Why the Battle of the Rosebud Wasn't Just a Prelude to Little Bighorn

That feeling of total failure—flunking out of West Point and being too ashamed to go home? That was Captain Anson Mills in the 1860s. Yet by June 1876, he was a battle-hardened officer charging into one of the fiercest fights of the Great Sioux War of 1876: the Battle of the Rosebud. Often dismissed as a mere prelude to the Battle of the Little Bighorn(Custer's Last Stand), the Rosebud was a brutal, 6-hour chess match on Montana's plains. General George Crook—the quiet, braided-beard Indian fighter—led over 1,300 U.S. Army troops (cavalry and mule-mounted infantry) plus 250+ Crow and Shoshone allies against 1,500–2,000 Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors, including Crazy Horse. This deep-dive narration uncovers the grit: the chaotic "mule brigade" hilarity, Calamity Jane's sneaky cameo and awkward encounter with Mills, Crow/Shoshone recruitment mishaps, expert flanking maneuvers, the heroic rescue by Buffalo Calf Road Woman (earning the Cheyenne name "The Battle Where the Girl Saved Her Brother"), Captain Guy Henry's gruesome facial wound, near-ambushes in narrow canyons, ammo shortages, and Crook's tough decision to recall Mills' charge—leaving his force bloodied, low on supplies, and sidelined just days before Little Bighorn. Hear personal accounts from soldiers, scouts, and warriors in this overlooked epic of Indian Wars, Plains warfare, inter-tribal rivalries, and frontier military strategy. A tactical Native success that boosted confidence for the Little Bighorn victory? Timestamps / Chapters 0:00 – Intro: From West Point Failure to Cavalry Redemption 1:45 – General Crook: The Unassuming Legend & Campaign Setup 4:20 – Allies Recruited: Crow, Shoshone, and Calamity Jane's Wild Cameo 7:10 – The March & Hilarious Mule Brigade Chaos 9:50 – Battle Begins: Scouts Spot the Massive Warrior Force 12:30 – Fierce Opening Clashes & Buffalo Calf Road Woman's Legendary Rescue 15:00 – Charges, Flanks, & Captain Henry's Devastating Injury 17:40 – Mills' Bold Push Down Rosebud Creek & The Sudden Recall 19:55 – Aftermath, Casualties, & Direct Link to Little Bighorn 21:30 – Key Lessons from the Rosebud + Your Thoughts? If you love detailed American frontier history Wild West stories, military history breakdowns, Native American heroism, and forgotten battles of the Great Sioux War, like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more! Battle of the Rosebud, Rosebud 1876, Great Sioux War, Little Bighorn prelude, Crazy Horse, General George Crook, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, Battle Where the Girl Saved Her Brother, Calamity Jane, Anson Mills, Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Crow scouts, Shoshone allies, Indian Wars, Plains Indians, US Cavalry, American West history, frontier warfare, Custer's Last Stand connection, Montana battles 1876, military strategy 19th century, curiosities , #Rosebud1876 #greatsiouxwar #LittleBighorn #CrazyHorse #GeneralCrook #BuffaloCalfRoadWoman #CalamityJane #IndianWars #AmericanHistory #WildWest #MilitaryHistory #FrontierHistory #PlainsIndians #Lakota #Cheyenne #USArmy #Custer #AnsonMills #History #WesternHistory #ForgottenBattles #SiouxWars #NativeAmericanHistory, #Lakota, #Calvary, #battalionwars, #alliedforces #Oralhistory, #Montana #wyoming, #westernstories, #historicalmystery, #Nativeresistance, #lakotawarrior, #lakotaoralhistory