Deer Medicine Rocks

In January, 1876, President Grant ordered the Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Sioux to report to their reservations or face war with the Army. In June 1876, Sitting Bull made camp on the Tongue River and deliberated on whether to surrender his people or lead them into battle. Seeking guidance, he held a Sundance. Tucked away on a private ranch 25 miles from Ashland, etched in the Deer Medicine Rocks, is Sitting Bull's vision of conquered cavalrymen riding their horses upside down. Shortly after this Sundance, Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapahoe warriors met the 7th cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Richard Tall Bull invited us on a tour, with himself, Felipe (the beading teacher) and John Bailey (the ranch-owner) as guides. I thought we were going to see some rock formations; with every new petroglyph, I was more astonished that such a marvel was sitting quietly on our doorstep. We spent two hours inspecting four separate sights, culminating with the depiction of the vision.

The Baileys' unassuming ranch-house doubles as a museum, complete with brochures, artifacts and plaques from the US Army joint command and British military. As we walked, the unassuming Mr. Bailey kept dropping references to "the lady from the Smithsonian" or when we were on the History Channel." People are full of surprises!

We found that the Indians weren't the only ones to leave their mark. When the army passed through in 1877, en route to the Battle of Rosebud, an F Company private named JD Clarke, whose record shows serving detention for minor offenses (like neglecting patrol to graffiti?) left his name. And we got to ride in Richard's truck.