20-21 September 2017
Garryowen, MT
7th Ranch RV Camp
We stayed at the AFB longer than planned. We had to purchase new tires for the BFT, but the front end alignment revealed bad upper and lower ball joints on both sides. So we had to wait to get them installed. BFT drives like new again!
We left this morning with no destination other than heading south towards Albuquerque. After a couple of hours on the road, Ann Marie said wanna go to Little Big Horn National Park? Yep, here we go!
Arrived here in Garryowen, MT after a windy drive from Great Falls. There were gusty side winds hitting us on the passenger side that was pushing around. The landscape sure has changed. All the rain we just got has helped put out many of the forest fires of western Montana, so the smoke is all gone! As we travel south, we have great visibility over this golden yellow terrain of rolling hills dotted with green sage bushes. Very different than the Alaskan scenery but awesome just the same.
Yep, so that is how we got to this camp ground, and in the morning we will go visit Custer’s Last Stand….
After we got set up, we walked a trail up a bluff to eastside of the campground, where the campground has a flagpole, and a spot to watch the sunset across the valley. While it was not a Key West sunset, it was nice none the less. We sat there for while enjoying the scenery and looking across to the opposite ridge where so many lost their lives in the battle of Little Big Horn back in 1876.
We start this morning by going to a private museum about 5 miles from the park. In front of their building is a Tomb to the Unknown Soldier dedicated to the battle of little big horn. The museum had many artifacts, some of which I took pictures of, until I was reminded that photography was NOT allowed, oops..
They showed a 45 minute movie of the battle that was very well done and set the tone to go visit this important American historical event. One of many things I learned, was that there is also a National Cemetery, Custer National Cemetery at Little Bighorn Battlefield. There are veterans (and family members) from almost every conflict who gave their life to protect and defend our great country.
A few facts about Custer:
- Four other members of the Custer family died at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Custer graduated last in his class at West Point making him the “goat”. - Custer was the youngest (23) Civil War general in the Union Army, earning the nickname “Boy General”.
- His wife received the table on which the Civil War surrender terms were drafted.
- Custer’s forces blocked General Lee’s final retreat, and he received the white truce flag signifying Lee’s wish to meet with General Grant.
- Custer was present in the front parlor of Wilmer McLean’s home on April 9, 1865, when Lee surrendered to Grant.
- Custer scented his hair with cinnamon oil.
- Custer was twice court-martialed.
- The Boy General had 11 horses shot out from under him during the Civil War, that is was referred to as “Custer’s luck.” But I guess his luck ran out….
In a nut shell for the non history types, gold was discovered, Indians were moved to reservations to free up land, however Indians were slow to comply, thus the 7th Cav rode in to force the issue. However, there were 10K Indians waiting for a fight and Custer and his troops had their last stand. Within five years after the battle, almost all of the Sioux and Cheyenne would be confined to reservations.
We arrived at the park and went to the visitor center to grab a map and get the layout of the park. There were a lot of people visiting today, a couple of school buses too. To the right is the National Cemetery. All the headstones, standing at attention, in their last formation, very solemn and humbling.
The losses suffered at Little Bighorn Battlefield are observed with an obelisk erected in 1881, that sits on 765 acres in the heart of the Crow reservation. The “Peace Through Unity” Indian Memorial honors the Native Americans who died on this sacred ground was erected in 2003, to honor the Indians who fought in this battle.
The actual battle was spread over more than 11,000 acres. There is a five mile road with plaques that describe events of the war. One either side of the road, in the yellow fields of the rolling hills, are headstones scattered throughout where each soldier fell during the battle. The hills are not manicured, or cut grass, just fields with crosses to remember the dead, seemingly just as it was, minus the gruesomeness of war.
Very interesting visit.
