. . . like bees swarming out of a hive
"They go without discipline, like bees swarming out of a hive." That is how the scout, Kills Eagle, explained Plains Indian warfare. (1) At the Battle of the Rosebud about 1,000 bees swarmed out of that hive and estimates have gone higher. Who were they? Where did they all come from? Why were they so successful?
Who Were They?
The village camped about 40 miles from the Rosebud was made up primarily of Lakota (Sioux),
Northern Cheyenne , and Arapaho , but there were also some Arickarees, Gros Ventre, and Black Feet represented. The Lakota contingent comprised several bands and the two men the people had made their leaders: Sitting Bull of the Uncpapas and Crazy Horse of the Oglala
Where Did They All Come From?
By the Battles of the Rosebud and the Little Bighorn eight days later, most Plains Indians in the US were at the agencies (precursors of reservations). Once-great warriors like Red Cloud and Spotted Tail now vied for favors from the white officers. However, some bands continued to roam the plains and fight the "Wasichu" who wanted their unceded territory.
The previous winter these bands had gotten word that the agency Indians were negotiating the sale of the Paha Sapa (the Black Hills). Then the US Government issued an order that all bands must come into the agencies by the end of January or be considered "hostile." Crazy Horse knew that it had come down to a war. He moved north to join with Sitting Bull creating a combined force of about 300 warriors. (2)
Agency Indians at the time were still free to leave for summer hunts, often armed with good agency rifles. In the summer of 1876, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse sent runners, especially to the young men who had not yet proven themselves in battle, urging them to join their summer camp.
Why were they so successful?
Reasons for the Indian successes that day included sheer numbers, fighting style, and a surprise attack. However, determination and devotion to their cause cannot be overlooked. In The Journey of Crazy Horse Joseph M. Marshall III says that Sitting Bull instructed his messengers " . . . to appeal to their sense of pride, especially to those who were surely disenchanted with the life on the agencies." (3) As the camp grew, Sitting Bull decided to hold a Sun Dance to further solidify the people and bind them to their ancestral traditions. He cut 50 pieces of flesh from each arm. His sacrifice led to a vision of soldiers falling headfirst into the camp.
A few days later, " . . . the bees swarming out of the hive" became the Battle of the Rosebud.
(1) John D. McDermott, Gen. George Crook's 1876 Campaigns, a Report Prepared for the American Battlefield Protection Program (Sheridan, WY: Frontier Heritage Alliance, 2000), 33.
(2) Joseph M. Marshall III, The Journey of Crazy Horse, a Lakota History (New York, NY: Viking, 2004), 214.
(3) Ibid, 215.
