June 17, 1876 · Northern Plains Theater
June 17, 1876
Eight days before Little Bighorn, Lakota and Cheyenne warriors under Crazy Horse intercepted General Crook's column of 1,300 soldiers and Crow and Shoshone scouts along Rosebud Creek in Montana Territory. The battle lasted six hours, ranging across three miles of terrain. Crook's force held the field at day's end but was so badly battered that he was forced to retreat and spend weeks resupplying — leaving Custer without support.
Commanders