Battle of the Rosebud

"Battle on the Rosebud River", 1876

Date	June 17, 1876
Location	Big Horn County, Montana
Result	Lakota / Cheyenne victory

Belligerents

Lakota Sioux
Northern Cheyenne

United States
Crow
Shoshoni

Commanders and leaders

Crazy Horse

George R. Crook
Plenty Coups (Crow)
Washakie (Shoshoni)

Strength

~1,000-1,800

~950 soldiers
175 Crow
86 Shoshoni
~100 armed civilians

Casualties and losses

13-36 killed
63-100 wounded

U.S.: 14-28 killed; 43-46 wounded
Crow: 1-5 killed
Shoshoni: 1-8 killed

The Battle of the Rosebud (also known as the Battle of Rosebud Creek) occurred June 17, 1876, in the Montana Territory between the United States Army and its Crow and Shoshoni allies against a force consisting mostly of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne Indians during the Great Sioux War of 1876. The Cheyenne called it the Battle Where the Girl Saved Her Brother, because of an incident during the fight involving Buffalo Calf Road Woman. General George Crook's offensive was stymied by the Indians, led by Crazy Horse, and he awaited reinforcements before resuming the campaign in August.

The Lakota and their Northern Cheyenne allies won in the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) a reservation, including the Black Hills, in Dakota Territory and a large area of "unceded territory" in what became Montana and Wyoming. Both areas were for the exclusive use of the Indians, and non-Indians (except for US government officials) were forbidden to trespass. In 1874, the discovery of gold in the Black Hills caused the US government to attempt to buy the Black Hills from the Indians. The US ordered all bands of Lakota and Cheyenne to come to the agencies on the reservation by January 31, 1876 to negotiate the sale. A few bands did not comply and when the deadline of January 31 passed the US undertook to force Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and their followers onto the reservation. The first military expedition against the recalcitrant Indians in March 1876 was a failure, ending in the Battle of Powder River.

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