Custer's 7th: Bloody Knife, Custer's Favorite Scout, Gall's Vilest Enemy

Bloody Knife may have been Custer’s favorite scout, but he was also the sworn enemy of the fearless Hunkpapa Sioux warrior, Gall.
Both men were legendary in the Dakota Territory, Gall for leading deadly attacks on the Arikara and US Army alike, and Bloody Knife for his skills at tracking the Hunkpapa raiders, and foiling them.
Three decades of violence existed between the two warriors-and their enimostity would not end until the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
This installment will follow Bloody Knife from his half-Arikara, half-Hunkpapa beginning, bullied in Gall’s village, Gall’s killing of Bloody Knife’s family members, Bloody Knife’s attempted killing of Gall, Bloody Knife’s his early enlistments with the US Army, Bloody Knife meeting and scouting for George Custer, and the three mains fights of the Yellowstone Campaign.
...
Suggested reading:
Where the Rivers Ran Red, Michael Donahue
The Arikara Narrative of Custer’s Campaign, Orin Libby
Jay Cooke’s Gamble, M. John Lubetkin
Gall: Lakota Warrior Chief, Robert W. Larson
The Custer Reader, Paul Andrew Hutton
Bloody Knife: Custer’s Favorite Scout,Ben Innis, edited by Richard Collin
...
If you too have a passion for the 7th Cavalry, please consider joining:
Little Bighorn Associates
www.thelbha.com
Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association
custerbattlefield.org
Custer Association of Great Britain
www.english-westerners-society.org.uk
*PLEASE DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, & STAY TUNED FOR NEW EPISODES!*
I love hearing suggestions of what you’d like to see next!
For more about my current work-in-progress or my published books (The Confusion of Languages and You Know When the Men Are Gone, both with Putnam/Penguin), please see my author website:
www.siobhanfallon.com
Or follow me on Instagram and Facebook:
siobhanfallonwriter
THANK YOU!

[@Jay_Hall]

The photographs of Bloody Knife along the River holding his Winchester is Stunning in its clarity, almost mystical to gaze upon.

[@thanemathis5914]

Thank you for this video. What I learned watching it, was that Custer full well understood the fighting capabilities of the Sioux before he attacked two years later on the fatal day. Also during this earlier campaign, the Sioux ran when he charged them with several hundred cavalry. From this experience, did he expect them to run at the Big Horn battle? Maybe so. One thing is sure from this information, Custer knew they were deadly dangerous and he was very brave to attack them two years later as he did.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yes! I'm struck by the similarities as well. And how Custer clearly leaned on reinforcements-- almost as if it's part of his plan from the get-go. Reinforcements saved him at the Washita and the Yellowstone. Those are his major Indian fights before the Little Bighorn.

[@Boomhower89]

Custer was going for the old men, women, and children. The Sioux would quit fighting once that happened.

[@MegaWillieo]

Very good lectures Siobahn ❤

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Much appreciated, Bill 🙏

[@zingwilder9989]

Once again, thank you, Siobhan, for your devoted research and presentation! I was totally unaware of "The Yellowstone Expedition of 1873." It even sparked my interest to do additional research, which is what learning is all about. I also discovered that Bloody Knife and Gall were two men that met very different ends.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yes!!! I had read about the Yellowstone Campaign in passing but it wasn't until I put this video together that I learned how much conflict actually occurred there!! So glad you are on this journey with me, Kevin, it's great comments from you and others that make me so enthusiastic about finding cool new stories and different paths to research and post. 🎉

[@gar9429]

Hey Siobhan your research is amazing and so interesting thank you. This is probably the first positive news I heard about Custer's ability as a competent leader other than the tales of how careless and lucky he was.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! I was amazed at how big this Yellowstone fight was, and how well Custer handled the attacks, especially as the 7th was so outnumbered. I don't know why we don't talk about this expedition more often and how it is connected to the Little Bighorn. You would probably really appreciate Michael Donahue's book When the River Runs Red, Gar.

[@tudyk21]

I've often heard of Bloody Knife's death with Reno's contingent. I have not heard his entire story, though. Thank you, Siobhan.❤

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! I hadn't realized the magnitude of the Yellowstone fights, nor the hatred between Gall and Bloody Knife myself, until I started putting this vid together.

[@bartbucklin7433]

Great job again, Its nice the way you tell and explain, Bloody Knife was a great Human being. Proud and brave. In my memories of research , After the battle in the woods. A woman cut off his head brought it into a tepee , and some one said that is my relative. As ee know he was shot in the head. Show that would have been a great identifying perception, of the showing. As i said a great spirit. Just as Custer's scout Mith Boyer. was given a opportunity to leave. As he did his part, he proudly stayed and in prayer said I will not see the Sunrise again. ....... Thanks keep up the great work.

[@stevengamble2956]

Another great video Siobhan, they get better and better, I could listen to your story telling all day. Bloody knife certainly had a colourful life, look forward to part two 👍

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Steven!

[@joesphmurphy4013]

Siobahn: another great video; Bloody Knife was a true warrior, RIP.🙂

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! And I agree. He was a fighter. And defended his way of life as much as his enemy did.

[@SuperDave-vj9en]

Your research and presentation is outstanding! I can’t thank you enough for this amazing video and the facts that you have shared with your listeners. 🙏🙏🙏

[@SiobhanFallon7]

You are wonderful. Thank you again for your uplifting comments. I'm really trying hard to complete Bloody Knife II and post tomorrow. His life is so rich with info we rarely learn about. Hope to hear from you again soon! 🎉

[@jameslee9315]

Another brilliant intensely gripping history lesson. Your work is tremendous. Most of the books I have purchased are put to rest by yourself. The details of your work are truly great. Thank you.👌🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@SiobhanFallon7]

You are THE BEST!!! Thank you, James!!! You just made my day 🎉

[@tbenedict6335]

Excellent as always the back story was indeed new to me.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

I learned so much with this one myself!!

[@alwaysfourfun1671]

Wow, again a great story. Very special people among their people, both Gall and Bloody Knife.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! They each led such remarkable lives!

[@joeshoe6184]

Great work Siobhan! Your description of the rescue of Custers detachment during the Yellowstone Expedition was riveting.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Oh, really? What a lovely thing to say 🙏 Thank you!!

[@bennyk3799]

Thoroughly enjoyed that.... Thanks for your excellent content.....

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Benny!

[@bricktopmedic]

The 7th Cavalry's Regimental song, Gary Owen! I love that song!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Isn't it the best?

[@bricktopmedic]

@SiobhanFallon7 ...it's an old Irish drink song, I was in the 3d Cavalry Regiment, and we hear it being played on PA on Friday before close-out formation. Do you know the significance of the Fiddlers Green?

[@SiobhanFallon7]

@bricktopmedic Fiddler's Green where soldiers go to "rest"?

[@bricktopmedic]

@SiobhanFallon7 .. Bravo! That song has had more impact on my life than anything. I served 6.5 in the 3d Cavalry Regiment.

[@simonking5863]

Siobhan, you’re channel is incredibly inspiring- your dedication to bringing us such amazing, in depth information on the characters, personalities and what happened on that fateful Sunday I’m now even more excited for my up and coming visit to the battlefield this June. Thank you so much for all your efforts - brilliant KZbin channel 👍

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Oh Simon, what a lovely message! You made my day 🙏💕

[@nthenwhat8912]

That was great, thanks! Will of course watch Part II.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yay! Much appreciated!

[@troymclean6487]

This has been the most revealing and interesting video on the subject! Thank you

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Much appreciated, Troy!! I am almost finished with Part 2-- please let me know what you think!

[@colinwescott5004]

I like your storytelling . This is my first watch . I learned a lot about the Arikara that I didn't know . They whipped the Sioux up .

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! Let me know if there are others you like!

[@sunnyjacksmack]

You are back and worth the wait Interesting enough for me to view a second time. Thank you for making history real and entertaining at the same time.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you as always, Sunny. Always so happy when you watch and say hello!

[@sunnyjacksmack]

@@SiobhanFallon7 Hello. ;-)

[@pigmanobvious]

Good job as always young lady! One thing that continues to irk me to this day is the awful way in which Bloody Knife was portrayed in the made for tv movie “Son of the Morning Star” In this otherwise good effort on the Custer story they made Bloody Knife appear timid and cowardly and a boot licker to Custer. He was anything but that and far from cowardly. Oh well I didn’t like the actor they chose to portray Custer either.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Ha!! He was anything but a boot-licker! Some historians think part of why Custer liked him so much is because Bloody Knife never backed down, including toward Custer.

[@bougeac]

Another superlative video Siobhan!🙏

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yay!! Thank you!!

[@Robo67-24]

Coming up to the anniversary of the big horn battle i like to see videos like this. I'm learning all the time. Thanks for a great story.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! One month from the anniversary! Wow. Thank you for the reminder and please let me know what other videos of mine you like as well!

[@robertkramer8133]

Always an outstanding presentation.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

So good of you to say, Robert!!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

I hope you like Part 2!

[@georgefischer5708]

Wow, great job filling in some gaps in my bloody knife knowledge base . I appreciate you bringing all these great folks back to life❤.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! 🙏

[@markhubanks3715]

Excellent video Siobhan. You do such a Great job on bring out the small details in your in depth research that in my book puts your video's far above anyone else's. Thank You and Take Care!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

You are so good to me, Mark! Thank you 💕

[@josephcreaden6281]

Great job Siobhan! Keep up with your excellent research. Looking forward to Part two.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Joe!!

[@jimmyz2098]

Excellent! Siobhan - I love your work, and like others have already said... I could listen to you tell these stories all day long! Love it. My love of history seems very similar to yours, and I am absolutely in love, and in awe of the great history of the American West. Just wonderful. I've been looking forward to this one since you gave me the heads-up... and this did not disappoint! All the best!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Jimmy!! This took me awhile to put up because I kept stumbling on new info (for me at least!). Eye opening for me too. So good to hear from you!

[@MilesWalterKeogh]

Excellent as always! Keep going. Cant wait for the next Videos! Awesome = Siobhan Fallon!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! Whoo hooo!!

[@nickfrancis]

Excellent video hun, love how you go into such detail with the story!👍🏾

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Nick!!! The details are what hooked me and keep me interested myself!

[@keithagn]

Excellent story and history. I know "War is Hell", but the natives were quite vicious with enemies. Looking very much forward to part 2! Regards from Canada 🇨🇦

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Keith! Yes, the warriors were incredibly brutal. It is too often overlooked, but survival of the fittest was certainly being played out amongst the tribes for a very long time.

[@jamesnix729]

Fantastic! Cannot wait for part two. Please continue with the cast and characters, and I appreciate the native perspectives. Thank you!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Great to hear from you, James! I'm learning so much about these scouts. Such incredible lives, walking in two worlds. More to come!

[@patrickroy3380]

Your best yet I learned many new things from this video . Thank you

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Patrick, so kind of you to say!! Thank you 🙏

[@patrickroy3380]

@@SiobhanFallon7 your content just keeps getting better you're obviously honing your craft to perfection , great Bill Rini photos .

[@SiobhanFallon7]

@@patrickroy3380 thank you!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@Freedomfred939]

Thx for adding depth to the whole campaign of 1876.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks, Robert!!

[@robertseggie2773]

Very interesting to have these histories fleshed out.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Robert!

[@walterbrown9651]

Siobhan you really weave a colorful tapestry with the variance of your episodes. Wonderful! I learn so much from your work! Thanks!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Walter, thank you so much! I love jumping around a bit myself to keep the material fresh for me. So many lesser known paths to travel, or tapestries to weave, here 🙏💕

[@torrancejones2072]

This was researched diligently and presented perfectly. Aye, the elders talk about a great war between the Shoshone and Blackfeet in the mid 18th century but I can't find anything on it. The Shoshone had horses and no rifles, Blackfeet had rifles, few horses. You ever come across anything like that. The Confederacy won and claimed the land but the Sioux deposed them shortly afterwards.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! I'll try to look that up, Torrance. Thank you for the fascinating anecdote 🙏 Hope to hear from you again!

[@gemellodipriapo]

Totally fascinating ... just shows how violence breeds violence ... thank you! Peace and love! Custer and Bloody Knife ... it could have been a novel by Mary Renault ... lol

[@SiobhanFallon7]

🤣🤣🤣 you are so right. It was such an incredibly violent time. Hard to even get my mind around sometimes. Death was always on hand.

[@gemellodipriapo]

@@SiobhanFallon7 I still like the idea of a Brokeback Mountain style film on Custer and Bloody Knife ... didn't YMCA have a Native American and a policeman in their line up?

[@Bocajef134]

Your background on Bloody Knife was amazing. His life's story gives such insight on his hard upbringing and also how his people were targeted by the Sioux. His mother was right to move back to her people. The violet divisions between tribes I knew, but not to this extent. Gaul was a real bully and murderer. It's no wonder the US wasn't fully able to reach a total peace with the natives as a whole. Interesting enough, the Sioux were trespassing; but accused the US of the same. Yes, I realize the US broke treaties, but the Sioux were hypocrites. Finally, too bad Bloody Knife wasn't able to kill Gaul when he had the opportunity. Think how history might be different. Anyway, I'm looking forward to part two. A great and informative presentation as always. Entertaining too. Thanks for your hard work.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

All great points! The more I dig into this time period, the more I see the continuous injustices that occurred on both sides. Humans (and our history) are brutal.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

And thank you!!

[@Boomhower89]

Awesome job. So little information out there on these Warriors and their inner troubles.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you! I agree! I am learning g so much myself as I research. Wow.

[@johnashton485]

Very well done! Excellent presentation on a long overdue topic. Really looking forward to Part 2.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yay! Thanks, John!! 🎉

[@user-qs1hy7ni6s]

I love these especially the little bighorn battle .Indians souix Comanche apache were downright brutal to their enemies.thats why they had the saying if u get surrounded and u Know there's no way out save the last bullets for yourselves. They say that at the little bighorn the all the bodies were severely mutilated to unbelief. And the ones that were mostly mutilated than others were mutilated while they were wounded meaning they were still alive . I couldn't imagine. Gives me chills

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Terrible and true. Good points, thank you for mentioning.

[@daviddowning2152]

Excellent.. Great job ..

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Much appreciated, David!

[@johnlawson2984]

Another well done video! Thanks for putting these together.😊

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks so very much, John!

[@janiceparrish2399]

Wonderful presentation! I’m really hoping that when you’re done with Custer you will take an interest in the Comanche Indians!! Also, thank you for new info about the Souix and your reading list! I get so tired of running across the same info over and over again about the Sioux!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you so much, Janice!! I don't know anything about the Comanche but hope to learn about them too someday.

[@cash14587]

Excellent video. Looking forward to Part II.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!

[@gregorychurch3914]

Love listening to your history

[@SiobhanFallon7]

So good of you to say, Gregory!

[@frankcozin7322]

These videos are done so well. You are a great story teller! Are you a teacher? If not, you should be. Thank you for posting these, I am enjoying and learning.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! I'm not a teacher. I'm terribly shy and get stage fright. When I do readings for my books, sometimes I can hardly speak and my hands shake and heart feels like it'll burst out of my chest 🤣. But I love to write and research and tell stories. So these sort of calm and "no audience" talks are just my style. I feel so blessed that there are people who enjoy them! 🙏

[@sharpshooter6635]

Thank you. Great job! Headed to Quigley again in a few weeks and I’ll definitely be thinking about all the history in that country.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Ha! Thank you and enjoy your trip!

[@martinabenfield]

You are wonderful.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Martin! You are wonderful to be so kind!

[@zingwilder9989]

Thanks!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Hello there, you!!!!!! Thank you, Kevin! Whooo hoooo!!!

[@murrayterry834]

simply excellent narrative. great research.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!!

[@stevenvanover8773]

Good one Siobhan! Another good one! Was glad to see you included the fracas at Pompey's Pillar! I stopped there once to see W. Clark's signature on the rocks up top, and the site also includes the Custer and 7th story that occurred there.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Oh I have not been there myself yet! A delayed flight kept me away last summer, sadly, but I'll get back there...

[@Revolver1701]

Wow. Great storytelling and narration.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! Working on part two, and also about to put up a "short" on Indian Scouts! Hope to hear from you again 🙏

[@npc77107]

Hi Siobhan! Wow! I thought I knew all about Brevet General G.A.Custer favorite scout and friend, but nope!😢 The pictures are awesome, too. Thank you for the great video!!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks so much!! I learned a great deal myself. I thought this would be one of my fifteen minute videos -- ha ha ba ha-- and now I'm worried Part II might end up really long 😬🤦🏼‍♀️ So many incredible anecdotes. Thanks for watching and I hope to hear from you again soon!

[@jaynesager3049]

Thank you!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Jayne!

[@richardprescott6322]

Great watching on a rainy day in England ❤

[@SiobhanFallon7]

So glad you enjoyed, Richard! 🌧

[@Sean-fb7cy]

Love your video’s Siobhan Thank you

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks, Sean, much appreciated!

[@torrancejones2072]

Awesome channel!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Wow, thank you so very much!!

[@murrayterry834]

you tell it like the old people used to discuss it around these parts.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you. I think the older folks tell a more unvarnished tale sometimes. I do try to read the oldest sources I can find, before folks had to be so cautious. The older articles and interviews give such an authentic feel of the times. Hope to hear from you again, Murray!

[@colinglen4505]

Very interesting video, i'm looking forward to part 2.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Awesome of you to take the time to comment, Colin! Much appreciated!

[@sayhey7482]

WOW ! knocked my socks off AGAIN !! am loving your knowledge of LBH as well as the whole 7th at that history making event ! PLEASE I NEED MORE 🤤🤤 oops btw someone made an numerical blunder stating the date of B.K daughter , no biggie .

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yes I did say the wrong date for his daughter's death! 😬🤦🏼‍♀️ Thank you for the kind words, I'm trying to hard to get part 2 up by Friday!!! 🙏🤞🙏

[@seanwhelan879]

Siobhan Fallon , well, that couldn't be more Irish 😅😅. Brilliant narration, I love the history of the Native American tribes. Very indept indeed, fleshing out the history is very enjoyable. I have just subscribed, and I am going to binge watch your other videos. Thanks so much for the hard work. It's very much appreciated. Love from Dublin Ireland ☘️🇮🇪🫶

[@SiobhanFallon7]

You're wonderful, Sean!! Thank you, and I hope to hear from you again! 🍀🎉🍀

[@jonmeek3879]

Enjoyed this

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Much appreciated, Jon!

[@tscully1504]

Had no idea of the backstory between these two and the fights on the expedition. Much learned! Thanks.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! I know!! It's such a small Plains Indian Wars!

[@jayledermann7701]

As a lover of western American history as well as WW2 , I always love your videos. They are accurate and don't contain the fake anti white or anti Indian bs. You show real history is much more complicated and both sides had great warriors and evil snakes. Well done as usual.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Best comment!! Thank you, Jay!

[@jayledermann7701]

@SiobhanFallon7 Anytime. I've always found your vids interesting. I'm a Custer since I was a kid. So I know mote then average about the 7th and west etc. Yet I still learn even more from you and can appreciate how accurate and fair you are about history. Thank you.

[@jimanderson8016]

Very well done

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Jim!! 🎉

[@paulwojcik3850]

Enjoy your work.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

I appreciate that!

[@barbaraanneneale3674]

I am thrilled. To have yet another video from you. As usual, your research really is quite good. Although I question some of the claims about Custer's scouting ability. I am of the opinion. That he got lucky more than he got good. But that is strictly subjective. Bloody knife has long been a particularly fascinating character for me. I was unaware of his antagonism toward Gaul. Oh, thank you so much, auto. Correct, you have changed his name to a foreign country. But that back history explains a lot. It has also caused me to think about Custer's ability to command. In other words, twice, now, in this video, we have seen him rescued by outside from situations that he had no advance knowledge of. You would have thought that he would've learned his lesson by now. Clearly not. Let me say it again. I was so lucky to stumble across this site. Channel, whatever you call. This is a fantastic source of information on a subject. I always thought I was well versed in. Or at least reasonably so. I clearly was not. Thank you so much for your fine work.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Barbara! It is interesting about Custer always needing reinforcements. But maybe knowing this, he put this reinforcement idea into place at the Little Bighorn, and they just didn't arrive. I have to give him credit for orchestrating wins in these Yellowstone situations, as he was outnumbered again and again and suffered so few casualties. Reinforcements often won the day in US fights against the Indians. In these Yellowstone fights, the Indians were the ones who attacked each time, they provoked the fights, they wanted to catch Custer unaware. Funny that at the Little Bighorn, when it was Custer attacking and thinking he caught THEM unaware, that his lost so tremendously.

[@barbaraanneneale3674]

@@SiobhanFallon7 Yours is a well reasand convincing argument. I find Myself persuaded.

[@tscully1504]

I'm also looking forward to the next part keenly as there maybe some dots to connect on things that always struck me as strange/inexplicable.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Oh, do let me know what you think! I AM SO CLOSE TO FINISHING IT 🙏🤞🙏

[@christopherfoster3744]

Hi ! Thank you !!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Chris!

[@troymclean6487]

I had previously been unable to find out much about Bloody Knife

[@SiobhanFallon7]

I ordered the book by Innis and Colin-- you might like. But a friend shared a bunch of older articles about Bloody Knife with me that were hugely helpful. 🎉 Also Larson's Gall is insightful.

[@jakerobinson9308]

This was really good. I really enjoyed this. A lot of the whole Custer air specialty learning more about the natives on both sides. I would love to see you do something the 30 days after the Little Big Horn the movements the native made because I was reading books by Robert Utley and he was saying they circled back they actually come back through that battlefield weeks later the Indians did, I’d like to maybe do something about them and what they did about the first month after the battle you know where they went and things like that. Thank you. You have done yourself again.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Great idea, Jake! Thank you. I will look into what happened to the tribes immediately after the fight! And thanks so the kind words 🙏

[@kimcallahan9693]

Marvelous presentation as we’ve all come to expect. Extremely informative. Curious, how long does it take for you in putting these vignettes together?

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Kim!! It depends... lately I've been trying to get a video out every two or three weeks, and it's pretty much a full time job doing that. Helps to do a Part I and II as I have the research material all out in my office and can dedicate a month to one subject (and can give it more air time/ detailed look).

[@gator83261]

Very interesting video, the maps are very helpful.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! I appreciate you mentioning the maps. I was afraid I over used them, so I am glad they were useful!

[@Jay_Hall]

Gotta Love It!! 😍🤩🥰 Very Kewl, Informative,,Thanks Much!

[@SiobhanFallon7]

🤣 thank you, Jay!

[@jasontucker3295]

Really good back story info here.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you, Jason!! I hope you find Part II worthy as well!

[@nickfrancis]

You have to do a video on the Earp brothers!🤔🙏🏽

[@warrenrosen132]

Good to know that,the noble red men acquired land the old fashoned way...they took it.

[@murrayterry834]

the sioux believed desmet had powerful medicine as he stopped a charging buffalo by holding his cross at present day lake desmett.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Really? I need to research his life. Thank you for the great anecdote and inspiration to look at a new topic!

[@matthewcochran3325]

Another banger, sister! Thought you'd get a kick out of this, but when I am in my shop doing leather work, I listen to your vids and sometimes I turn the speed down to .5 and pretend we are in a bar and you are drunk and telling me cool stories 😂 I do this with History at the OK Corral and Wild West Extravaganza as well.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Ha ha, thank you, Matthew! Cheers! 😉

[@sayhey7482]

holi moli matt , try holding BACK just a wee bit or 2 , could be mistaken for chicanery {excuse spelling} on your part , just calm down a bit ol boy

[@SiobhanFallon7]

@@sayhey7482 🤣🤣🤣

[@laszlovitje4391]

Bloody Knife's Warrior Song (Arikara): kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6iymmOLaqZ6m9k

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Fantastic!! Thank you! 🎉

[@dieternowatius5062]

About the Adair, Crosby Ambushes or the Tongue River Fight i will create some small dioramas in 1:72 scale with my best plastic figures soon👍A red dressed Gull, Sharpshooters, Skirmishes or Little Cavalry Attacks… My fantasies are rising high now cause of your latest Output dear Siiobhan. Many Many Thanks again for your Little Yellowstone Expedition in 2024 👋😳🫢🤠👍

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Wow! Would love to see this!!

[@jimplummer4879]

Tribal Animosity went back decades, when the white man came they got in the middle of it and the tribes from all over the country played both sides off each other.

[@glassduck985]

Thank you for true history instead of the romanticize history

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks so much! 🙏

[@tudyk21]

13:00 Interesting the lack of distinction according to race/creed and the recognition of what the soldier personally brought to the fight.

[@tnirish16]

Great information, when I can learn something new on this topic, it’s very seldom. But I usually learn something new on your videos. However, it’s a little slanted in favor of Custer and Bloody Knife. And I find it a little funny that the Arikara blame the Lakota for picking on them, but if they hadn’t have been so decimated by disease brought on by not the Lakota, but the whites, they would have been able to keep them out of their country. And the Lakota probably would not have pushed into Ree land if they weren’t pushed westward by other tribes, also being pushed westward by…yep, whites.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

All good points. I never hear about the Arikara side of things, it's always whites vs. Sioux or Cheyenne. So I am trying to give the Arikara side a voice here in some small way. And as often as we examine unfair treaties and whites using superior numbers to bully tribes like the Sioux off their land, we don't often hear about how the Sioux were also a warrior people who bullied and forced other tribes from their own land as well. Personally I think it is a human flaw, this land-grab and need to dominate, regardless of skin color or allegiance. And conflicts everywhere in the world seem to show this again and again 🤷🏼‍♀️ Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

[@Avalanchelodge]

The human flaw that Siobhan mentions is also present in the way the Hunkpapa treated Bloody Knife as the basis of their ridicule was that he was inferior because he was half Arikara.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

@@Avalanchelodge thank you, very true!

[@Avalanchelodge]

One thing to consider is that the Arikara were attacked by the US Army in 1823 and the military efforts against them was aided by over 700 allied Lakota, Yankton, and Yanktonai warriors. Disease definitely was a huge factor but I also think the agricultural wealth of the Arikara was a factor as well. Also, a big element that is often overlooked, is that the diseases that impacted native people were often more deadly in sedentary, agricultural village types common among the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (as well as among the Pawnee) vs. those who were more nomadic and thus had dispersed, less concentrated camp sites.

[@tudyk21]

5:44 Gros Ventre (gro vant) means "big belly" in French. I looked it up because of the movie "The Mountain Men", with Charles Intestine.😊

[@Avalanchelodge]

Interestingly the Hidatsa were referred to as the Gros Ventre of the River while another group, the Atsina, or as the refer to themselves A’aninin (white clay people) were referred to as Gros Ventre of the Prairie.

[@tudyk21]

30:05 Rodman guns having an expanded powder chamber, when compared to the Napoleonic cannon.

[@dieternowatius5062]

…and the newest entry in my Custer History Hitparade is now the ARKANSAS TRAVELLER for shure… What a Funny little thing is this again ☝️😂👍

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Ha! I know! I have learned all new music in this study too!!

[@tudyk21]

3:20 There is a recording of "Bloody Knife's Death Song". I had it on a cassette that I bought from Walmart of all places. This may be it. I don't remember how it went.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

WHAT? I must find for Part II!!

[@tudyk21]

@@SiobhanFallon7 , yeah, it was on a cassette tape of Indian songs. I bought it probably close to 30 years ago. If I only still had it...

[@tudyk21]

@@SiobhanFallon7 I think it may have actually been "Bloody Knife's Warrior Song", from the album "American Indian Ceremonial and War Dances". I did a quick net search.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

@tudyk21 Great, another friend sent me the link. Thanks so much!!

[@dieternowatius5062]

Especially for Galls minifigure I‘ll need to form some more belly on. All of my hundreds of toysoldierindians are thin as a hungry wolf 😨🫢😢I hate theese damned buffalohunters 😂

[@SiobhanFallon7]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@pigpaul]

❤

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks 😉

[@tudyk21]

16:40 The hell of it is, it's like some foreigner showed up and dictated my property boundaries to me, after they being established for generations.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Right? Always an outsider with more warriors/ soldiers, a bigger war lance /gun, taking something from a people or family who raised their kids on and thought that land was their own. Always this brutal land fight, drop a dart on the globe and there it is 🌎

[@morrisvanderslice1735]

I’ve read Indian accounts of the Battle of the Little Bighorn that LTC Custer was mortally wounded early in the battle, before the movement to “Last Stand Hill”. Is that what you’ve discovered?

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thanks for watching and commenting!! There's some debate about which officer was shot during the movement to the Medicine Tail ford/ crossing, I think that's the incident you mean? My feeling is that Keogh was shot there (please see my Keogh videos!). Or maybe Sturgis or Porter (whose bodies weren't found but their personal items-- and maybe Sturgis' decapitated and burned head) were found in the village. Also Porter's horse. Which makes me think they may have infiltrated the village or been killed/ wounded at the crossing the taken there. What's your guess?

[@tudyk21]

31:13 Coincidentally, PRCA Hall of Fame bareback rider Larry Peabody is from Pompey's Pillar, Montana. 😉🐴

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Ha! I had no idea! I'll look him up! 🐎

[@yanceyricks2601]

So what got you into this era of study? A random fact or a question?

[@SiobhanFallon7]

I started researching Libbie Custer about five years ago, and this time period just totally pulled me in, hook, line, and sinker!

[@yanceyricks2601]

@@SiobhanFallon7 so what spurred research into her specifically? Also how would you best describe her relationship to Lt. Col Custer?

[@tudyk21]

3:36 The Arikara were apparently a foe of the white "mountain man", also. Ask Hugh Glass.😉

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Yes!! Thanks for pointing that out

[@thomaswayneward]

Very good clarity in telling the story, plus the maps help a lot.

[@SiobhanFallon7]

Thank you!! I've been trying to use more maps. I'm spatially challenged and need to physically see the distance etc myself.