Horsemeat March facts for kids

The Horsemeat March was a tough journey made by soldiers in 1876. It was led by General George Crook. The soldiers were chasing a group of Sioux people. These Sioux had recently won a big battle against General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

During the march, the soldiers didn't have enough food. Heavy rains made the ground very muddy. Because of the lack of food and bad conditions, the soldiers had to eat their own horses and mules. This is why it's called the Horsemeat March. It was also known as the Mud March or the Starvation March. The march ended with the Battle of Slim Buttes.

Why the March Happened

Disputes Over Land

In 1876, there was a big conflict called the Great Sioux War of 1876. It was between the U.S. Army and several Native American groups. These groups included the Lakota (Sioux), Arapaho, and Northern Cheyenne. The main reason for the conflict was disagreements over land, especially the Black Hills in the Dakota Territory.

The Army's Plan

After an earlier battle in March, the Army wanted to move Native Americans to reservations. General Crook planned a large attack for the spring. He gathered many soldiers to try and trap the Native American groups. Crook's soldiers included the 2nd and 3rd Cavalries and the 4th and 9th Infantries. They marched north from Fort Fetterman.

Battle of the Rosebud

However, Crook's forces met the Sioux and Cheyenne sooner than expected. This led to the Battle of the Rosebud. This battle delayed Crook's soldiers. Because of this delay, they missed joining General Custer's troops.

The Battle of the Little Bighorn

General Custer's troops went ahead without Crook's help. On June 24, 1876, Custer's soldiers saw a huge gathering of Native Americans. This was one of the largest groups ever seen on the Great Plains. It included about 1,800 warriors. Famous leaders like Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Gall were there.

Custer thought there were fewer warriors than there actually were. His soldiers took positions on a hill. But the Native American warriors, led by Crazy Horse, fought back strongly. Custer and his men were defeated in what became a very famous battle. After this, the U.S. Army decided to chase the Native American forces. They wanted to punish them for their victory.

The Horsemeat March Begins

Chasing the Tribes

After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, most of the Native American warriors left the area. The U.S. Army spent about two months getting ready to chase them. General George Crook was put in charge of this mission. He had over a thousand cavalry and infantry soldiers. He also had many Native American scouts helping him.

Tough Conditions

Crook's troops faced a huge problem: they didn't have enough food. Despite this, Crook pushed his soldiers forward into the Black Hills. Heavy rains made the ground extremely muddy. This is why the journey was sometimes called the "Mud March." Because of the severe lack of food, it was also known as the "Starvation March." But it's most famous as the "Horsemeat March." This is because the soldiers had to eat their own horses to survive.

A Surgeon's Diary

Dr. Bennett A. Clements was a surgeon in the U.S. Army. He wrote a daily diary about General Crook's campaign. His diary shows how incredibly difficult the Horsemeat March was. It describes a time when the soldiers were close to starving.

On August 31, 1876, Dr. Clements wrote about the extreme challenges:

Long marches in frequent rain-storms, with cold nights and heavy dews, made things very hard. The soldiers had little hope of success. There was only enough coffee for about five days. Bread and salt would last less than two days. No one knew how far it was to the Black Hills. Our Native American scouts, who knew the land, left to deliver messages. Under these bad conditions, the soldiers moved south on September 6. They marched 30 miles over rough land. They camped by bad water holes with no wood for fires. On September 7, they marched another 30 miles over similar land. The camp was just as bad. Many soldiers were sick or hurt. They had to use nine stretchers. Many horses were left behind. Men kept struggling into camp until 10 P.M. On this day, the men started killing abandoned horses for food. Sick and tired infantrymen were carried on mules. But only a few who needed help could be carried.

Dr. Clements' report shows how exhausting the journey was. The stormy weather turned the land into lakes of mud. Many soldiers became sick or injured. Others had to get off their horses and walk. This was so their horses could be eaten. It was a very hard time for the Army. General Crook, who was a very skilled general, lost many soldiers to hunger and sickness.

The Battle of Slim Buttes

Finding Supplies

By September 8, the soldiers were only eating horse meat. General Crook sent a message asking for supplies to be brought to Deadwood. This was a mining town in the Black Hills. He also sent a small group of soldiers to pick up the supplies.

On their way, these soldiers found a camp of Oglala Lakota people. The camp was near Slim Buttes, in what is now South Dakota. This camp included men, women, and children.

The Fight at Slim Buttes

At dawn on September 9, about 150 soldiers attacked the Oglala camp. The Native Americans fought back bravely. The Battle of Slim Buttes quickly became one of the biggest battles since the Little Bighorn. General Crook arrived with the rest of his soldiers the next day. Even then, the Oglala camp was still very large.

In the end, Crook's forces captured a huge amount of dried meat. The Oglala had stored this meat to last them through the winter. The soldiers also captured or killed 37 Oglala warriors.

The March Ends

On September 13, 1876, the Horsemeat March finally ended. Crook's troops met the train carrying their supplies. The U.S. Army did find the Lakota people they were chasing. But the soldiers were too tired and worn out to continue the pursuit.