Abstract:
On June 24, 1876, a large military force of the United States Army 7th Cavalry
converged on the lower Little Bighorn Valley in the Montana Territory, aiming to capture a large
number of Native Americans. A major military battle ensued over the following two days. The
landscape near the Little Bighorn Battlefield is both gentle and very rugged. The upland to the
east of the Little Bighorn Valley is highly dissected by a complex drainage system, consisting of
ravines, coulees, and ridges. Elevations from the valley floor to the upland change as much as
340 feet. The slope in parts of the upland is greater than 10 degrees, and in rugged areas of the
bluffs and along some ravines and other erosional features in excess of 30 degrees. The Little
Bighorn Valley itself is a gentle northward sloping plain, with the Little Bighorn River flowing
to the east side of the valley adjacent to the upland. Local vegetation of the area is highly
diverse, bearing a close relationship to the physiographic features, hydrology, and climate of this
area. Certain characteristics of the Little Bighorn River and the bordering riparian zone add to
the diversity of the landscape. A brief analysis suggests ways that elements of the landscape and
environment affected the course of the battle.
