Native American Memorial -- Little Bighorn
Dec 11, 2019 10:18:34 #
"The Battle of the Little Bighorn (also known as the Battle of Greasy Grass) took place in June 1876. In 1879, the Little Bighorn Battlefield was designated a national cemetery administered by the War Department.
Unlike Custer's command, the fallen Lakota and Cheyenne warriors were removed by their families, and "buried" in the Native American tradition, in teepees or tree-scaffolds nearby in the Little Bighorn Valley.
Until recently, no memorial had honored the Native Americans who struggled to preserve and defend their homeland and traditional way of life. Their heroic sacrifice was never formally recognized - until now.
In 1991 the U. S. Congress changed the name of the battlefield and ordered the construction of an Indian Memorial. In 1996, the National Park Service - guided by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Advisory Committee, made up of members from the Indian nations involved in the battle, historians, artists and landscape architects - conducted a national design competition. In 1997, a winning design was selected."
The pano shown below represents the last nine living survivors of the battle that returned to the battlefield in 1948. They are etched in stone at the memorial site.
The real photos of the warriors illustrated here were photographed by Bill Groethe of South Dakota. He lined up Little Warrior, Pemmican, Little Soldier, Dewey Beard, John Sitting Bull, High Eagle, Iron Hawk and Comes Again for the group shot. Black Elk, who was blind, did not participate in the group photo but he did pose for an individual shot. Black Elk is on the far left end of my pano image.
Unlike Custer's command, the fallen Lakota and Cheyenne warriors were removed by their families, and "buried" in the Native American tradition, in teepees or tree-scaffolds nearby in the Little Bighorn Valley.
Until recently, no memorial had honored the Native Americans who struggled to preserve and defend their homeland and traditional way of life. Their heroic sacrifice was never formally recognized - until now.
In 1991 the U. S. Congress changed the name of the battlefield and ordered the construction of an Indian Memorial. In 1996, the National Park Service - guided by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Advisory Committee, made up of members from the Indian nations involved in the battle, historians, artists and landscape architects - conducted a national design competition. In 1997, a winning design was selected."
The pano shown below represents the last nine living survivors of the battle that returned to the battlefield in 1948. They are etched in stone at the memorial site.
The real photos of the warriors illustrated here were photographed by Bill Groethe of South Dakota. He lined up Little Warrior, Pemmican, Little Soldier, Dewey Beard, John Sitting Bull, High Eagle, Iron Hawk and Comes Again for the group shot. Black Elk, who was blind, did not participate in the group photo but he did pose for an individual shot. Black Elk is on the far left end of my pano image.
Dec 11, 2019 10:27:24 #
Dec 11, 2019 10:37:29 #
Photographers and historians should be interested in the biography of Edward Curtis, entitled "Short Night of the Shadow Catcher." It is one of the best books I have ever read. Curtis's research into, and conclusions regarding Custer's "stand" are profoundly illuminating and disturbing, relative to the established spin of history.
Dec 11, 2019 10:45:53 #
I'm one quarter native American, Cherokee and Potowatami. Thanks for sharing this.
Dec 11, 2019 11:01:08 #
TGanner wrote:
Photographers and historians should be interested in the biography of Edward Curtis, entitled "Short Night of the Shadow Catcher." It is one of the best books I have ever read. Curtis's research into, and conclusions regarding Custer's "stand" are profoundly illuminating and disturbing, relative to the established spin of history.
Thank you, my daughter owns a book store, so I will have her order that for me.
Dec 11, 2019 11:54:01 #
Dec 11, 2019 12:50:57 #
Dec 11, 2019 13:12:33 #
Dec 12, 2019 06:53:32 #
Wanderer2
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains
I have visited the Battlefield three times, once with my two sons when they were boys to be certain they had an appreciation for this important history. It is indeed a moving experience and seeing the actual site makes it more real and gives an idea of the scope of the battle and some details.
Regarding Black Elk, it's been some time since I read detailed histories of this event but my recollection is that Black Elk was not a warrior at the time of this battle because he was too young, about 12. However, his recorded recollections are valuable information about the battle, and his memoir, "Black Elk Speaks," is a great read. For example, a paraphrase from a description of his, from my memory and not totally accurate: "A great cry went up out in the dust, "Crazy Horse is Coming, Crazy Horse is coming. And they came, riding side saddle and making the tremolo." This was when Crazy Horse moved south from the hillside where they fought Custers force and attacked Major Reno's, who after Custer made the huge mistake of dividing his force, had come down from the ridges, crossed the river, and attacked the south end of the encampment. Reno and his men retreated back across the river and many did survive.
I also highly recommend Edward Curtis's book, Curtis having spent much of his life time photographing Native Americans in the later decades after the so called Indian Wars were over. It's the best collection of Native American photographs I've ever seen, artistic, moving, and of great historical importance. There is also a biography of Chief Crazy Horse available well worth reading for anyone who has an interest in the history of this time in the American West, I don't recall the title. He was a major chief of the Lakota during that time and he and Chief Gaul were the leaders of the Little Big Horn defense.
Another historical site of this type worth visiting is Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota on one of the Reservations there, Pine Ridge if I recall correctly. It isn't as developed tourist wise (or at least wasn't years ago when I was there) as the Little Big Horn site but still interesting and informative. It's referred to sometimes as the last battle of the Indian Wars, occurring in 1890. It may have been the last altercation of any significant size between the Native Americans and the US Army but a battle it was not, rather a massacre of unarmed people trying to move from one reservation where they were starving to another and were intercepted and gunned down with rifle fire and Gatling Guns.
Thanks to the OP for posting this. We need reminders of the past during this historical time so full of sadness.
Regarding Black Elk, it's been some time since I read detailed histories of this event but my recollection is that Black Elk was not a warrior at the time of this battle because he was too young, about 12. However, his recorded recollections are valuable information about the battle, and his memoir, "Black Elk Speaks," is a great read. For example, a paraphrase from a description of his, from my memory and not totally accurate: "A great cry went up out in the dust, "Crazy Horse is Coming, Crazy Horse is coming. And they came, riding side saddle and making the tremolo." This was when Crazy Horse moved south from the hillside where they fought Custers force and attacked Major Reno's, who after Custer made the huge mistake of dividing his force, had come down from the ridges, crossed the river, and attacked the south end of the encampment. Reno and his men retreated back across the river and many did survive.
I also highly recommend Edward Curtis's book, Curtis having spent much of his life time photographing Native Americans in the later decades after the so called Indian Wars were over. It's the best collection of Native American photographs I've ever seen, artistic, moving, and of great historical importance. There is also a biography of Chief Crazy Horse available well worth reading for anyone who has an interest in the history of this time in the American West, I don't recall the title. He was a major chief of the Lakota during that time and he and Chief Gaul were the leaders of the Little Big Horn defense.
Another historical site of this type worth visiting is Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota on one of the Reservations there, Pine Ridge if I recall correctly. It isn't as developed tourist wise (or at least wasn't years ago when I was there) as the Little Big Horn site but still interesting and informative. It's referred to sometimes as the last battle of the Indian Wars, occurring in 1890. It may have been the last altercation of any significant size between the Native Americans and the US Army but a battle it was not, rather a massacre of unarmed people trying to move from one reservation where they were starving to another and were intercepted and gunned down with rifle fire and Gatling Guns.
Thanks to the OP for posting this. We need reminders of the past during this historical time so full of sadness.
Dec 12, 2019 06:58:45 #
TGanner wrote:
Photographers and historians should be interested in the biography of Edward Curtis, entitled "Short Night of the Shadow Catcher." It is one of the best books I have ever read. Curtis's research into, and conclusions regarding Custer's "stand" are profoundly illuminating and disturbing, relative to the established spin of history.
Thanks - just ordered the book - through ABE BOOKS - great new and used book company - if they haven't got it - I doubt anyone else has. I'll have it for a Christmas read.
Dec 12, 2019 07:32:05 #
Dec 12, 2019 07:35:32 #
Thanks to all of you for your posts here.
Wish I could have talked to those guys a few weeks after the battle and then in 1948 when they gathered for that photo.
Again, thanks.
Wish I could have talked to those guys a few weeks after the battle and then in 1948 when they gathered for that photo.
Again, thanks.
Dec 12, 2019 08:42:12 #
Many thanks for posting the 1948 photo. I had previously seen the photo at a lodge that burned down about 10 years ago. Now I have a copy!..
Dec 12, 2019 10:32:29 #
I've read several books. The one by Nathaniel Philbrick is my favorite. His original research uncovered information that found its way into the book / public domain for the first time.
Dec 12, 2019 10:34:42 #
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