Fort Laramie Treaty Analysis

In most cases, the tribes and soldiers notably matched when it came to weaponry. The major difference would have to be the way in which they were acquired. In 1868, many Lakota leaders agreed to a treaty, known as the Fort Laramie Treaty that created a large reservation in the western half of present-day South Dakota (National Parks Service, n.d.). At this treaty, the Native Americans were given a variety of muzzleloaders that had been utilized during the Civil War. But, the Native's had their eye on lever action rifles and breechloaders from manufacturers like Henry, Spencer, and Sharps. The Warriors acquired these weapons through trade with gunrunners that flourished in the Dakota Territory. They utilize what they had, selling horses or mules for actual firearms and hides for ammunition. In early 1876, one of Custer most trusted guides informed superiors of the Tribes accumulation of rifles and ammunition. However, the 7th …show more content…
So, during the battle, this came as second nature. "He might shout: "I am going!" Or he might yell "Hokahey!" or give the war trill or clench an eagle bone whistle between his teeth and blow the piercing scree sound (Powers, 2010)." There were no decisions to be made, just a warrior reacting to a situation that he felt was advantageous to him at that moment. Communication to the Americans was essential for movement and tactics implementation, but from the onset there were issues. The officers that served under Custer sometimes questioned his judgment or the lack thereof. The limitation of the cavalry was distance and that was what the terrain at Little Bighorn put in between their elements. Making it impossible to coordinate, divert, or give additional execution orders. Additionally, this allowed the Sioux warriors to attack each element one at a time, putting the insurmountable odds in their