Battle of Powder River

Overview

The Battle of Powder River, also known as the Reynolds Battle, occurred on March 17, 1876, in Montana Territory, United States, as part of the Big Horn Expedition. The attack on a Northern Cheyenne and Oglala Lakota Indian encampment by Colonel Joseph J. Reynolds initiated the Great Sioux War of 1876. Although destroying a large amount of Indian property, the attack was poorly carried out and solidified Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Sioux resistance to the U.S. attempt to force them to sell the Black Hills and live on a reservation.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Powder River, also called the Reynolds Battle, opened the Great Sioux War of 1876 as part of the Big Horn Expedition. Colonel Joseph J. Reynolds attacked a Northern Cheyenne and Oglala Lakota encampment in Montana Territory, destroying a substantial quantity of Indian property. Despite that material damage, the operation was poorly executed and produced the opposite of its intended political effect: rather than compelling Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Sioux compliance with U.S. demands to sell the Black Hills and relocate to a reservation, the attack hardened resistance among both groups. The battle thus set the trajectory for the wider conflict that followed, galvanizing the coalition that would challenge U.S. forces throughout 1876 and 1877.

Commanders (8)