| On June 25, 1876, Lieutenant-Colonel George
A. Custer and 600 men from the U.S. 7th Cavalry rode into the valley of
the Little Bighorn River in Montana and were annihilated in what has become
known as "Custer's Last Stand." The victors failed to press their early
advantage. Without food supplies, they scattered across eastern Montana,
while the U.S. army, under General George Crook, gave hot pursuit.
To reinforce the operation, the 5th Cavalry
under Colonel Wesley Merritt was ordered out of Fort Robinson, Nebraska,
to join Crook. Riding as Merritt's chief scout was William F. Cody, better
known as "Buffalo Bill." As Merrit's forces prepared to move northwest
to join Crook, however, important news arrived that delayed them. 800 to
1,000 Cheyenne warriors, it was learned, had left the Spotted Tail and
Red Cloud agencies, or reservations. The Little Bighorn victory over Custer
had encouraged the Cheyenne to leave the reservations and join Sioux Chief
Sitting Bull. Merritt decided to intercept them.
Selecting about 500 troops, the colonel
began his advance on Warbonnet Creek. The site was not far from the deserted
agencies and Fort Robinson, all located in the northwest corner of Nebraska.
Merritt's scout quickly located the Cheyenne, and on July 17, 1876, his
troops, still undetected by the Cheyenne, assumed their positions. Then
in one great swoop, the 5th Cavalry made its charge and drove the Cheyenne
back to the agencies. As a result of this action, Buffalo Bill's feats
were quickly turned into legend. While rescuing two army dispatchbearers,
it was reported, Cody fought hand-to-hand with Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hand.
In less than ten seconds, Cody killed him and took his scalp. As Merrit's
men engaged the Cheyenne, Cody swung the scalp in the air and shouted,
"The first scalp for Custer!" .
Once the Cheyenne were defeated in Nebraska,
the 5th Cavalry headed northwest and joined General Crook's command on
August 3 at the Goose Creek supply depot, near present-day Sheridan, Wyoming.
Although more battles faced Merritt and his men, the coalition that had
defeated Custer was broken by the spring of 1877, less than a year after
that famous battle.
|
