The Council

On Sunday, June 25, 1876, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry were decimated at the Battle of the Little Bighorn by the comined might of the Sioux and Cheyenne. Sitting Bull, acknowledged spiritual leader of all the Sioux tribes, had predicted such a victory for the Sioux and Cheyenne. Many warriors believed that the Battle of the Rosebud, fought against General Cook eight days prior to the Custer fight, was the victory of which Sitting Bull had spoken. Sitting Bull said this was not so. The great victory was yet to come. It came with a vengeance on June 25th.

The painting depicts Sitting Bull speaking to the elders and warriors of his clan, the Hunkpapa Sioux, the night before the battle. Although he didn't participate in the battle itself, Sitting Bull was in the vicinity. His camp site was at the extreme southern end of the valley and was the first to come under attack from Major Marcus Reno and three companies of the Seventh Cavalry.