The Battle of Red Buttes, also known historically as the Battle of Custard’s Wagon Train, marks a somber chapter in the history of the American West. Occurring on July 26, 1865, near what is now Casper, Wyoming, this fierce engagement pitted U.S. Soldiers against a combined force of Cheyenne and Sioux warriors during a period of intense conflict on the Great Plains. The events leading up to the Battle of Red Buttes underscore the desperate struggles for control of vital routes and resources in the frontier.
This particular battle took place in the immediate aftermath of the larger and equally significant Battle of Platte Bridge Station, where Native American forces had successfully repelled a U.S. Cavalry charge, demonstrating their formidable resistance. Emboldened by their victory at Platte Bridge, the Cheyenne and Sioux turned their attention to an approaching U.S. Army supply train, setting the stage for another tragic clash.
Historical Context: The Powder River War of 1865
By 1865, the Great Plains were a crucible of conflict, fueled by westward expansion and the encroachment of settlers and soldiers onto ancestral Native American lands. The Bozeman Trail, a shortcut to the Montana goldfields, cut directly through prime hunting grounds of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, leading to escalating hostilities. The year 1865 saw the launch of the Powder River Expedition, a major U.S. Army campaign aimed at subduing these tribes, but it often met with determined resistance.
The Platte River Road, a critical artery for emigrants and military supplies, was particularly vulnerable. Platte Bridge Station, a small military outpost guarding a vital crossing of the North Platte River, served as a strategic point along this route. The station was frequently harassed, and the U.S. Army faced immense challenges in protecting its supply lines and personnel.
The Road to Red Buttes: Custard’s Wagon Train
The fateful journey of Sergeant Amos J. Custard’s wagon train began on July 25, 1865, from Sweetwater Station. Custard, commanding a detachment of 25 Kansas Cavalry soldiers, was tasked with guarding five supply wagons en route to Platte Bridge Station. They camped for the night at Willow Springs, approximately halfway to their destination. That evening, Lieutenant Henry C. Bretney and Captain A. Smith Lybe, with their own detachments also headed for Platte Bridge, stopped at Custard’s camp. They wisely suggested that Custard join them, anticipating the dangers ahead, but Custard, perhaps overconfident or determined to maintain his schedule, declined their offer. This decision would prove fatal for him and his men.
A Dire Warning and Defiant Refusal
The next morning, as the army supply train continued its eastward journey along the telegraph road near the North Platte River, they encountered a detachment of the Ohio Cavalry, just past the area known as Red Buttes. These Ohio soldiers, having seen the overwhelming numbers of Native Americans besieging Platte Bridge Station, urgently warned Custard to turn back. They stressed the grave danger and urged him to reconsider his path, but the sergeant remained resolute in his misguided determination.
Custard’s response, etched into the annals of frontier history, was defiant and tragically prophetic: “No, sir, we don’t stop here. We are going to Platte Bridge in spite of all the redskins this side of hell.” His refusal to heed the warning sealed the fate of his detachment. It was a moment of grave miscalculation, born of either stubbornness or a misplaced sense of duty, in the face of an enemy far superior in numbers and tactical advantage.
The Fierce Engagement at Red Buttes
As Custard’s wagons pressed on, the ominous sounds of gunfire echoed from ahead. Five men were dispatched to scout the immediate area. Almost immediately upon leaving the main group, these scouts were ambushed. Two of them were killed instantly. However, the remaining three scouts managed to fight their way through to Platte Bridge Station, a desperate dash that resulted in the death of Left Hand, a prominent Cheyenne warrior and brother to the renowned war leader Roman Nose. This small victory, however, was overshadowed by the unfolding tragedy.
Back at Red Buttes, Custard and his remaining troops found themselves suddenly and completely overwhelmed by a massive force of Cheyenne and Sioux warriors. Faced with an impossible situation, the sergeant quickly ordered the wagons to be corralled, forming a desperate defensive perimeter. From behind this makeshift barricade, Custard and his men opened fire, fighting valiantly against their attackers. Though hopelessly outnumbered and in a completely exposed position, they held out with incredible courage for approximately four hours.
The battle was brutal and relentless. The Native American warriors pressed their attack with ferocity, gradually picking off the soldiers. In the end, despite their brave resistance, every one of Custard’s men at Red Buttes was killed. The scene was one of total devastation, a testament to the ferocity of the encounter.
Casualties and Aftermath
The human cost of the Battle of Red Buttes was profound. Of the 26 soldiers under Sergeant Custard’s command, all perished in the fighting at Red Buttes, with only the three scouts who made it to Platte Bridge Station surviving the broader engagement. The estimated losses for the Native American forces were 12 killed and 18 wounded, a significant toll given the nature of the engagement. The complete annihilation of Custard’s detachment sent a chilling message about the dangers of underestimating the unified resistance of the Plains tribes.
The Battle of Red Buttes, alongside the Battle of Platte Bridge Station, solidified 1865 as one of the most violent years of the Indian Wars on the northern plains. These engagements highlighted the strength and determination of the Cheyenne and Sioux to defend their territories against the encroaching U.S. military and settlers. For the U.S. Army, these defeats served as harsh lessons in the realities of frontier warfare, emphasizing the need for greater caution and intelligence gathering.
Conclusion
The Battle of Red Buttes stands as a poignant reminder of the brutal and often tragic conflicts that defined the American West. It was a battle marked by a courageous but ultimately doomed stand, a testament to the bravery of soldiers facing overwhelming odds, and the fierce resolve of Native American warriors defending their way of life. The defiance of Sergeant Custard and the ultimate sacrifice of his men underscore the high stakes and terrible costs of the Powder River War. This engagement, though perhaps less widely known than other battles, is a critical piece of the complex narrative of the Indian Wars in Wyoming, illustrating the human drama, strategic blunders, and immense suffering on all sides during a pivotal period of American history.
