Sitting Bull was born in Dakota Territory between 1831 and 1837, traditionally believed to be along the Yellowstone River in what is now Montana. At the age of fourteen, he joined his first war party and quickly earned a reputation for fearlessness in battle. Sitting Bull became a respected leader among his people and a figure feared by settlers pouring into Dakota Territory, land occupied by Native Americans. Recognizing that the influx of settlers would destroy their traditional way of life, Sitting Bull was determined to resist.
The Second Treaty of Fort Laramie recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, but that only lasted a few years. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, settlers and prospectors flooded the region, reigniting hostilities. Native Americans retreated west into the Little Big Horn River valley, where in 1876, Sitting Bull, alongside fellow chiefs Crazy Horse and Gall, led the surprise defeat of the 7th Cavalry, resulting in the death of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and nearly 300 of his men.
Sitting Bull continued his resistance, but the odds were overwhelming. On this date in 1877, he led his warriors in their final battle against the U.S. Army at the Battle of Wolf Mountain, located in what is now Montana. This battle marked the climax of Colonel Nelson Miles’ winter campaign to end hostilities. Miles was one of the rare Army officers who kept his troops in the field during winter. On this date, he camped beside the Tongue River in the shadow of the Wolf Mountains. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led a surprise attack, but Miles' troops, armed with howitzers, easily repelled it. The warriors withdrew to bluffs overlooking the camp, and when Miles' troops advanced, they retreated under the cover of a snowstorm.
The battlefield, located on the east bank of the Tongue River in Rosebud County, Montana, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2008.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Wessington Springs Herald. “Filled Full of Lead.” Wessington Springs SD. 12/26/1890. Page 5.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Sitting Bull.” Bismarck Dakota Territory. 8/5/1881. Page 1.
- Daily Press and Dakotaian. “Father Martin’s Visit to Sitting Bull.” Yankton, Dakota Territory. 6/26/1877. Page 3.
- Britannica. “Sitting Bull.” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sitting-Bull Accessed 1/7/2025.
- Legends of America. “Battle of Wolf Mountain.” https://www.legendsofamerica.com/battle-wolf-mountain-montana/ Accessed 1/7/2025.
