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Fetterman Battlefield is the site of the U.S. Army’s worst defeat by Plains Indian groups next to the Battle of Little Big Horn. Sent to assist a wagon train in peril, Captain William J. Fetterman was lured by Crazy Horse and other Plains warriors over Lodge Trail Ridge only to be met by over 2,000 Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors. In only thirty minutes, all 81 U.S. soldiers were killed on December 21, 1866. Today, visitors can walk in the footsteps of history and see the exact locations where battle maneuvers took place. Interpretive signs tell the story of the battle from the perspectives of both the military and Indian groups. Take an afternoon to explore the Fetterman Battlefield and the nearby Wagon Box Fight battlefield and Fort Phil Kearny where trails, tours, and museum exhibits transport visitors back to a time when cultures clashed in conflict on the western frontier.
Last modified: June 16, 2021