Rosebud Battlefield is associated with the lead up to the Battle of Little Bighorn. It represents the proactive position of the 1,500 Sioux and Northern Cheyenne as they forced the withdrawal of Brigadier General George Crook's 1,000 troops at Rosebud Creek. The presence of thousands of warriors and soldiers on the field on June 17, 1876, made the day one of the largest battles of the Indian wars. Eight days later, because Crook's troops were withdrawn from the war zone to resupply, they were not available to support Colonel Custer and his troops at Little Bighorn. The Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors overtook Colonel George Custer and his 263 soldiers at Little Bighorn. This defeat shocked the nation celebrating its Centennial and ultimately led to a counter attack and to the Lakota's loss of the Black Hills.
