Custer National Cemetery

Custer National Cemetery, located within the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, serves as a memorial to those who fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25 and 26, 1876. The battle pitted General George Armstrong Custer’s 7th Cavalry against a combined Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho force. Custer National Cemetery, established as part of the national monument, honors both U.S. soldiers and Native American warriors who died during the conflict.

The site itself is situated in a rugged and varied landscape, consisting of uplands, bluffs, the Little Bighorn River, and plains. It was first preserved in 1879 as a U.S. National Cemetery, initially protecting the graves of 7th Cavalry troopers. Over time, the site expanded, incorporating additional battlefields, including the Reno-Benteen Battlefield and the Crow Agency Battle site, ultimately being designated as the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in 1946.

The cemetery’s history includes the interment of soldiers and the construction of memorials, including a granite monument erected in 1881 at Last Stand Hill, where Custer’s body was found. The Indian Memorial, dedicated between 2001 and 2003, commemorates the Native American warriors who fought in the battle, with markers for fallen Cheyenne warriors and other Native American figures.

The monument honors all who participated in the battle, including those who perished, and reflects the complex and often contested legacy of the event. The Indian Memorial, featuring a bronze sculpture of a procession of Spirit Warriors by Colleen Cutschall, stands as a powerful symbol of respect for the Native American perspective on the battle. Throughout the years, various markers and memorials have been added, including a marker for an unknown Lakota warrior, as part of an ongoing effort to ensure recognition of all those involved in the historic struggle.