SSB-02
John Jenkins Designs
Buffalo Calf Road Woman, or Brave Woman (c. 1844-1879) was a Northern Cheyenne woman who saved her wounded warrior brother in the Battle of the Rosebud, in 1876. Her rescue helped rally the Cheyenne warriors to win the battle. Later that same year she was to fight alongside her husband in the battle of the Little Bighorn.
She was later credited with striking the blow that knocked Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer off his horse before he died.
Under the leadership of Crazy Horse, the Cheyenne and Lakota Sioux had been skirmishing with the United States forces. Many warriors had charged, and one man who had the best horse was in the lead. This was Chief Comes In Sight. Before he could reach the soldiers, his horse was wounded and its hind leg broken. The Cheyenne retreated leaving Chief Comes In Sight on foot in the battlefield. SAs he was walking away with all the soldiers shooting at him, Buffalo Calf Road Woman rode out onto the battlefield at full speed and grabbed up her brother, carrying him to safety. Her courageous rescue caused the Cheyenne to rally, and they defeated General George Crook and his forces.
In honour of this brave deed, the Cheyenne named the battle, “The Battle Where The Girl Saved Her Brother.”
The battle which ensued would last for six hours and consisted of disconnected actions and charges and counter-charges by Crook and Crazy Horse, the two forces spread out over a fluid front three miles wide. The Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne were divided into several groups as were the soldiers as the battle progressed. The soldiers could fend off assaults by the Indians and force them to retreat but could not catch and destroy them
The soldiers were impressed with the swarming Indians. "They were the best cavalry soldiers on earth. In charging up toward us they exposed little of their person, hanging on with one arm around the neck and one leg over the horse, firing and lancing from underneath the horses' necks, so that there was no part of the Indian at which we could aim."