Near Reva in Harding County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Battle of Slim Buttes
September 9-10, 1876
Photographed By Connor Olson, October 7, 2021
1. Battle of the Slim Buttes Marker
Inscription.
Battle of Slim Buttes. September 9-10, 1876. Following the disastrous battles of the Rosebud and Little Big Horn (Custer) in Montana in June, 1876, the Sioux, save Gall and Sitting Bull with 400 lodges who went to Canada and Crazy Horse and his band, in the main, started to drift back to the agencies on the White and Missouri Rivers burning the grass as they went. Crook, Terry and Miles started to hunt Indians and by September 7th Crook's destitute and weary column detached Capt. Anson Mills with 150 men on the best horses to go to Deadwood for supplies. On the 8th he discovered a village on the east slope of Slim Buttes and at dawn on the 9th attacked the teepees, tightly buttoned up against the rain, by a cavalry charge, scattering the Indians. , The Oglala Chief, American Horse with his family and six warriors fled to a ravine. After a six hour siege where most of the white casualties occurred, with four warriors dead and the Chief fatally wounded, they surrendered. That afternoon Crazy Horse made a show of force but the balances of Crook's command came up and there was no battle but a constant harassment. A great supply of valuable dried meat was captured, the village destroyed and on the 10th the command moved on to Deadwood, on a diet of horse meat marking the end of the summer campaign. Killed: Winzel, 3rd and Kennedy, 5th Cavalry, Jonothan White, civilian scout. Wounded: Lt. von Leuttwitz, 3rd cavalry and 12 EM of the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Cavalry.
Following the disastrous battles of the Rosebud and Little Big Horn
(Custer) in Montana in June, 1876, the Sioux, save Gall and Sitting
Bull with 400 lodges who went to Canada and Crazy Horse and his
band, in the main, started to drift back to the agencies on the
White and Missouri Rivers burning the grass as they went. Crook,
Terry and Miles started to hunt Indians and by September 7th Crook's
destitute and weary column detached Capt. Anson Mills with 150 men
on the best horses to go to Deadwood for supplies. On the 8th he
discovered a village on the east slope of Slim Buttes and at dawn
on the 9th attacked the teepees, tightly buttoned up against the rain,
by a cavalry charge, scattering the Indians.
The Oglala Chief, American Horse with his family and six warriors fled to a ravine. After a six hour siege where most of the white casualties occurred, with four warriors dead and the Chief fatally wounded, they surrendered. That afternoon Crazy Horse made a show of force but the balances of Crook's command came up and there was no battle but a constant harassment. A great supply of valuable dried meat was captured, the village destroyed and on the 10th the command moved on to Deadwood, on a diet of
horse meat marking the end of the summer campaign. Killed:
Winzel, 3rd and Kennedy, 5th Cavalry, Jonothan White, civilian
scout.
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Wounded: Lt. von Leuttwitz, 3rd cavalry and 12 EM of the
2nd, 3rd and 5th Cavalry.
Erected 1956 by citizens of Harding County and State Highway Commission. (Marker Number 124.)
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the South Dakota State Historical Society Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 9, 1876.
Location. 45° 32.622′ N, 103° 7.533′ W. Marker is near Reva, South Dakota, in Harding County. Memorial is on South Dakota Route 20, 1˝ miles west of South Dakota Route 79, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Reva SD 57651, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 1 other marker is within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Castles (approx. 2.7 miles away).
Also see . . . Battle of the Slim Buttes. (Submitted on October 9, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin.)
Photographed By Connor Olson, October 7, 2021
2. Battle of the Slim Buttes Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 15, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 811 times since then and 164 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 9, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.