribes which disgusts me.
You're in country are you? I hope USA is treating you well. Come visit Texas and check out an authentic Texas steakhouse sometime, let me know what you think! We have some beautiful prairies here.
Excellent video Kevin - particularly like the fact it includes the last-ditch breakout attempt by E Troop at the end of the battle, dismounted, bereft of ammo and all officers down - one of those desperate men was Sgt William James, subject of my novel 'If God Will Spare My Life...' published by Victorina Press...I'm convinced their doomed escape attempt was led by First Sgt Fred Hohmeyer whose body was subsequently identified in Deep Ravine...
What a fascinating story that has lived on strongly in history, being from the UK naturally I have heard so much about General George Armstrong Custer and his men of the 7th Cavalry and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. You have again told the history of the battle in a cracking way Kevin, it is fascinating to hear about E company and their desperate flight and fight, running for their lives being chased down by warriors, so ironic that a virtual mirrored scene would happen 3 years later in 1879 at the battle of Islanduwana at fugitives trail. Again Kevin you have done a brilliant job thank you.
I love this portion of American history. Me and my brothers are currently doing the history of the trapdoor rifles video series on TH-cam which is what Custer's troops were armed with and I'm of the opinion that it wasn't necessarily the equipment that got him killed. It was poor leadership from Custer's part
Sometimes I really hate the way younger nd modern people like to treat this past as if it was just white people massacring people and there was no defenses or battles and they don't realize they are actually taking away from the natives and their achievements. Don't get me wrong, it was bad, wild and harsh with hindsight but people often forget that these settlers had a lot more fear and worry than what people like to think. It was a strange new land, with strange new people and so many other things happening around the world at the same time that influenced how things went down. Love your revision on these topics helps keep it open and less bias or agenda involved. Thanks.
Brilliant video Kev! I remember being on exercise in Batus in Alberta, the terrain is the same. We hide an entire squadron of CVRTs in a coulee and the whole enemy battle group past us. Good question at the end! Splitting forces against a bigger enemy rarely works worked at Chancellorsville in the civil war. But this battle remains me of the Battle of Isandlwana, hubris of technology and tactics against a well determined native force
As an American, Texan, and avid outdoorsman I have fallen in love with your Channel. I truly appreciate your respect and dedication to history. If you find yourself in Fort Worth Texas there is a Civil War museum which I believe is one of, if not the largest private collections of relics from both sides of the war.
Why can't wait to see your take on the Little bighorn Kevin thank you for your insight. Edit::; fun fact here 🇺🇸 in the civil war Custer was a young man and he was the first man to ever be used in an aeronautical form in any military he was a very brave man he went up in a balloon he was the first man to ever go up in a spotting balloon and it took balls of steel to do so.🇺🇸
Great video! It's sad how we treated the Native Americans, but not surprising when you see how mankind has treated each other thruout time. Love the Native American monuments.
Great job Kev, love listening to you. The amount of respect and knowledge you bring to all of your videos is second to none. Thank you for taking the time to cover this great battle for a way of life.
Compare the Greasy Grass mess to Isandlwana and the fight at Rorke's Drift that followed terrain similar with ravines, a river, with nasty steep slopes in places. I walked the area back in the summer of 1973 after I ended my 2 years on active Duty in the US Army, I was on delay in route to my Reserve unit, so I had a month after vehicle delivery problems, to make my trip and get back for my first drill. None of the modern paths just rough trails to follow. Much digging has revealed much more than was known when I was there. Thank you for the fine coverage.
I’ve seen and read stories about the battle of Little Bighorn but this is the most descriptive I’ve seen. Thanks Kevin and to the history squad. Well done!
Most battles in the Great Sioux War, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, were on lands those natives had taken from other tribes since 1851. The Lakotas were there without consent from the local Crow tribe, which had a treaty on the area. Already in 1873, Crow chief Blackfoot had called for U.S. military actions against the native intruders. The steady Lakota invasion (a reaction to white encroachment into the Black Hills) into treaty areas belonging to the smaller tribes ensured the United States a firm Indian alliance with the Arikaras and the Crows during the Lakota Wars
Yes, it's really interesting, the warfare between the tribes is quite a thing to delve into. In Wooden Legs book, he talks about raids on other tribes 👍🏻
Always loved the film The last Samuri touches on Custer and how the Samuri warriors seen valor in his last stand but he's told a different perspective by Tom Cruise which makes the Samuri look at it in a different light. That it was foolish and ego decision making. A man who fell in love with his own legend.
I always enjoy your narrative of US historical events. You explain it better than I ever heard. I think you have a natural ability to explain things plus being from another country you don’t tend to choose sides.
You are a great narrator Kevin, regardless in which area and part of history! Let me add a bit: Sitting Bull did not actively participate in the battle. He had performed a special ritual a few days earlier, from which a lot of the warriors believed it had given them the strength for the fight. George Armstrong Custer (* 1839) had finished the miltary academy in Westpoint as last of his class. Nevertheless he gained a reputation as a courageous and unconventional officer. In the battle of Gettysburg he personally led several counterattacks against the Conferate cavalry and forced them to retreat. The Sioux and Cheyenne called him "Squaw killer" or "Thief chief".
This has been on my "to watch list" for some time. Finally had time to watch. It was a very sobering and illuminating tour of the battlefield and tactics. Stunning vistas and beautiful shots of the area. I will never get to visit in person but you made me feel like I was there with you, Kevin. Thank you for this respectful video of an important part of American history.
I stand corrected, he was promoted to Brigadier Gen during the civil war. However after the war he accepted a commission as a Lt. Col. in command of the newly formed 7th Cav.
Many officers of the Seventh were Civil War vets. Many of the captains, like Keogh and Weir, had brevets of Lt. Col. and were referred to in conversation as “Colonel” as a courtesy, just as Custer was called “General,” though his actual rank was Lt. Col.
Custer was a Brigadier General in command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade beginning just a few days prior to the battle of Gettysburg. However, in 1864, due to his success, he was promoted to Major General of U.S. Volunteers and commander of the Third Cavalry Division. He commanded that Division as he chased Lee's Confederate command all the way to Appomattox. He actually captured the trains which Lee was hoping to get much in needed food for his soldiers. The first flag of truce requesting a cease of hostility until Lee could meet with Grant was sent out to Custer. Custer remained in command of the Third Division until the volunteer troops were mustered out and sent home. He then reverted to his regular Army rank. When the Seventh Cavalry was created in 1866 he was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
Early-Modern human activity in the Black Hills. . The Arikara arrived by AD 1500, followed by the Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa and Arapaho. The Lakota (also known as Sioux) arrived from Minnesota in the 18th century and drove out the other tribes, who moved west. They claimed the land, which they called Ȟe Sápa (Black Mountains).
I'm shocked! I've always been kind of jealous of how you can go in your back yard and see incredible history whereas the oldest building here in the woods of western PA in 1790. You have thatched roofs that are twice that age. Now here you are over here??? Wow. I guess it makes sense you would be mostly interested in a battle field=with your back ground. I recommend you read Custer's book. The thing that sticks out most of where you are in this video is how a chief saw Custer's small group getting overwhelmed and said that he always believed that the soldiers were not a brave people but that changed his mind. I also think of how Custer was rumored to have been killed by a Squall, which i don't believe. Turns out I live around exciting history, too. I live a few miles (I mean Kilometers) west of the Allegheny river. A little north is Titusville, which has tons of history by being the first to drill oil and the area refined it for kerosene (cheaper than whale oil). Read Ida Tarbell's book about the history of the standard oil company. She was a famous local girl. The Allegheny river marked the beginning of the west. The big cities along the river were built by guys who would float lumber rafts down the Allegheny to Pittsburgh then the ohio to Cincinnati. George Washington crossed it to go up to Fort Labuffe (I iknow its misspelled, I also know it was French for "buffalo" which was common here once) The Allegheny also has "Indian God Rock" below Franklin. We drift down on inner tubes in the summer and one island, full of black walnuts, I found an Indian nutting stone. They are used to open nuts. A few miles west of me in the Old Stone House where an Indian who floated down the river got let off in Franklin. Long story short, he killed a bunch of people by the old stone house, in 1845, I think. The shackles that held him are in the Butler Historical society. They hung him but refused to bury him with the Christians so he is now somewhere under Foxes Pizza. West of Pittsburgh is Meadow Croft archeological site where it has been continuously inhabited for over 13,000 years and they display clovis points. I live on the line that represented the edge of ice during the last ice age. At the beginning of the Allegheny river is a Kinzue Damn which flooded an Indian reservation, contrary to President Kennedy's promise. They have been "legally" taking Indian land since before Andrew Jackson signed the Indian removal act in I think the 1820s. Little is known about the Erie Canal that went from New York and ended on an Reservation in Buffalo. Judge Stryker was the assistant Indian agent who pretty much took their land around the canal. Didn't want to end on a down note but did want to convey that we seem to have little history, but really have much. Thank you for all of your videos. (I commented on one last week that was removed. I thought it funny how an arrow to the knee was like Ace Ventura's joke.)
Hi there @onenewworldmonkey thanks for your comment, as you may know I do try to read all the comments and don't recall an Ace Ventura one, so it's likely YT deleted it for reasons beyond my control. Comments often come up on non-related videos too, so sorry about that. Anyway you're right, the US does actually have a lot of history and I've one more video from my trip there that shows it 👍🏻
Washington almost drowned in that damn river,,,but I see it recently won some sort of award...it is pretty clean...and are you telling me there's an indian buried under Fox'es pizza right down at the corner?
@@frankpienkosky5688 lol. yep. As far as can be determined because is was unmarked at the time. His iron shackles are behind the courthouse. Thanks for the reply. Refreshing to not have a reply of an insult as I often get on youtube.
By the way everyone was very scared by hanging that Indian. There were rumors that a huge number were organized to attack the town and were gathering up the river. The truth is they couldn't stand that man either. He had the DTs when they left him in Franklin. When he reached Harrisville he asked where the river was, I would have, too. They told him it was a dozen miles to the east so he carried on to Butler when a doctor bled him as was usual. I often tell people that the way we think of those doctors back then is how in a hundred years they will think of today's doctors but no one gets it. That story actually started in Buffalo, but no one knows that. I've been in touch with the historical society up there and know a great deal about it as I was, at one time obsessed with it. I thought about writing a book about it but haven't yet.
Part 1. Custer's Conquest in Heaven As the sun set over the celestial plains, painting the skies in hues of gold and rose, General George Armstrong Custer found himself in a peculiar battlefield-heaven. The thrill of glory and the weight of his past were intertwined, as he donned his familiar blue jacket adorned with five stars, ready to lead his heavenly regiment into this otherworldly war. In life, he had known the thrill of the charge, the sound of cannon fire, and the cries of men in battle. Yet he now faced an enemy unlike any he had encountered before. There were no banners unfurling in the wind or drums beating the march. Instead, he stood before a gathering of American Indian warriors-spirits of the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. This was their eternal resting ground, and they wore expressions of fierce determination and unyielding pride. "Devil take this madness!" Custer shouted, brandishing his sword, its blade gleaming in the ethereal light. "I have fought my battles on Earth, and now you come to my paradise? This is not your land!" The warriors, undeterred and resolute, stood their ground. They were adorned with feathers and leather, symbols of their clans, and their eyes burned with the fire of historical injustices, tales of their ancestors echoing in the winds around them. Their war cries resonated through the realm, stirring the clouds above into a tempest. In that moment, the devil appeared-an impish figure cloaked in shadows and mischief, his laughter tinkling like the sound of shattered glass. "Custer! You seek to fight? But here in Heaven, I have a different arrangement. You may fight, but you shall not sweat a drop. No bullets will pierce your skin, no arrows will find their mark!" Custer's brow furrowed, his pride wounded. A battle without danger? Was that any battle at all? He had fought for honor, and with every charge on Earth, he had measured his worth through the sweat and blood shed. What glory lay in fighting with no risk? "You think you can strip me of my valor, devil?" he spat, fury igniting within him. "I will face these warriors, sweat or no sweat. They deserve my respect, my full measure in this fight!" With a wave of his hand, the devil summoned a multitude of dazzling lights-bullets, arrows, and spirit shields that glimmered in the heavenly realm. "Very well! A battle it shall be! But know this: each glimmer is a challenge. You may face them, but you will see no harm." The warriors advanced, their determination unwavering. They charged forward, not as they had on Earth, but as skilled spirits bound by the threads of their history. Custer met them head-on, his spirit ablaze with the thrill of combat. He swung his sword and found that each blow met no resistance-his blade cut through air, mesmerizing sparkles that danced away like fireflies in the night. Day turned to night, and night turned to day again, as the celestial battle ebbed and flowed. Custer, fueled by a primal urge for conquest, shouted commands to his invisible battalion, yet he could not change the surreal turn of events; he could not taste the sweat nor feel the grit of a true struggle. As the spirit warriors surrounded him, their laughter resonated through the skies like the sound of distant thunder, understanding the absurdity of this unfathomable chase. They fought with beauty, agility, and grace, marking the dance of both past and present. Amidst the clash of ethereal weapons, Custer found himself halted. Breathless-not from fatigue, but from an awakening. He paused, watching the warriors dance around him, laughing yet fearless. These were not his foes; they were memories made manifest, expressions of a history intertwined with his. "Why do you fight me?" he pondered aloud, suddenly aware of a deeper truth. One of the spirit warriors stepped forward, tearing the veil of competition. "General, we fight not against you, but for the stories that bind us. For every mark you made upon our land, we stand to reclaim our truth. This battle holds no bullets, but carries the weight of our voices-the cries of those that were silenced." As the revelation dawned upon him, Custer dropped his sword. The battlefield transformed into a sacred space of dialogue, a meeting of spirits where stories flowed freely, and healing took center stage. In the end, the devil watched with a crooked grin, knowing that no bullets had been fired, but a far greater battle had been fought: understanding, respect, and the unraveling of history within the tapestry of one's spirit. And so in heaven, amidst laughter and the stories of warriors, Custer became not a general of conflict but a keeper of narratives-a custodian of the past, ensuring no story would be forgotten again. Part 2. Intermission: The muse rose up underneath the devil's foot. “What will General George Armstrong Custer's healing and custodianship be?”. “Fool!” laughed the devil. And the devil threw the muse to the ground.
Great video, I rode the Battlefield 6/6/23 with wife, you can rent horses from the Crow, but the owner ride's with you, Took all morning to go from about where the San Arc's camp was across the river to Reno Hill and back to Custer Hill and back to the Horse owner's place. What a great experience, The Park ranger's now feel Custer's Tactical plan was sound, but Custer -- noone had ever ran onto a Village even 1/5 as big. Feeding a Village of ??? 5000 people from Hunting? Game are not in one place, Plains Indians had to live in small groups -- to find/kill enough food. Noone every every seen 400 Warriors together, much less 1500+ Also none of Custer's people spoke Crow, so they had to trust the Scout's English and they always exaggerted everything. Crow is a separate language, no relation to any other Plains tribe?? Maybe Hidatsa another that no whites spoke either. Our guide/owner of our mounts, also had lived on the Battlefield his whole like, he knew much about how his tribe the Crow/Apsaalooke fought the Sioux even before the coming of the White man.
OMG! My favourite history channel talking about my favourite period in history! This is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing Mr. Hicks! Wonderful and rich content as usual.
A great video Kevin. You neutral outlook on the battle is refreshing. I accidentally saw Custer's last resting place, in the West Point cemetery summer 1971. The officers remains were recovered and moved to Fort Leavenworth for reburial in 1877. Libby Custer wanted him buried at West Point. Officially the bodies were buried in shallow graves two days after the battle. The ground was rock hard and the graves were shallow. Most had a little dirt shoveled on them with crude markers driven into the ground. The official report states his remains were located and recovered in 1877. Eyewitness accounts stated they found the grave and collected what was there. A mix of human and horse or mule bones. The historical photos show they did not bury horses after the battle, their bones are every where to be seen.
I've been there. The area is so oppressive I had to leave, so much sorrow and pain. I have visited many, many historical sites in my life but this was the only time I could not stand being there..
@xxxxxxxx3476 I agree, the wrong was done to the natives. I found My great, great, great grandfather's name on the memorial wall in Birchwood Tennessee where the walk of tears started. They all had to stay there. Waiting their turn to cross the Tennessee river. Sad time in our history.
@@cherylmeri5143 Thank you very much for sharing your families story from the past , and their involvement with one of the chapters from your country's history . That went on to play it's part in making America what it is today . As you know full well , the indigenous peoples of the ' New World ', suffered terribly at the hands of the greedy white folks of that time . I live in the United Kingdom , but I have visited your country a number of times in the past . Simply because I love the country , and on the whole , the people that go to make up what America is today . However I won't go into politics , because that's a minefield , that I never talk about . In fact , I visited some areas that were labelled back then ,' reservations ' of native American culture . I don't know if they are still referred to in that way . When I was at school , many years ago , a history teacher took the trouble to explain to us , why the indigenous peoples of America , were wrongly burdened with the title ' Indians'. From that point on , I refused to use the term ' Indians '. Such an insult ! Because some fool in the past , wrongly assumed that they had found a new passage to India . But isn't that the way with ignorant people . Never being prepared to admit they're wrong , and correct their mistakes . But as I said earlier , I won't get into talking about politics . However I'm not knocking America , as it's proved to be numerous times in the past , and even in these unsure times , one of the few country's prepared to stand up to tyranny , in all it's shapes and forms , around the world . And in so doing , to defend liberty and the freedom of the individual to say and think whatever they like . A rare thing throughout a sizeable number of countries these days . Who knows what lies ahead for future generations , but I'm hoping America will play a leading role in taking civilization forward into a new voyage of discovery in space . And hopefully, fingers crossed , by that time , Earth will still be worth returning to .
@@cherylmeri5143 Taking land from other ppl is what has been done since the beginning of time. Everyone alive is innocent so save your grief for Ukrainians today.
Kevin the Indian braves do not follow chiefs into battle, they fight as an individual hunting, they decide where to go, what to do and what to attack, this pack of braves each with his own mind an target makes for an enemy you can't plan against as each brave is an assault on its own. It is often implied that the braves had a battle plan but from records of the indians that were there that day and their account has been archeologically proven correct from bullets to casing to all manner of other items like kettles, pans, stirrups, spurs, belt buckles, and askeletal remains the Indian account has been accurate, from their account it is recorded that each brave was an individual warrior, fighting his own fight, yes he would assist a fellow brave or strike an opportunity target that appeared before him, but his strategy was all of his own. He had no orders. That chaos is why fighting indians was flawed as the 7th US Cav had no training of experience in fighting indians. Also Custer was an abysmal officer, he scored one of the worse scores ever on record at West Point Military Academy with 726 demerits his class rank was 34th of 34 cadets (last in his class), he was hopeless as an officer, and his used bullish bravado and dram to cover his weak leadership ability, this is why he was so famous for leading from the front because it was his cover it compensated for his inability to make effective military tactical decisions. So long as he rode out front his men followed, he had a couple of successes the first on the first day of taking command, but this was nothing of any real significance in teh Civil War. He left West Point in 1861 by 1876 he was going cold on the hill now known as 'last stand hill' in Montana following his death at the hand of the indians at little bighorn, in truth it was not Custers last stand he and his men were wiped out and the last on the run for their lives, there was no last stand last man and last bullet, no heroic action fought, the reality is the indians chased down the fleeing soldiers and killed them to this day 28 have never been found in one of the ditches along which they ran seeking cover. That battle was the indians last stand if the truth be known. Custer was not even a General as many seem to think he was. He had a Brevet (BVT) also known as a field commission, to give him a temporary rank of Major General without the privilages or pay of the rank for the duration of the duty as Col Gibbon was disposed to the rear. So, Cluster was made Major General (equivelent to a two star), as a Bvt, and off he went. Had he survived that rank would have been retracted and this is what drove Custer to proceed with an attack against orders "to scout and report back", he took it upon himself to attack the encampment and in his impetuosity and fool hardiness he rushed in and found himself overwhelmed his numbers cut into three the final third stationed way back and of no use the other third around the back of the Indian encampment and un-reinforceable, cut-off from any supporting action. Custer was arrogant and foolish that day of all days, he did everything that is inadvisable to do, he ignored his orders and he refused to just stay there and watch and report. He wanted to retain his Bvt rank, he wanted to be seen as the great and almighty General Custer, so he took on a fight he was never equipped, trained or prepared for, hoping that he would win, His arrogance and quite frankly racist ideology was that the indians were incapable of mounting an attack or defensive action sufficient to out-gun or manoeuvre his 7th US Cav. unfortunately as history shows he was very wrong. All this BS surrounding Custer has been written by Americans who lets face it were racists then and since (though only a few today), admitting the US lost to indians would never go well with society so what do they do? They tell lies and write it up as a disaster but because of unexpected numbers etc, there were 1'200 - 1'600 indians present, had Custer done some homework before he attacked he would never of attacked (least I hope not), he did not do this and paid the price. In my eyes Custers last fight is a lesson in life, _"Check everything twice, then give it thought before you act"_ I served in the British Army like you Kevin, I hate to think that a modern leader would be so self-absorbed and self-interested and self-assured that they would risk the lives of their men (today) to ensure they kept a Bvt commission. Custer is an embarrassment to the US in my view, he is a shining example of stupidity, impetuosity, foolishness and self-interest. Custer was not a hero, he was a murder of unarmed women, children and elderly. No nation should hold such a character in high regard regardless of how long ago it was or why. Custer was a coward and a fool.
Sioux and Cheyenne could buy Henry and Winchester repeaters at trading posts on the reservations. It's questionable if the many or any warriors knew they were fighting Custer's command. He had his hair cut short and the same Sioux and Cheyenne encampment had nearly overwhelmed General Crook's command a week earlier but for the vigilance of Hundreds of Crow and Shoshone warriors that the General had the good sense to enlist as allies in route to Rosebud Creek. Several Sioux and Cheyenne accounts say that Crook's command were who they thought they were fighting again, That is evidenced by the taunts directed at Reno's contingent following their rout that said that they should have brought their Crow and Shoshone warriors with them . . . In effect. Bison had become less and less plentiful as a policy of encouraging the killing off the herds en masse was a part of forcing plains natives onto reservations. Burning and confiscating natives winter stores was another and not actually capturing warriors. Killing or stealing the horses had also been used by Ranald MacKenzie against the Comanche.
![CAMPปลิ้น | EP.82[1/2] แก๊ง 3 สาวเพื่อนซี้บุก CAMPปลิ้นครั้งนี้ห้ามเสียอาการ](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_6WUjXHe1TM/mqdefault.jpg)
As a member of the Arapaho Tribe. I appreciate you covering this 😊❤
A pleasure 👍🏻
You’re a gorgeous girl
@@Dcll8451💀
As a member of the Arapaho tribe...can you please explain to me why the Arapaho, Lakota and Cheyenne were invading Crow reservation land?
Recent DNA investigations reveal something interesting. Many of the men under Custer were more closely related to the warriors they fought here than they were to Custer himself. If only that gold was not found.
Hope your having a a good time in the states Kevin. I and I’m sure most Americans are very grateful for your respectable approach to this story and American history in general. Thank you for your maticulous attention to detail Kevin. But anyway thank you for being respectful Kevin and I hope you have a long TH-cam career and the wife says how you doing lady!!
It was my pleasure, thanks for watching.
@@thehistorysquad Yes, this Texan is offering Kevin a warm welcome to the US. I've been watching History Squad for a while now, and Kevin does a right bang up job with every presentation, and this one is no exception. Thank you, Kevin!
This was kind of similar to the British disaster at Isandlawana
@@davidhilton1054 As a native Texas, I second this
As an American citizen there is no need to have respect for the disrespect this country has had towards minorities! Good job anyways Kevin as always!
I never expected Kevin to cover 19th century U.S history. But I’m absolutely loving it!
Another awesome video Kevin!
Thanks 👍🏻
I agree! Honored Kevin traveled to the US to share his take on one of the most famous battles in our young nation.
Well done!!! Excellent narrative!!! I believe Custer is buried at West Point, not Arlington
Yes, thanks I wasn't certain at the time.@@harrydonahue1657
I’m glad you reported the more accurate total of Indian deaths , the Indian acct if 31 dead is clearly false . I’ve read reports from different Indian combatants and the numbers they report don’t jibe with the official total. And you are right the families took away the dead and many died after the battle from their wounds.
A tragic story, respectfully told. Thankyou.
Fascinating, had no idea what the actual battlefield looked like. The individual markers for the fallen are unique and moving. And being British I am of course fascinated by famous defeats, whether it be the battle of Hastings, Isandlwana or the charge of the light brigade. Thanks Kev and have a good weekend!
Fantastic! Hope you have a wonderful visit! Thanks for being here!
Little Big Horn is a rare battlefield. The Native Americans left the soldiers bodies lie mostly after the battle after recovering what they needed from them. When later U.S. soldiers came they buried the soldiers basically where they lay with temporary markers. So the American dead are relatively buried close to where they fell. So the modern markers are basically where the men were originally buried.
Wow! I’ve seen many documentaries and surveys of the battle of Little big Horn. But you really brought it to life by telling the story and showing us where all the events happened. This is the best one I’ve ever seen. Thank you Kevin Hicks.
Thanks so much!!
If you ever get to Montana, it is definitely worth a visit. I live in Billings, which is not that far away, and have been there at least twice. It's an amazing place. The Crow tribe usually does a re-enactment every year (the battlefield is on their reservation).reservation. I'll be the first one to say that the way the Native peoples were treated was terrible. We'd promise to leave them alone and let them wander the prairies andn keep their traditional life, but then forced them onto reservations.
they were troublesome...blocking the trails...which meant the wagon trains and stage lines were impeded and the railroad could not advance...they had to be removed and that task fell to the army which was grossly under strength at this time@@jleechadwick
The Blackhills were captured by the Sioux from the Crow whose homeland it originally was. This is why so many Crow were recruited as scouts with Custer’s 7th Cavalry at the Little Bighorn. Nice guide Kevin!
And the Sioux were originally driven out from the Great Lakes area by other tribes. This is the eternal cycle of conquest, upon the world stage.
@@robinrobyn1714 Ya, in the East it was the Iroquois vs the Algonquins since before the Europeans arrived.
Crow are sellouts
@@robinrobyn1714Yes.That's why we stil need a strong military defence against possible assaults or invasion.Putin is trying it & what a gruesome sad affair a war is !
So it was stolen before it was stolen . Lol😅😂
I'm an American following your channel primarily for your medieval history, and you are brilliant in your story telling! I've visited this battle site and of course grew up with the history, but you showed it to me in a new light. Well done, you!
Wow thanks, I appreciate that 👍🏻
Nice even handed none bias report you Sir are a respectable Man
I find that the revisionist history is pathetic. Modern American history loves say Americans were evil and “Natives” were innocent bystanders just peacefully skipping through the tulips then all of a sudden these evil Europeans showed up. Truth is, Humans are brutal, people have since before recorded history..have been opportunistic just like every other animal. The horse is a good example. They can be nice sometimes they can be assholes. Sometimes they can be evil. When you walk across a land and somebody attacks you and tries to take all your stuff just because that’s how they live.. then you tend to get mad about that. That is American history.
He is a very great story teller & teacher!!📚💯
the one guy they never mention is Mark Kellogg...the reporter who accompanied Custer@@michaelbetsch9700
Small world, my great great Grandfather was Rain in the Face, the war chief that supposedly killed Custer. (Me personally I don't know how true that is, as he himself said he did kill him, then said he didn't, then said yeah maybe he did haha.)
I went to the site there once when our group was returning from a wild land fire, such a surreal experience to have knowing your ancestors won a huge battle on that land.
Great video as always Kevin, looking forward to seeing what you do next!
It was my absolute pleasure. How lovely that you have that wonderful link with the place 👍🏻
What an incredible link to have with such an important event in history; to be related to Ité Omáǧažu.
I’ve been reading into the battle & it was particularly interesting to discover that in June 2005, at a public meeting, Northern Cheyenne storytellers said that according to their oral tradition, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, a Northern Cheyenne heroine of the Battle of the Rosebud, struck the final blow against Custer, which knocked him off his horse before he died.
It’s also worth noting that Custer suffered two gun shot wounds; either one would’ve been fatal, but only bled from one…meaning one was done following his death. There is also some dispute over whereabouts on the battlefield he was shot.
The testimony of an Oglala named Joseph White Cow Bull stated he had shot a rider wearing a buckskin jacket and big hat at the riverside when the soldiers first approached the from the east. But, the fact the both wounds on Custer would’ve been fatal, it makes it unlikely he was killed at the ford; more than a mile from where his body was found.
Also, it is unlikely that any Native American recognized Custer during or after the battle. Shave Elk said, 'We did not suspect that we were fighting Custer and did not recognize him either alive or dead.' Wooden Leg said no one could recognize any enemy during the fight, for they were too far away. The Cheyennes did not even know a man named Custer was in the fight until weeks later; in fact they weren’t aware several members of Custer’s family had been in the battle until 1922. This in itself could be the reason why your Great Great Grandfather wasn’t sure if he killed Custer.
That said, when he did confess that he might have killed Custer, Ité Omáǧažu apparently said that he shot him at such close range that he left powder marks on his face.
As a descendant of Rain In The Face...can you please explain to me why the Lakota invaded Crow reservation land?
@@Master...deBaterYou’re beginning to sound like a broken, boring record
@@chrisbold56 You know what sounds like a broken, boring record? The claim that the Lakota were fighting for "their" land! Rain in the Face admitted that on the very morning of the battle...he and several other warriors were making plans for an attack on a Crow village! He admitted that they were actually an invasion force!
Great summary. Custer's fatal error was to divide his command. He should have listened to his Crow and Arikara scouts. One of them straight up told him "Colonel, you must not divide your command now, there are far too many hostiles in that camp." His response; "You stick to the scouting, I'll do the fighting."
Kevin, the man the legend, Hicks. Love this guy.
That’s some beautiful country.
IT IS, isn't it?? :) A friend of mine, who travels a lot on bike throughout the whole of the US, each time he's on vacation, told me once that they have a saying over there : "BIG SKY COUNTRY" - when they talk about Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc. It's a reference to the sensation of being under an "ENORMOUS, VAST SKY" in all those aforementioned territories that are not heavily urbanized like on the East Coast, in New England or on the far edge of the West Coast, where you (simply) cannot see that "far horizon". I've never been to Montana, but I always wanted to visit there.
Who knows ? ...maybe in another life...
@@2serveand2protect New Mexico is another big sky state. The light, the shadows, etc. are just amazing. Why can’t you travel out West yourself?
I am from the Apache Ancestry, from South Texas and talk about Big Skies and flat lands! You can actually see for miles! I’ve been here all my life and my ancestors too.
@@apolloperez8706 It’s amazing when you see the shadow of a massive storm front moving across the plateau before the actual clouds isn’t it?
@@The_ZeroLine - I was born in a Farming family in 1955 and we picked cotton as part of the family’s income. Yes I’ve stood and watched the coming storms from pure clear skies to the actual storms fury and tornadoes dancing across our fields hundreds of yards from our farmhouse. It’s truly Amazing, Incredible feeling! You feel the power of Mother Nature and its Glory. Then the freshness of the lands afterwards. This I cannot forget.
Well done Hicks crew. Another brilliant video. Thanks from our family in outback Queensland, Australia. 😊
Cheers Mel 👍🏻
You really understand just how the soldiers were picked off bit by bit a lot better when you see how spread out most of them were. If you read Custer’s book My life on the plains, you see what he was thinking, every time prior to this he was chasing the natives they would find a way to escape, he never understood they would stand and fight until it was too late for him.
Exactly. Custer's only concern was that the tribes would scatter at the sight of the approaching US Army, thereby making it impossible to contain them. He wasn't aware of their victory at the battle at Rosebud the week prior and how they were full of 'good medicine' which would motivate them to stand their ground, once and for all. Something else to note - The native warriors weren't dressed in traditional garb, which is always depicted in film and imagination. Being off the reservations, they were wearing ordinary workwear and liked their bowler hats.
@@RW4X4X3006 What evidence is there that the natives were wearing workwear? In Red Horse's and One Bull's drawings of the battle, they are wearing traditional garb. And most had been off the reservations for months.
Book some years back. Apparently, this and wearing army blouses made it difficult for the soldiers and warriors to distinguish between each other in the dust clouded melee. They wore what was practical for them.@@richardstephens5570
01.27.2024
Very interesting. Thank you Kevin for all your hard work & dedication to making your channel, your videos the best that they could be.
Hope you're enjoying your USA adventure. Hello from the mid-west; as in St. Louis, Missouri 🇺🇲
Custer had no way of knowing about Crook's defeat at the Rosebud...the indians were full of fight and eager to take him on....
You never fail to amaze Kevin ,explaining historical events so graphically. Your heart has to go out to the Native Americans by the way they were treated and it’s just and right that the full story is told.
Welcome to the states, friend from across the pond! I hope you stay awhile and pick up the sights. Please make it your destination to visit the battle of gettysburg and all of the surrounding shops and museums. You'd think you'd died and gone to heaven there!
Enjoy your stay here. 🇬🇧 ❤ 🇺🇸
I've just stumble across your channel, (it's perfect timing as I've been in a youtube rut lately). I absolutely love watching you and learning some absolutely fascinating aspects of history. Now I'm binge-watching. Your narrations are captivating...thank you
Hes great, check out his medieval European stuff. His first video I watched was the one where he talks about removing an arrow from king Henry IV I believe. His style is what got me.
Awesome! Thanks very much and welcome, there's history spanning centuries on here 👍🏻
Like how you don't powdercoat,You tell it like it happened!!
Horses are wildly intelligent. So, yes, the horse 🐎 grave memorial is extremely sad too. That bronze sculpture is quite beautiful.
only one horse survived....
All of it's sad I'm glad the horses got recognized
A Brit in the wild west!!!!
Subscribed originally for the English longbow videos when I bought one as my first ever bow; staying for your exciting and attention arresting narrations and history videos!
Wow, thanks 👍🏻
As a member of the Hunkpapha Band of the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nation, thanks for covering this.
As a member of the Hunkpapha band of Lakota...can you please explain to me what the Lakota were doing invading Crow reservation land???
@@Master...deBaterDunno. Why are you squatting here?
@@chrisbold56 Conquerors aren't squatters! If that was the case...why were the Lakota squatting in the Black Hills?
Custer's remains were buried at West Point. There is some question whether they were his. Only skeletal remains were recovered a year later.
Thank you for a most interesting tour. Your respect for history is awesome, and is told without bias toward either side. Cheers from Texas.
Kevin
Thank you for your completely unbiased analysis of this battle. You sir are quite a rarity in this day and age. A pure respectful historian.
Appreciated 👍🏻
This is my favorite part of US History simply because it's often forgotten about.
Custer was a brevet General in the Civil War. He was reduced to his permanent rank after the war. It wasn't because he did anything wrong, it was because the size of the army was reduced and there was no need for so many generals. This is why you see the general star on his uniform. People often referred to him as General as a sign of respect for his Civil War service.
One thing you'll notice about the terrain is that it's very easy to hide. It initially seems like flat grasslands, but the rolling hills are tall enough to conceal several hundred people. By looking at the landscape with your own eyes, you'll understand why it's cavalry country.
Phenomenal video. Great story telling. I didn't know that spoons were crafted into arrow heads. I hope you are able to visit other historical sites in the US and tell their stories as well.
Why does Crip Mac hate this guy so much?
Custer brings out incredibly strong emotions in people, especially considering he's been dead for 148 years. As for rank, the reduction applied to everybody. The captains in the 7th who were Civil War vets were mostly brevet Lt. Colonels, and it was a courtesy in social situations to refer to them as "Colonel" rather than "Captain." Same applies to Custer, which is why he is known as "General."
Custer did plenty of wrong and was even recieved a court martial in 1867 then sent to Leavenworth. He was also reknowned for slaughtering the elderly, women, children and babies.
I’ve seen a few people talk about this event. Which we in the UK know as Custer’s last stand. You engage me in the real story better than anyone else. You also make sure to speak about all sides in the conflict, explaining the background and not judging the actions of people who existed at a different time in a vastly different environment.
not a big fight as fights go,,,but significant because of who died there...Custer was a bit of a rock star and a media darling
I went to school in Wyoming, the fort Laramie treaties and the fetterman fight are big deals around here! I’m doing an college course and I’ve always loved your videos and historical knowledge and insights take care man!
The Custer family lost 5 members at the Little Big Horn, George A. Custer, his brother Tom Custer, their younger brother Boston Custer, and a nephew, Henry Armstrong Reed. James Calhoun, his brother in law also was killed. George Custer was not mutilated after the battle, but his brother Tom Custer was because he had dishonored an Indian woman in his past. An embedded reporter, Marcus Henry Kellogg, was so badly mutilated that his boots were only way to identify him. I guess the Sioux and the Cheyenne did not like Journalists. Custer was not mutilated, but the Cheyenne punctured his ear drums after death, to remind him, that he a broke a promise not to wage war on them. Myles Keogh, his 2nd in command was an Irish native, who before coming to America, had served in the Irish Brigade of the Papal Army in Italy, for his service during the War of Italian Unification, He was awarded a Papal medal for his service. He was awarded the Pro Petri Sede for gallantry and the Cross of the Knight of the Order of St. Gregory The Great. When the Cheyenne and Sioux came across these medals they felt that held great magic, so they did not disfigure his body also. When I was at the park, in the museum, there was a display that showed the origins of all the soldiers of the 7th cavalry come from.
There's nothing more I appreciate as an American than history that tells both sides of the story. It's important to me to understand the full story.
A respectful approach to a very tragic battle for both sides. This is what happens if greed is your goal. Thanks Kevin!
Going international, love it
I think it is safe to say if you're down to shooting the horses and using the corpses to build breastworks the battle is not going well.
What a wonderful video , amazing scenery and you Kevin a great guide when it comes to history.
It's so nice to see you exploring our countryside Kev, I'm grateful for your videos and very happy that you're investigating U.S. History too!
I only live an hour away from there! Very cool place, and your description of the events was great!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks 👍🏻
The Sioux hadn't been there forever. The were relatively new. The Cree had ran them out of what is now Canada The Sioux had just brutality displaced the Pawnee.
That’s incorrect. We came from Minnesota and chased out due to colonial chaos. And yes, we are brilliant fighters. We had to be. My nation is called the burnt thigh Lakota because the Anishinaabe set fire to the prairies driving my family out, which burned the legs of my nation. There are more to the story than you can imagine. I know because I’m Lakota and we still keep our oral tradition, as well as winter counts that go back 2,000 years. No indigenous nation ever, ever claimed ownership of land. Didn’t you know that before you framed our world in your own simple terms?
Oh this was brilliant !
As Europeans, we only know so much about US history if we don't actively research it.
It is really fascinating but also very tragic, especially for natives. I remember being absolutely baffled when I learnt that reserves still exist...
Despite the horrors that happened there the landscape is beautiful !
The reservations are still around, because they allow the tribes have some form of self-government, and not ruled entirely by US law. Peter Santenello has stunning ty videos visiting different reservations and tribes.
.....and they're making a mint with their casinos....@@sameaston9587
Would you take away their reservations?
If you visit South Dakota again, The Crazy Horse Memorial is well worth a visit, it has a long ways to go, but they are carving an entire mountain, into a statue of him and his horse, and have a museum as well, Rushmore was interesting, but Crazy Horse was truly awe inspiring.
The museum there is awesome!
I have to agree, the battlefield site is very well mapped and put together.
One thing always strikes me is how much it's like Dartmoor (beyond the tors) when I'm up there I can't help but think of massed warriors.
Not the easiest of journeys from the UK, but Montana and the battlefield is well worth the trip.
Excellent story-telling, as usual. Thank you.
Mr. Hicks, a very respectfully done video,I truly enjoyed it! I hope you and your wife are enjoying your time in the States. You said some things I hadn't known before about this battle and I thank you for that sir. Little Bighorn is one battlefield my late husband and I wanted to go to but never got there. I've been to Gettysburg, and I live 10 miles outside of where the Battle of Saratoga was fought and I've been there quite a few times. Anyhow, be safe in your travels,and I look forward to your next video!
nothing is easy to get to out there...driving 60 miles for groceries is routine,,,
Yet another great video Kev!!! I heard that when Custer was found that an arrow had been pushed through his ear clean though and out the other ear. It was so he could hear in the next world, because the Native Americans said he never listened. How true this is I don't know but I heard it many years ago. It was so sad that they were pushed off their land. When Sitting Bull was in the Bill Cody show he used to give a lot of his earnings to the poor children in the towns they visited. It was reputed that he was a kind and very wise man. As always, my best to you and Julie!
Dave.
Cheers Dave
I saw another TH-cam historian theorize that Custer was wounded and either took his own life or a fellow soldier did it for him. That way he could escape the inevitable torture that was to come. I can't recall the TH-camrs name right now.
The Indians didn't even know who Custer was. Custer was at the LBH because the Sioux and Cheyenne invaded Crow land. Sitting Bull was killed by a mortally wounded Indian officer who was leading a detachment of Indian police to arrest SB for fomenting trouble on the reservation. The officer was shot by SB's followers. So much for your fake history.
It was a sewing awl that was used to "clean" out his ears. It was done so he would listen better in the next life. I descend from the Santee people who were at this battle. My family was heavily involved with the Major Reno fight.
@@chucks4328Custer was shot at the river below Last Stand hill, and he was dead by the time the fight was over. When his body was found, his head wound was still bleeding. So he had to have been shot in the head after trying to cross the river. It was when he thought it was the end of the village but it was only the middle.
If you pause the video at 1:06 Custer was shot in this area under the left breast. If you pause it at 1:14 is where I'd place my bet this is where Custer was shot. There is even a little dip leading towards the river. Scout Mitch Bouyer was last seen in this same area too.
I think that Custer was possibly still alive after the attempted river crossing and the shot in the head going towards or on Last Stand hill. But either shot would have been fatal in the end.
One of the best field reports on this event. History will always repeat itself, and people will always be people. Be careful of what you ask for.
The Black Hills belonged to the Cheyenne until the Sioux invaded and conquered them around 1776. Curious how most people always leave out this rather important detail and focus entirely on how "sacred" the site was for the Sioux, making it seem as if the Sioux owned the Black Hills since the beginning of time. When in reality the Sioux held the Black Hills for only a century at the time of the battle of the Little Bighorn.
History can be very selective, by both sides!
If you don’t understand a topic concerning both of our nations, the history of Paha Sapa that wasn’t written by a European and fail to understand both us Lakota and Cheyenne fought together and are now very close relations, why are you commenting? The most important thing we have in common that unites us is you and your judgement. You represent a thousand other white people who comment on Native stuff, something heard before, an argument inherently racist, yet here you are. If I don’t know something I learn or sit the fck down. I suggest you take that hint to heart.
Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thank you for an absolutely fascinating look into one of THE most talked about battles in American history. This subject is complicated, as most, if not all, stories of conflicts through out time are. You REALLY have a gift, you are A man who can tell an amazing story, fair and true. Be safe and be well, Arthur
That's very kind Arthur, thank you 👍🏻
The Black Hills may have been 'sacred' to the Sioux, but they were late-comers to the territory. Both the Crow and Cheyenne laid claim to the same land before the Sioux arrived in the 18th Century. There was a lot of bitterness among the Crow in particular and they petitioned the US Government to help them re-acquire their land. The Crow had provided scouting support for US Cavalry for some time, there was a good relationship with that tribe. The point being, the situation wasn't black and white but had lots of shades of grey as well. One correction, there were likely far more Warriors than the 2000 you stated. 3000-4000 are more recent estimates.
Oh kevin you have no idea how happy i was watching this. I lived in south dakota when i was very young and those plains have never left my mind. Seeing that beautiful land and just knowing the rich history makes me miss it so much more
You did a great jobs telling the story of the little bighorn. I collect and shoot firearms from Early to late 1800s. Everytime I shoot a trapdoor springfield or a colt SAA. It always makes me think about how horrible being in this battle would have been.
Thank you Kevin, for giving my family many great moments by watching your funny, educational and historic anecdotes.
My pleasure 👍🏻
Fun fact: 5 members of the Custer family died at the Little Bighorn. Custer, his nephew, his brother-in-law, and two of his brothers (one who was a Medal of Honor recipient during the civil war.) great video kev, would have been great to meet you in Montana!
Hi Kevin! I've never been to Montana, the closest I've been is Cheyenne, Wyoming. I'm familiar with the battle through some of the contemporary accounts. I can't remember the title, but I read a book on Custer. He had a rather inglorious career at West point, spending endless hours on guard duty as punishment for his many infractions, and graduating last in his class. The high points of his life and career were in the Civil War, and he was present at the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox Court House. His personal life was rather interesting as well.
Have a great weekend, Kevin!
there were some questions raised about his competence...but he was defended to the end by his wife Libby...and she outlived all of his critics
My personal theory, after having worked with a young lady with ADHD, is that Custer and his brothers and their dad were absolute poster children for that condition, which of course was not identified at the time. It does tend to run in families. That is part of the reason for his lousy West Point record. He excelled at the things he liked, and barely scraped by with the other stuff. And he was a joker. Possibly the only reason he graduated is that the Civil War had started and they needed officers.
I have been told that the only officer to graduate with a worse record than Custer was Ulysses S. Grant.
Lieutenant Sturgis’s body was never found. The marker was erected to placate his family who (understandably) were grief stricken. His father was Samuel Sturgis. The detached commander of the 7th calvary who was in St. Louis when the battle took place. Great video. Seeing the terrain helped me get a better understanding of how the battle might have played out.
Custer threw away his life, along with lives of his men. Regardless of who was right or wrong, this battle was a waste of lives.
Dang good video Kevin, you do a great justice to show us important historical sites and stories that took place there.
You should do a video about the Trail of Tears. I can look out my front door and see the road and the Tennessee River they floated down to go to Oklahoma. Its just absolutely insane, no words can express what the govt did to the Ani-yun-wiya, you'd know them by the name of Chalakee or Cherokee.
Hi Kevin, just discovered your channel by accident, absolutely loving it, and my kids are too. I have now have your entire back catalogue to enjoy. Keep up the good work.
Great stuff, keep on enjoying, thanks 👍🏻
In the final analysis the Native Americans were doomed. It was actually their last stand. They won the battle, but lost the country. Many of the soldiers were recent immigrants. They were very poorly trained and many of them only spoke limited English. Custer was an egotistical fool. I hold him responsible for what happened to the Troopers. Sitting Bull was a great man.
Very cool that you visited that battlefield. Not enough people even remember Custer had his last stand in MT. Ive been there a couple times while visiting family the rez. It’s always a treat. The LaForge cabins are pretty cool too.
I'm Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South Dakota. My great (x7) grandfather, Running Antelope was one of thw signers of The Ft Laramie Treaty of 1868. He was also a chief and was friends with Sitting Bull until they disagreed over whether to move to the reservation. He was later part of the welcoming committee when Sitting Bull returned from Canada. There are historical records of how Custer's wife. Libby sat in on most of the meetings between the Army and the Lakota chiefs before the battle at Greasy Grass Montana (Little Bighorn) ever took place. As Lakota we still hold the Black Hills as sacred land and will never give up on the land being returned to the tribe to care for and we will never accept the billions that have been offered as compensation for the broken treaty. The land remains unceded because the government failed to uphold their end.
Thank you for your comment 👍🏻
It sounds like Running Antelope was wise! As a signatory of the Laramie treaty, I'm sure he knew that the Greasy Grass was on Crow lands. And as such...the Lakota were breaking their treaty with the Crow tribe!
As far as I'm concerned, the important thing to understand is that many of the native tribes were moving around the continent fighting each other for land/resources. The Sioux themselves were pushed out of the Minnesota region and in their migration pushed out the Crow.
The Comanche originated from Colorado but pushed out and nearly genocided the Osage.
In other words, the natives were constantly at war with each other in addition to the Spaniards/Mexicans/Texans/Americans.
As far as I'm concerned, it was the US army who pacified the entire continent.
Kevin! I was SO excited to see you present here in The States! You’re the best & I hope you continue to not have any limits with regard to our history & the history of the world, my friend!😊
Their is always two sides to a tale the Brave noble Lakota warriors you refer too at LBH also butchered a Pawnee camp killing some 150-200 women and children burning them alive by some accounts on bonfires this happed three years before LBH the Lakota had also been raiding and killing other tribes most notably the Crow , Pawnee , Cree , Omaha and Kiowa while gold in the black hills certainly was a factor Grant had also received delegations from tribes that were being constantly attacked by the Lakota hence the reason why the US army had no problem recruiting native scouts.
While most bleeding hearts would say what a shame the Lakota lost their lands their are some tribes who owe their existence to what the US government did otherwise they might well have been wiped out of course their is no excuse to what happed after hostilities ended with the re-education of tribes which disgusts me.
You're in country are you? I hope USA is treating you well. Come visit Texas and check out an authentic Texas steakhouse sometime, let me know what you think! We have some beautiful prairies here.
I'm a buckeye but I highly concur. A visit to Texas is always a good idea ❤
This is Southern hospitality right there
I was, but I’ll be back someday 👍
Excellent video Kevin - particularly like the fact it includes the last-ditch breakout attempt by E Troop at the end of the battle, dismounted, bereft of ammo and all officers down - one of those desperate men was Sgt William James, subject of my novel 'If God Will Spare My Life...' published by Victorina Press...I'm convinced their doomed escape attempt was led by First Sgt Fred Hohmeyer whose body was subsequently identified in Deep Ravine...
What a fascinating story that has lived on strongly in history, being from the UK naturally I have heard so much about General George Armstrong Custer and his men of the 7th Cavalry and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. You have again told the history of the battle in a cracking way Kevin, it is fascinating to hear about E company and their desperate flight and fight, running for their lives being chased down by warriors, so ironic that a virtual mirrored scene would happen 3 years later in 1879 at the battle of Islanduwana at fugitives trail. Again Kevin you have done a brilliant job thank you.
I love this portion of American history. Me and my brothers are currently doing the history of the trapdoor rifles video series on TH-cam which is what Custer's troops were armed with and I'm of the opinion that it wasn't necessarily the equipment that got him killed. It was poor leadership from Custer's part
I learned more about my country's history from a British man than I did in public school. Well done, Mr. Hicks.
Cheers!
Sometimes I really hate the way younger nd modern people like to treat this past as if it was just white people massacring people and there was no defenses or battles and they don't realize they are actually taking away from the natives and their achievements.
Don't get me wrong, it was bad, wild and harsh with hindsight but people often forget that these settlers had a lot more fear and worry than what people like to think. It was a strange new land, with strange new people and so many other things happening around the world at the same time that influenced how things went down.
Love your revision on these topics helps keep it open and less bias or agenda involved. Thanks.
Brilliant video Kev! I remember being on exercise in Batus in Alberta, the terrain is the same. We hide an entire squadron of CVRTs in a coulee and the whole enemy battle group past us. Good question at the end! Splitting forces against a bigger enemy rarely works worked at Chancellorsville in the civil war. But this battle remains me of the Battle of Isandlwana, hubris of technology and tactics against a well determined native force
As an American, Texan, and avid outdoorsman I have fallen in love with your Channel. I truly appreciate your respect and dedication to history. If you find yourself in Fort Worth Texas there is a Civil War museum which I believe is one of, if not the largest private collections of relics from both sides of the war.
Wow, thank you!
One of my ancestors died at the little big horn ,he was a scout ,his name was Charley Reynolds. He was called Lonesome Charley Reynolds.
Why can't wait to see your take on the Little bighorn Kevin thank you for your insight.
Edit::; fun fact here 🇺🇸 in the civil war Custer was a young man and he was the first man to ever be used in an aeronautical form in any military he was a very brave man he went up in a balloon he was the first man to ever go up in a spotting balloon and it took balls of steel to do so.🇺🇸
Yes I'd read that 👍🏻
Great video! It's sad how we treated the Native Americans, but not surprising when you see how mankind has treated each other thruout time. Love the Native American monuments.
Great job Kev, love listening to you. The amount of respect and knowledge you bring to all of your videos is second to none. Thank you for taking the time to cover this great battle for a way of life.
Welcome aboard Kevin ,I'm glad you enjoy American history, as short as it is , thank y8u for this video.
Compare the Greasy Grass mess to Isandlwana and the fight at Rorke's Drift that followed terrain similar with ravines, a river, with nasty steep slopes in places. I walked the area back in the summer of 1973 after I ended my 2 years on active Duty in the US Army, I was on delay in route to my Reserve unit, so I had a month after vehicle delivery problems, to make my trip and get back for my first drill. None of the modern paths just rough trails to follow. Much digging has revealed much more than was known when I was there. Thank you for the fine coverage.
...that big fire exposed a lot of artifacts.
Hey, that was quite informative and enjoyable !
I’ve seen and read stories about the battle of Little Bighorn but this is the most descriptive I’ve seen. Thanks Kevin and to the history squad. Well done!
yeah, you simplified the whole thing....there are more details but you did a nice overview....
Most battles in the Great Sioux War, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, were on lands those natives had taken from other tribes since 1851. The Lakotas were there without consent from the local Crow tribe, which had a treaty on the area. Already in 1873, Crow chief Blackfoot had called for U.S. military actions against the native intruders. The steady Lakota invasion (a reaction to white encroachment into the Black Hills) into treaty areas belonging to the smaller tribes ensured the United States a firm Indian alliance with the Arikaras and the Crows during the Lakota Wars
Yes, it's really interesting, the warfare between the tribes is quite a thing to delve into. In Wooden Legs book, he talks about raids on other tribes 👍🏻
Welcome to the U.S. i hope you do more stories while you're here!
I've already done some Deadwood and have another in the pipeline 👍🏻
Wild Bill and Calamity buried side by side up on top of that hill....@@thehistorysquad
Always loved the film The last Samuri touches on Custer and how the Samuri warriors seen valor in his last stand but he's told a different perspective by Tom Cruise which makes the Samuri look at it in a different light. That it was foolish and ego decision making. A man who fell in love with his own legend.
I always enjoy your narrative of US historical events. You explain it better than I ever heard. I think you have a natural ability to explain things plus being from another country you don’t tend to choose sides.
You skipped the part about what the Indians did to the wounded soldiers.
Thanks for bringing this to us Kev ! Love it ! I get excited everytime you upload a new video !
My pleasure!!
You are a great narrator Kevin, regardless in which area and part of history! Let me add a bit: Sitting Bull did not actively participate in the battle. He had performed a special ritual a few days earlier, from which a lot of the warriors believed it had given them the strength for the fight.
George Armstrong Custer (* 1839) had finished the miltary academy in Westpoint as last of his class. Nevertheless he gained a reputation as a courageous and unconventional officer. In the battle of Gettysburg he personally led several counterattacks against the Conferate cavalry and forced them to retreat. The Sioux and Cheyenne called him "Squaw killer" or "Thief chief".
Thanks for the comment. 👍🏻
Really happy to see you in the US! We dont have cool medieval stuff but im always down to hear you talk about the old west!
We do, but it’s medieval INDIGENOUS stuff. Ever found an arrowhead? We’ve been making them for 20,000 years.
This has been on my "to watch list" for some time. Finally had time to watch. It was a very sobering and illuminating tour of the battlefield and tactics. Stunning vistas and beautiful shots of the area. I will never get to visit in person but you made me feel like I was there with you, Kevin. Thank you for this respectful video of an important part of American history.
Thanks for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I stand corrected, he was promoted to Brigadier Gen during the civil war. However after the war he accepted a commission as a Lt. Col. in command of the newly formed 7th Cav.
Many officers of the Seventh were Civil War vets. Many of the captains, like Keogh and Weir, had brevets of Lt. Col. and were referred to in conversation as “Colonel” as a courtesy, just as Custer was called “General,” though his actual rank was Lt. Col.
Custer was a Brigadier General in command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade beginning just a few days prior to the battle of Gettysburg. However, in 1864, due to his success, he was promoted to Major General of U.S. Volunteers and commander of the Third Cavalry Division. He commanded that Division as he chased Lee's Confederate command all the way to Appomattox. He actually captured the trains which Lee was hoping to get much in needed food for his soldiers. The first flag of truce requesting a cease of hostility until Lee could meet with Grant was sent out to Custer. Custer remained in command of the Third Division until the volunteer troops were mustered out and sent home. He then reverted to his regular Army rank. When the Seventh Cavalry was created in 1866 he was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
Early-Modern human activity in the Black Hills. . The Arikara arrived by AD 1500, followed by the Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa and Arapaho. The Lakota (also known as Sioux) arrived from Minnesota in the 18th century and drove out the other tribes, who moved west. They claimed the land, which they called Ȟe Sápa (Black Mountains).
I'm shocked!
I've always been kind of jealous of how you can go in your back yard and see incredible history whereas the oldest building here in the woods of western PA in 1790. You have thatched roofs that are twice that age.
Now here you are over here??? Wow. I guess it makes sense you would be mostly interested in a battle field=with your back ground. I recommend you read Custer's book. The thing that sticks out most of where you are in this video is how a chief saw Custer's small group getting overwhelmed and said that he always believed that the soldiers were not a brave people but that changed his mind. I also think of how Custer was rumored to have been killed by a Squall, which i don't believe.
Turns out I live around exciting history, too. I live a few miles (I mean Kilometers) west of the Allegheny river. A little north is Titusville, which has tons of history by being the first to drill oil and the area refined it for kerosene (cheaper than whale oil). Read Ida Tarbell's book about the history of the standard oil company. She was a famous local girl.
The Allegheny river marked the beginning of the west. The big cities along the river were built by guys who would float lumber rafts down the Allegheny to Pittsburgh then the ohio to Cincinnati. George Washington crossed it to go up to Fort Labuffe (I iknow its misspelled, I also know it was French for "buffalo" which was common here once)
The Allegheny also has "Indian God Rock" below Franklin. We drift down on inner tubes in the summer and one island, full of black walnuts, I found an Indian nutting stone. They are used to open nuts.
A few miles west of me in the Old Stone House where an Indian who floated down the river got let off in Franklin. Long story short, he killed a bunch of people by the old stone house, in 1845, I think. The shackles that held him are in the Butler Historical society. They hung him but refused to bury him with the Christians so he is now somewhere under Foxes Pizza.
West of Pittsburgh is Meadow Croft archeological site where it has been continuously inhabited for over 13,000 years and they display clovis points. I live on the line that represented the edge of ice during the last ice age.
At the beginning of the Allegheny river is a Kinzue Damn which flooded an Indian reservation, contrary to President Kennedy's promise.
They have been "legally" taking Indian land since before Andrew Jackson signed the Indian removal act in I think the 1820s. Little is known about the Erie Canal that went from New York and ended on an Reservation in Buffalo. Judge Stryker was the assistant Indian agent who pretty much took their land around the canal.
Didn't want to end on a down note but did want to convey that we seem to have little history, but really have much.
Thank you for all of your videos. (I commented on one last week that was removed. I thought it funny how an arrow to the knee was like Ace Ventura's joke.)
Hi there @onenewworldmonkey thanks for your comment, as you may know I do try to read all the comments and don't recall an Ace Ventura one, so it's likely YT deleted it for reasons beyond my control. Comments often come up on non-related videos too, so sorry about that. Anyway you're right, the US does actually have a lot of history and I've one more video from my trip there that shows it 👍🏻
Washington almost drowned in that damn river,,,but I see it recently won some sort of award...it is pretty clean...and are you telling me there's an indian buried under Fox'es pizza right down at the corner?
@@frankpienkosky5688 lol. yep. As far as can be determined because is was unmarked at the time. His iron shackles are behind the courthouse.
Thanks for the reply. Refreshing to not have a reply of an insult as I often get on youtube.
By the way everyone was very scared by hanging that Indian. There were rumors that a huge number were organized to attack the town and were gathering up the river. The truth is they couldn't stand that man either. He had the DTs when they left him in Franklin. When he reached Harrisville he asked where the river was, I would have, too. They told him it was a dozen miles to the east so he carried on to Butler when a doctor bled him as was usual. I often tell people that the way we think of those doctors back then is how in a hundred years they will think of today's doctors but no one gets it.
That story actually started in Buffalo, but no one knows that. I've been in touch with the historical society up there and know a great deal about it as I was, at one time obsessed with it. I thought about writing a book about it but haven't yet.
Part 1. Custer's Conquest in Heaven
As the sun set over the celestial plains, painting the skies in hues of gold and rose, General George Armstrong Custer found himself in a peculiar battlefield-heaven. The thrill of glory and the weight of his past were intertwined, as he donned his familiar blue jacket adorned with five stars, ready to lead his heavenly regiment into this otherworldly war.
In life, he had known the thrill of the charge, the sound of cannon fire, and the cries of men in battle. Yet he now faced an enemy unlike any he had encountered before. There were no banners unfurling in the wind or drums beating the march. Instead, he stood before a gathering of American Indian warriors-spirits of the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. This was their eternal resting ground, and they wore expressions of fierce determination and unyielding pride.
"Devil take this madness!" Custer shouted, brandishing his sword, its blade gleaming in the ethereal light. "I have fought my battles on Earth, and now you come to my paradise? This is not your land!"
The warriors, undeterred and resolute, stood their ground. They were adorned with feathers and leather, symbols of their clans, and their eyes burned with the fire of historical injustices, tales of their ancestors echoing in the winds around them. Their war cries resonated through the realm, stirring the clouds above into a tempest.
In that moment, the devil appeared-an impish figure cloaked in shadows and mischief, his laughter tinkling like the sound of shattered glass. "Custer! You seek to fight? But here in Heaven, I have a different arrangement. You may fight, but you shall not sweat a drop. No bullets will pierce your skin, no arrows will find their mark!"
Custer's brow furrowed, his pride wounded. A battle without danger? Was that any battle at all? He had fought for honor, and with every charge on Earth, he had measured his worth through the sweat and blood shed. What glory lay in fighting with no risk?
"You think you can strip me of my valor, devil?" he spat, fury igniting within him. "I will face these warriors, sweat or no sweat. They deserve my respect, my full measure in this fight!"
With a wave of his hand, the devil summoned a multitude of dazzling lights-bullets, arrows, and spirit shields that glimmered in the heavenly realm. "Very well! A battle it shall be! But know this: each glimmer is a challenge. You may face them, but you will see no harm."
The warriors advanced, their determination unwavering. They charged forward, not as they had on Earth, but as skilled spirits bound by the threads of their history. Custer met them head-on, his spirit ablaze with the thrill of combat. He swung his sword and found that each blow met no resistance-his blade cut through air, mesmerizing sparkles that danced away like fireflies in the night.
Day turned to night, and night turned to day again, as the celestial battle ebbed and flowed. Custer, fueled by a primal urge for conquest, shouted commands to his invisible battalion, yet he could not change the surreal turn of events; he could not taste the sweat nor feel the grit of a true struggle.
As the spirit warriors surrounded him, their laughter resonated through the skies like the sound of distant thunder, understanding the absurdity of this unfathomable chase. They fought with beauty, agility, and grace, marking the dance of both past and present.
Amidst the clash of ethereal weapons, Custer found himself halted. Breathless-not from fatigue, but from an awakening. He paused, watching the warriors dance around him, laughing yet fearless. These were not his foes; they were memories made manifest, expressions of a history intertwined with his.
"Why do you fight me?" he pondered aloud, suddenly aware of a deeper truth.
One of the spirit warriors stepped forward, tearing the veil of competition. "General, we fight not against you, but for the stories that bind us. For every mark you made upon our land, we stand to reclaim our truth. This battle holds no bullets, but carries the weight of our voices-the cries of those that were silenced."
As the revelation dawned upon him, Custer dropped his sword. The battlefield transformed into a sacred space of dialogue, a meeting of spirits where stories flowed freely, and healing took center stage.
In the end, the devil watched with a crooked grin, knowing that no bullets had been fired, but a far greater battle had been fought: understanding, respect, and the unraveling of history within the tapestry of one's spirit.
And so in heaven, amidst laughter and the stories of warriors, Custer became not a general of conflict but a keeper of narratives-a custodian of the past, ensuring no story would be forgotten again.
Part 2. Intermission: The muse rose up underneath the devil's foot. “What will General George Armstrong Custer's healing and custodianship be?”. “Fool!” laughed the devil. And the devil threw the muse to the ground.
My favorite battle in History!
Great video, I rode the Battlefield 6/6/23 with wife, you can rent horses from the Crow, but the owner ride's
with you, Took all morning to go from about where the San Arc's camp was across the river to Reno Hill and back to
Custer Hill and back to the Horse owner's place. What a great experience,
The Park ranger's now feel Custer's Tactical plan was sound, but Custer -- noone had ever ran onto a Village
even 1/5 as big. Feeding a Village of ??? 5000 people from Hunting? Game are not in one place, Plains Indians
had to live in small groups -- to find/kill enough food.
Noone every every seen 400 Warriors together, much less 1500+
Also none of Custer's people spoke Crow, so they had to trust the Scout's English and they always exaggerted
everything. Crow is a separate language, no relation to any other Plains tribe?? Maybe Hidatsa another
that no whites spoke either. Our guide/owner of our mounts, also had lived on the Battlefield his whole
like, he knew much about how his tribe the Crow/Apsaalooke fought the Sioux even before the coming of
the White man.
OMG! My favourite history channel talking about my favourite period in history! This is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing Mr. Hicks! Wonderful and rich content as usual.
Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏻
A great video Kevin. You neutral outlook on the battle is refreshing. I accidentally saw Custer's last resting place, in the West Point cemetery summer 1971. The officers remains were recovered and moved to Fort Leavenworth for reburial in 1877. Libby Custer wanted him buried at West Point. Officially the bodies were buried in shallow graves two days after the battle. The ground was rock hard and the graves were shallow. Most had a little dirt shoveled on them with crude markers driven into the ground. The official report states his remains were located and recovered in 1877. Eyewitness accounts stated they found the grave and collected what was there. A mix of human and horse or mule bones. The historical photos show they did not bury horses after the battle, their bones are every where to be seen.
I'm from Montana and been to that area. Love your channel, and just LOVE that you came across the pond to do some history in my home area!
You should go to gettysburg.
It's on the list 👍🏻
I've been there. The area is so oppressive I had to leave, so much sorrow and pain. I have visited many, many historical sites in my life but this was the only time I could not stand being there..
@xxxxxxxx3476 I agree, the wrong was done to the natives. I found My great, great, great grandfather's name on the memorial wall in Birchwood Tennessee where the walk of tears started. They all had to stay there. Waiting their turn to cross the Tennessee river. Sad time in our history.
@@cherylmeri5143
Thank you very much for sharing your families story from the past , and their involvement with one of the chapters from your country's history . That went on to play it's part in making America what it is today .
As you know full well , the indigenous peoples of the ' New World ',
suffered terribly at the hands of the greedy white folks of that time .
I live in the United Kingdom , but I have visited your country a number of times in the past .
Simply because I love the country , and on the whole , the people that go to make up what America is today .
However I won't go into politics , because that's a minefield , that I never talk about .
In fact , I visited some areas that were labelled back then ,' reservations ' of native American culture .
I don't know if they are still referred to in that way .
When I was at school , many years ago , a history teacher took the trouble to explain to us , why the indigenous peoples of America , were wrongly burdened with the title ' Indians'.
From that point on , I refused to use the term ' Indians '. Such an insult !
Because some fool in the past , wrongly assumed that they had found a new passage to India .
But isn't that the way with ignorant people .
Never being prepared to admit they're wrong , and correct their mistakes .
But as I said earlier , I won't get into talking about politics .
However I'm not knocking America , as it's proved to be numerous times in the past , and even in these unsure times , one of the few country's prepared to stand up to tyranny , in all it's shapes and forms , around the world .
And in so doing , to defend liberty and the freedom of the individual to say and think whatever they like .
A rare thing throughout a sizeable number of countries these days .
Who knows what lies ahead for future generations , but I'm hoping America will play a leading role in taking civilization forward into a new voyage of discovery in space .
And hopefully, fingers crossed , by that time , Earth will still be worth returning to .
@@cherylmeri5143 Taking land from other ppl is what has been done since the beginning of time. Everyone alive is innocent so save your grief for Ukrainians today.
That really was fascinating. Thanks Kevin. I demolished a trifle the other day. You could say it was custard's last stand.😉 (I'll leave quietly)
😜
Kevin the Indian braves do not follow chiefs into battle, they fight as an individual hunting, they decide where to go, what to do and what to attack, this pack of braves each with his own mind an target makes for an enemy you can't plan against as each brave is an assault on its own. It is often implied that the braves had a battle plan but from records of the indians that were there that day and their account has been archeologically proven correct from bullets to casing to all manner of other items like kettles, pans, stirrups, spurs, belt buckles, and askeletal remains the Indian account has been accurate, from their account it is recorded that each brave was an individual warrior, fighting his own fight, yes he would assist a fellow brave or strike an opportunity target that appeared before him, but his strategy was all of his own. He had no orders. That chaos is why fighting indians was flawed as the 7th US Cav had no training of experience in fighting indians.
Also Custer was an abysmal officer, he scored one of the worse scores ever on record at West Point Military Academy with 726 demerits his class rank was 34th of 34 cadets (last in his class), he was hopeless as an officer, and his used bullish bravado and dram to cover his weak leadership ability, this is why he was so famous for leading from the front because it was his cover it compensated for his inability to make effective military tactical decisions. So long as he rode out front his men followed, he had a couple of successes the first on the first day of taking command, but this was nothing of any real significance in teh Civil War.
He left West Point in 1861 by 1876 he was going cold on the hill now known as 'last stand hill' in Montana following his death at the hand of the indians at little bighorn, in truth it was not Custers last stand he and his men were wiped out and the last on the run for their lives, there was no last stand last man and last bullet, no heroic action fought, the reality is the indians chased down the fleeing soldiers and killed them to this day 28 have never been found in one of the ditches along which they ran seeking cover. That battle was the indians last stand if the truth be known. Custer was not even a General as many seem to think he was. He had a Brevet (BVT) also known as a field commission, to give him a temporary rank of Major General without the privilages or pay of the rank for the duration of the duty as Col Gibbon was disposed to the rear. So, Cluster was made Major General (equivelent to a two star), as a Bvt, and off he went. Had he survived that rank would have been retracted and this is what drove Custer to proceed with an attack against orders "to scout and report back", he took it upon himself to attack the encampment and in his impetuosity and fool hardiness he rushed in and found himself overwhelmed his numbers cut into three the final third stationed way back and of no use the other third around the back of the Indian encampment and un-reinforceable, cut-off from any supporting action.
Custer was arrogant and foolish that day of all days, he did everything that is inadvisable to do, he ignored his orders and he refused to just stay there and watch and report. He wanted to retain his Bvt rank, he wanted to be seen as the great and almighty General Custer, so he took on a fight he was never equipped, trained or prepared for, hoping that he would win, His arrogance and quite frankly racist ideology was that the indians were incapable of mounting an attack or defensive action sufficient to out-gun or manoeuvre his 7th US Cav. unfortunately as history shows he was very wrong.
All this BS surrounding Custer has been written by Americans who lets face it were racists then and since (though only a few today), admitting the US lost to indians would never go well with society so what do they do? They tell lies and write it up as a disaster but because of unexpected numbers etc, there were 1'200 - 1'600 indians present, had Custer done some homework before he attacked he would never of attacked (least I hope not), he did not do this and paid the price.
In my eyes Custers last fight is a lesson in life, _"Check everything twice, then give it thought before you act"_
I served in the British Army like you Kevin, I hate to think that a modern leader would be so self-absorbed and self-interested and self-assured that they would risk the lives of their men (today) to ensure they kept a Bvt commission.
Custer is an embarrassment to the US in my view, he is a shining example of stupidity, impetuosity, foolishness and self-interest. Custer was not a hero, he was a murder of unarmed women, children and elderly. No nation should hold such a character in high regard regardless of how long ago it was or why.
Custer was a coward and a fool.
Sioux and Cheyenne could buy Henry and Winchester repeaters at trading posts on the reservations. It's questionable if the many or any warriors knew they were fighting Custer's command. He had his hair cut short and the same Sioux and Cheyenne encampment had nearly overwhelmed General Crook's command a week earlier but for the vigilance of Hundreds of Crow and Shoshone warriors that the General had the good sense to enlist as allies in route to Rosebud Creek. Several Sioux and Cheyenne accounts say that Crook's command were who they thought they were fighting again, That is evidenced by the taunts directed at Reno's contingent following their rout that said that they should have brought their Crow and Shoshone warriors with them . . . In effect. Bison had become less and less plentiful as a policy of encouraging the killing off the herds en masse was a part of forcing plains natives onto reservations. Burning and confiscating natives winter stores was another and not actually capturing warriors. Killing or stealing the horses had also been used by Ranald MacKenzie against the Comanche.
“everyone knows that Custer died at Little Bighorn. what this book presupposes is… maybe he didn’t?”
(wonder if anyone knows this quote…)