Custer's Last Stand — from the Lakota perspective

Henry Oscar One Bull/Tȟatȟáŋka Waŋžíla (Hunkpapa Lakota), Custer's War, c. 1900, 39 x 69 inches (irregular), pigments, ink on muslin (Minneapolis Institute of Art)

A Seeing America video

Speakers: Dr. Jill Ahlberg Yohe, Associate Curator of Native American Art, Minneapolis Institute of Art and Dr. Steven Zucker

[nicholashenkelman]

there used to be a saying about the battle of the Little Big Horn-"there were no survivors"-then I read this by a Native American-"there were survivors, they were called Indians'

[Nolanthegardener]

Thank you for this video! This is a very important piece of art and history that feels like the real story of what happened. I would love to see this on display at MIA.

[q.russellrc]

I'm Navajo born for Apache.
We respect Lakota and Cheyenne. You are strong people.

[robbabcock_]

Great video! In the US only one side of history is taught. But there was a forgotten nation here before Europeans ever arrived- The First Nations. Our treatment of those that already lived here was disgraceful then and continues to be so to this day.

[KernowekTim]

Wonderful. Simply wonderful. I was struck by the hands and wrists of One Bull. He has huge, powerful hands and thick wrists; the hands of a man who has really used them: similar to the hands of most men, and women, who have worked with horses from an early age. If one looks at the hands and wrists of a professional jockey, or 'painted horse' person, these same powerful appendages may be seen.

[meanhe]

Hewáŋžiča, One Horn is who I descend from, he is my g+ great grandfather.

[Idahoguy]

Half the 7th Cavalry Regiment fell at the Battle of Greasy Grass. In 1791 the US Army under Major General Anthony StClair was defeated by native forces. Of 1, 000 soldiers and militia only 24 escaped unharmed. StClair’s Defeat was a greater defeat than what occurred in 1876 under Custer

[bevie]

There is an interesting Chief Two Moons account in his own words here on YouTube.

[radiantrey]

"The Indians were camped along the west side of the Big Horn in a flat valley. We saw a dust but did not know what caused it. Some Indians said it was the soldiers coming. The chief saw a flag on a pole on the hill. "The soldiers made a long line and fired into our tepees among our women and children. That was the first we knew of any trouble. The women got their children by the hand and caught up their babies and ran in every direction. "The Indian men got their horses and guns as quick as they could and went after the soldiers. Kicking Bear and Crazy Horse were in the lead. There was thick timber and when they got out of the timber there was where the first of the fight was. "The dust was thick and we could hardly see. We got right among the soldiers and killed a lot with our bows and arrows and tomahawks. Crazy Horse was ahead of all, and he killed a lot of them with his war-club; he pulled them off their horses when they tried to get across the river where the bank was steep. Kicking Bear was right beside him and he killed many too in the water. "This fight was in the upper part of the valley where most of the Indians were camped. It was some of the Reno soldiers that came after us there. It was in 'the day just before dinner when the soldiers attacked us. When we went after them they tried to run into the timber and get over the water where they had left their wagons. The bank was about this high (12 ft. indicated) and steep, and they got off their horses and tried to climb out of the water on their hands and knees, but we killed nearly all of them when they were running through the woods and in the water. The ones that got across the river and up the hill dug holes and stayed in them. "The soldiers that were on the hill with the pack-horses began to fire on us. About this time all the Indians had got their horses and guns and bows and arrows and war-clubs, and they charged the soldiers in the east and north on top of the hill. Custer was farther north than these soldiers were then. He was going to attack the lower end of the village. We drove nearly all that got away from us down the hill along the ridge where another lot of soldiers were trying to make a stand. "Crazy Horse and I left the crowd and rode down along the river. We came to a ravine; then we followed up the gulch to a place in the rear of the soldiers that were making the stand on the hill. Crazy Horse gave his horse to me to hold along with my 'horse. He crawled up the ravine to where he could see the soldiers. He shot them as fast as he could load his gun. They fell off their horses as fast as he could shoot. (Here the chief swayed rapidly back and forth to show how fast they fell). When they found they were being killed so fast, the ones that were left broke and ran as fast as their horses could go to some other soldiers that were further along the ridge toward Custer. Here they tried to make another stand and fired some shots, but we rushed them on along the ridge to where Custer was. Then they made another stand (the third) and rallied a few minutes. Then they went on along the ridge and got with Custer's men. "Other Indians came to us after we got most of the men at the ravine. We all kept after them until they got to where Custer was. There was only a few of them left then. "By that time all the Indians in the village had got their horses and guns and watched Custer. When Custer got nearly to the lower end of the camp, he started to go down a gulch, but the Indians were surrounding him, and he tried to fight. They got off their horses and made a stand but it was no use. Their horses ran down the ravine right into the village. The squaws caught them as fast as they came. One of them was a sorrel with white stocking. Long time after some of our relatives told us they had seen Custer on that kind of a horse when he was on .the way to the Big Horn. "When we got them surrounded the fight was over in one hour. There was so much dust we could not see much, but the Indians rode around and yelled the war-whoop and shot into the soldiers as fast as they could until they were all dead. One soldier was running away to the east but Crazy Horse saw him and jumped on his pony and went after him. He got him about half a mile from the place where the others were lying dead. The smoke was lifted so we could see a little. We got off our horses and went and took the rings and money and watches from the soldiers. We took some clothes off too, and all the guns and pistols. We got seven hundred guns and pistols. Then we went back to the women and children and got them together that were not killed or hurt.
Flying Hawk. Lakota.

[flintrichards]

I have been to the Black Hills it is a wonderful place I would fight to if it was taken away.

[tomburlington]

Even though the book I read as a boy shows Custer taking the last bullet on the top of the hill, I now believe (David Humphreys Miller's version in - Custer's Fall: The Indian Side of the Story) that he was shot crossing the river. What other reason would there be for his men to stop the attack and turn back. pp. 128 + in the paperback edition, 1957.

[risingwolf]

Excellent depiction and detailed explanation. 👏🤳😎

[andrewlayton]

@0:14 - Small point, but the worst defeat of US troops during the various Indian Wars was The Battle of the Wabash (1791).

[bobporch]

After the Civil War was over, Robert E. Lee was asked why the South lost the war. He replied to the effect that he thought the Yankees had something to do with. So why did Custer and his brigade get wiped out? Perhaps the Lakota and Cheyenne had something to do with it. George Custer was a true hero during the Civil War before he started shooting any wounded enemies. He saved the Union Army on the 3rd day at Gettysburg by attacking Stuart's Cavalry Corps. Later he closed Lees only route of escape, forcing his surrender to Grant in Virginia in 1865. In the West, Custer became a butcher and murderer. One of the worst blots on the record of the United States Army was the massacre he conducted on the Washita River of Black Kettle's village. Black Kettle was friendly to the US and flew the American Flag over his camp. Custer surrounded the sleeping village at dawn and attacked. Old men, women and children; it didn't matter. They were all shot down on Custer's orders. Black Kettle and his wife were shot in the back. All the wounded warriors were also killed. Custer took 53 women and children hostage and placed them in the center of his departing column as human shields to prevent Cheyenne warriors from camps up river from attacking. He also abandoned a Major and about a dozen troopers that chased after some escaping "hostiles." They were never heard of again. If Custer had retired after the Civil War I would be writing about what a hero he was. Instead he reminds me more of an Nazi SS Lt. Col just "following orders." By todays standards he would be a war criminal not a hero. But karma is a bitch. From everything I have been able to learn, he attacked the Cheyenne part of the camp and was likely the first killed in his column. He made no glorious last stand. His troopers dragged his body up to the hill where it was found. The winners write the history books, but eventually the truth sees the light of day.

[PeggyJame]

Lakota, Cheyenne, and Chief Sitting Bull.

[Odonanmarg]

I like this. Major discovery for me. Let’s see more.

[danielmontes]

The Lakota were the people of the land so sad the USA an the native Americans could not get along during those times.

[samuelparker]

What a PRICELESS piece of art, history. It's like a actual Hunkpapi encyclopedia book on and about, the Big horn/ Greasy grass battle. Written/ Drawn by one of the actual participants in the battle and hostilities!!! INCREDIBLE!!!!£

[jayscroggins.thunderboy]

Tatanka iyotake, Tusunca Witko, Tunkasila, s Lakota Oyate ✊🏽 Aho heceitu, Mitakuye Oyasin ✌🏽⚡🇺🇸✌🏽⚡🇺🇸⚡✊🏽✌🏽

[andyanderson]

I’m calling it the battle of greasy grass from now on. Lakota true American heroes defending woman and children and their way of life. Respect for the soldiers who lost their lives who were only following orders.