Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led their fellow Indians in a victorious attack against the US army, led by Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. It would be the Indian's biggest victory, and the US army's worst defeat, in the Plains Indian War.

Custer had ignored warnings from scouts about the size of the Indian forces (which could have been as many as 11,000) and attempted a mid day attack, choosing not to wait for reinforcements. Custer had about 600 men which he divided up into 4 units.

Custer himself headed a unit of about 215 men. When the attack seemed overwhelming (possibly 3,000 Indian Braves attacked them) his calls for reinforcements could not be met as the other units were equally under attack.

All of 215 under Custer and the Lieutenant himself were killed.