Saturday, May 20
The location of the Dakota Column’s camp along Hailstone Creek
On the orders of General Terry, the men of the 7th Cavalry waited until 0800hrs to begin their march for the sake of taking a longer time to rest their animals. After a storm the night before the Dakota Column moved out and encountered more difficult country, including swollen streams that necessitated reconnaissance to locate useable fords. In the end, the column set up camp for the night along what is now known as Hailstone Creek for the night. The only major excitement here was another storm, with a lightning strike causing the team of a Gatling gun to stampede and run a mile from camp¹.
In Montana, heavy rains also hampered Gibbon’s men, and like Terry he elected for a late start to their march. At 0800hrs a group of Crow scouts rode into camp, bearing a report of a large Lakota war party sighted riding toward the Rosebud, and further reported the sounds of gunfire from the area. Fearing that the reconnaissance force sent out under Captain Lewis Thompson was under attack, Gibbon quickly mobilized his cavalry and some infantry and made for Thompson’s position. After moving several miles Gibbon deceided to camp for the night, the rains obliterating the trail of Thompson’s men and with no signs that the indians had crossed the Yellowstone.
A Gatling gun team poses for a photo at Fort Lincoln’s infantry post
An advance force sent on was unable to locate Thompson, who was at that time dug in to watch a ford at the river, having observed the Lakota but electing not to engage unless they attempted to cross the river. The gunfire heard earlier had in fact been caused by a brief skirmish as additional Crow scouts attempted to steal horses from the Lakota after swimming the river but caught by enemy scouts, resulting in both Lakota and Crow breaking off and returning to their fellows².
Research Trip
Interstate 94 looking west from the rest area near the Dakota Column’s campsite
On the author’s May 2026 research trip to the Little Bighorn one of the stops was at the site of the Dakota Column’s camp for the night of May 20, 1876. Located along Hailstone Creek, it is today located in a field just northwest of a DOT rest area along I94, just west of Exit 120. An observation deck on the building here offers excellent views of the site, although no interpretive signage exists here.
1. Dakota Column - CUSTER/TERRY - Hailstone Creek
2. Wyoming Column - CROOK - Fort Fetterman
3. Montana Column - GIBBON - Yellowstone River/Rosebud Creek
4. Sioux Encampment - US Intelligence position - Little Missouri River
5. Sioux Encampment - Actual position - Rosebud Creek
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Weinell, p.20
Robinson, p.102