The 1868-1898 War
They had been expecting their white enemies to once again initiate more trouble with them. And Anishinabe ogimak knew by probably 1875, that the whites were building up their military strength in order to invade the Montana region. Though white historians claim that the 1876-1877 Black Hills War was not related to the 1877 Nez Perce War, they are wrong. Both conflicts are not only the same war but the Northern Cheyenne Exodus, the Bannock-Paiute War, and the Sheepeater War must be included as well. American war plans first called for an invasion into southeastern Montana, by way of the Black Hills. Next, it was to attack Anishinabe villages in northern Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, then launch attacks on Anishinabe villages in the rest of Montana. Those Anishinabe villages which agreed to surrender peacefully to the United States, were left alone. The major battle in the war was the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
However, there may be an American conspiracy or cover-up, of the so called Marias River Massacre which, according to white historians, occurred on January 23, 1870. I suspect the American military winter campaign of 1876-1877, was really when the Marias River Massacre occurred. After the end of the Battle of Bear Paw, 10,000s of Anishinabe people fled from their homes in the Montana region, up to Canada. Below is a list of the battles mainly from the 1868-1879 time period for control of the Montana region, and the battles that followed. Wars which occurred in the Montana region include the Modoc War, Black Hills War, Nez Perce War, Bannock-Paiute War, Northern Cheyenne Exodus, Sheepeater War, and the Ute War. The other two wars were primarily fought by the Anishinabe military in the south, to force their way into northern Mexico. The Wars include the following:
1868-1874 Comanche War
1871-1872 Modoc War
1876-1877 Black Hills War
1877 Nez Perce War
1878 Bannock-Paiute War
1878 Northern Cheyenne Exodus
1879 Sheepeater War
1879 Ute War
1880-1886 Apache War
Battle of Beecher Island
Washita River Massacre
Battle of Summit Springs
July 12, 1870 Battle of Little Wichita
Camp Grant Massacre
1872 Battle in Montana
Battle of Lost River
Jump Off Joe Massacre
Battle of Salt River Canyon
First Battle of the Stronghold
Turret Peak Massacre
Second Battle of the Stronghold
Battle of Sand Butte
Battle of Dry Lake
Nacimiento Massacre
Second Battle of Adobe Walls
Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
Battle of Powder River
Battle of the Rosebud
Custers Last Stand
Battle of Slim Buttes
Battle of Cedar Creek
Battle of Bates Creek
Battle of Wolf Mountain
Marias River Massacre
Battle of White Bird Canyon
Battle of the Clearwater
Battle of Big Hole
Battle of Camas Creek
Battle of Canyon Creek
Battle of Bear Paw
June 8, 1878 Battle of South Mountain
June 28, 1878 Battle of Silver River
July 8, 1878 Battle of Birch Creek
July 21, 1878 Battle of Clearwater River
September 4-5 Battle of Clark's Fork
September 12, 1878 Battle of Jackson Hole
September 13-14, 1878 Turkey Creek Fight
Battle of Punished Woman Creek
September 30 - October 3, 1878 Assault on the White Settlers
Little Wolf's Diaspora
April 17, 1879 Battle of Careless Creek
July 17, 1879 Battle of Milk River
August 1879 Sheepeaters Raids
September 30, 1879 Battle of Milk Creek
September 30, 1879 Meeker Massacre
February 12, 1880 Battle of Pumpkin Creek
Alma Massacre
Battle of Fort Tularosa
January 2, 1881 Battle of Poplar Creek
Battle of Carrizo Canyon
Battle of Cibecue Creek
Battle of Fort Apache
Battle of McMillenville
Crawford Affair
November 5, 1887 Battle at Crow Agency
December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre
October 5, 1898 Battle of Sugar Point