Little Bighorn, a visit to a battlefield

Several years back Linda and I, while traveling through Montana, stopped off at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. We were just going to make a quick visit and be on our way, but the rangers were so darn interesting, we wound up sitting through four hours of lectures. They spoke on every aspect of the famous battle, from weapons to uniforms to food to Indians to topography and we sat there in rapt attention.
    Five thousand books, let me say that again, FIVE THOUSAND books and 100 films and documentaries have been written and produced about the Battle of Little Bighorn, also know as Custer’s Last Stand and to the Indians as the Battle of Greasy Grass Creek. That's more publications than any other battle in the history of warfare. Why is that? For one thing, this was the high water mark in the 400-year struggle between the white man and the Indian. And secondly the way in which Custer and his men died is fodder for great speculation and drama.
    After all the research, multiple investigations, and lengthy military hearings, the debate as to the cause of the Army’s defeat continues to this day. There were no eyewitnesses to the Last Stand, and those Indians and soldiers who took part in the campaign, but were not with Custer at the time had conflicting stories; consequently the truth was very difficult to come by. Add to that the larger than life nature of Custer’s life and you begin to get a sense of just how difficult it was. Hollywood with its proclivity to exaggerate and romanticize hasn't shed any light on the issues; they've just muddied the water. After all, Errol Flynn was just playing Errol Flynn.
    So what do the historians and pundits say was the reason Custer was so soundly defeated? Some say Custer was done in by his arrogance and ambition. Some have maintained that he violated orders. Or they say it was the lack of good military intelligence, poor communications, or a number of other possible factors. But they all must agree about one thing, one undeniable conclusion… the Indians won and the soldiers lost. The Indians were better soldiers on that day, June 25, 1876.

NOTE: Looking at the picture, the headstones were placed where dead soldiers were found near the body of Custer (black headstone). The Indians were down in those trees, which are on the banks of the Little Bighorn River.