Battlefield Overlook

View from the Washita Battlefield Overlook at sunset.

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Cheyenne, OK

Significance:

Overlooks Washita Battlefield

Designation:

National Historic Site

Amenities

10 listed

Accessible Sites, Benches/Seating, Cellular Signal, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Toilet - Vault/Composting, Trailhead

The Battlefield Overlook provides a view of the Washita River valley where Black Kettle's village was located. This was the site where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer led the 7th US Cavalry in a surprise dawn attack against Black Kettle's Cheyenne village along the Washita River on November 27, 1868.

The Attack

Black Kettle's village was located on the south bank of the Washita River which runs through the line of trees in the middle of the valley. During the night before the attack, Custer led his troops in from the north following the trail of a Cheyenne war party. Upon reaching the far hills in the dark, the scouts determined that a village was in the valley from a dog's bark and a baby's cry. Custer decided to split his forces into four battalions to surround the village and launched a surprise attack at first light. The village fell quickly as they were caught off guard by the surprise attack, allowing the cavalry to quickly secure the village. Skirmishes continued throughout the day as villagers fled to the downstream camps, ultimately leading to the deaths of Custer's second in command, Maj. Joel Elliott, along with 17 soldiers as they chased after fleeing Cheyenne.

As the downstream camps got word of the attack, their warriors began gathering on the hills to the north and east. However, Custer had already taken captives from the village, so the responding warriors did not launch a counter attack against the cavalry in fear that the captives would be killed. Upon seeing that he was quickly becoming outnumbered by the responding warriors, Custer ordered the majority of the Cheyenne horse herd that couldn't be taken with him killed. Then he feinted to the east towards the downstream villages like he was attacking before doubling back under the cover of darkness to begin the return trek to the north.

In the end, more than 50 Cheyenne were killed and 53 taken captive while the 7th US Cavalry lost 22 soldiers in the attack.

Preserving the Story

Prior to the creation of Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, a 3.5 acre overlook was first created and maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society to preserve the story of the attack. Then in 1996, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site was formed, ultimately leading to the National Park Service protecting the site of Black Kettle's village along the Washita as well as the overlook.