Where was the 1877 Battle of Big Hole fought? This battle occurred in the mountains of western
Montana, near the present day city of Wisdom, which has an elevation of around 6,060 feet. Most likely the Americans
singled out the Wisdom, Montana region to attack, because there was a large permanent Indian settlement there, that the
Americans wanted to destroy to take the Iron Confederation out of the war. On the morning of August 9, the 206 American
soldiers under the command of Colonel John Gibbon, reached the large Indian settlement then proceeded to attack them.
Since it was early in the morning the Indians were surprised by the American assault upon them (it don’t look like the Indians were on the run because if they had been on the run, they would have kept alert to what was going on around them) and it was stated that within about 20 minutes the Americans had taken the Indian settlement, but the Indians fled. The Americans didn’t stop and rest after taken the settlement but pursued the fleeing Indians, who decided to order many of their warriors to lag behind to fight their American enemy.
Acting on instinct saved the Indians of the Wisdom area, because their warriors put up a good fight during the "1877 Big Hole Battle in Montana", against the invading Americans, and in fact, they inflicted numerous casualties on the Americans. With the warriors fiercely fighting them, the Americans retreated to a wooded area to better defend themselves (the total number of Indian warriors was probably far more than just 200) against an foe who were very determined to defend their women and children. They knew if they didn’t put up a good defense the Americans would kill them all. The Americans had their machine guns and at least one howitzer, but the Indian warriors actually took the Americans superior weapons out early in the battle somehow.
Although the Indians had been surprised by the invading Americans on August 9, they eventually dominated the "Battle of Big Hole" that day. However, American reinforcements arrived on the following day, which took the fight out of the Iron Confederation of the Wisdom, Montana region. The Americans had brought that region of the Iron Confederation under their control, but the Iron Confederation still had the fight in them. Indian casualties were probably close to 100 or higher (most likely occurred early in the battle just after the Americans attacked), with about 52 killed, including women and children. American casualties were 69 with 32 killed. Just to the southeast of the Wisdom, Montana region, was another large Iron Confederation settlement in Idaho that the Americans wanted to destroy, and that’s where the next battle occurred.
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Since it was early in the morning the Indians were surprised by the American assault upon them (it don’t look like the Indians were on the run because if they had been on the run, they would have kept alert to what was going on around them) and it was stated that within about 20 minutes the Americans had taken the Indian settlement, but the Indians fled. The Americans didn’t stop and rest after taken the settlement but pursued the fleeing Indians, who decided to order many of their warriors to lag behind to fight their American enemy.
Acting on instinct saved the Indians of the Wisdom area, because their warriors put up a good fight during the "1877 Big Hole Battle in Montana", against the invading Americans, and in fact, they inflicted numerous casualties on the Americans. With the warriors fiercely fighting them, the Americans retreated to a wooded area to better defend themselves (the total number of Indian warriors was probably far more than just 200) against an foe who were very determined to defend their women and children. They knew if they didn’t put up a good defense the Americans would kill them all. The Americans had their machine guns and at least one howitzer, but the Indian warriors actually took the Americans superior weapons out early in the battle somehow.
Although the Indians had been surprised by the invading Americans on August 9, they eventually dominated the "Battle of Big Hole" that day. However, American reinforcements arrived on the following day, which took the fight out of the Iron Confederation of the Wisdom, Montana region. The Americans had brought that region of the Iron Confederation under their control, but the Iron Confederation still had the fight in them. Indian casualties were probably close to 100 or higher (most likely occurred early in the battle just after the Americans attacked), with about 52 killed, including women and children. American casualties were 69 with 32 killed. Just to the southeast of the Wisdom, Montana region, was another large Iron Confederation settlement in Idaho that the Americans wanted to destroy, and that’s where the next battle occurred.