I think we all accept that the Civil War battlefields are haunted to one degree or another.... but what about the Little Big Horn? (Custer's Last Stand) Has anyone ever heard of hauntings there?

Kell

I do recall one show (details escape me - it's been years ago) A person was interviewed who had accidentally ran into a residual type haunting in that area. I remember him making a comment that at first he thought it was a reinactment until he saw the killings and dead bodies. I'm wondering if there may be some governmental restrictions to conducting an investigation because it isn't as big a topic as other hauntings.

Wow, I don't know. It does seem to be more inaccessible that other places though. Maybe it's because of location and they fact they aren't building a metropolis around it, as is happening with the other battlefields - people just don't see it as much.

By the way the men died there, I should think it terribly haunted..

Kell

The 'Unsolved History' show on Discovery Channel on Wednesday was so interesting! They really did a full scale investigation into Custer's Last Stand, made easier by the fire in Montana that removed 125 years of grass and brush that covered the battle site. It was discovered that Custer indeed made some bad choices.... he was far outnumbered by the Native Americans, whose camp stretched for 3 miles along the river. Also, the Native Americans (primarily Sioux) were better equipped than Custer's men, having rifles capable of 16 shots without reloading... while Custer's men were using single shot rifles and sixshooters. Studies of the skeletal remains of some of the soldiers that were found in shallow, unmarked graves indicated that many of them had spinal degeneration from many long hours spent in the saddle, and therefore, were very likely in pain after their long trek north to 'gather up the stray Indians' and bring the back to a reservation. Some of Custer's men were as young as 17. The Native Americans, of course, fought against the loss of their freedom to live where and as they liked. The battle was bloody and gruesome.... their very way of life was threatened, and all so that the white settlers could feel safer in their Westward migration into areas that were previously the domain of the Native American.

So, I would say that there would have to be some residual hauntings here. I am wondering if maybe it isn't as popular as a haunted place is because there is not alot to see there, other than a few tombstones marking some of the graves of Custer's men. Prior to the fairly recent fire in Montana that cleared the brush and grass from the battle site, it may just be that it was a more difficult place to access for many ghosthunters. But, I would be willing to bet that hauntings would be found there, if someone with the ghost hunting skills were patient enough to investigate it. I guess the entire battle covered something over 600 acres... at least that is what the investigators on the Discovery Channel mentioned as the area that they searched with metal detectors, etc., to find bullets and shell casings, etc. This helped them to piece together who was where, and what kinds of weapons were used.

Just thought this might shed some light on the possibility of the place being haunted. I personally believe that it is.

I would also surmise that the Native Americans retrieved their dead, and took care of their bodies in the traditional way. No mention was made in the show about having found any remains of any Native Americans.

I think it would be haunted as well. It has the right mix for it. Tragedy, suffering, painful and sudden death. Emotions were high. I think all battlegrounds are haunted.

I'll bet there were total differences in the attitudes of the two groups. While the Native Americans were in total acceptance that they were in a fight to the death and had prepared themselves to accend to the next plane, I'll bet most of Custer's men in total conflict with their reasons for being there, didn't really want to be there and were just fighting to stay alive.

Also, handling of the remains had to be different too. The Native Americans would have been able to retrieve their dead immediately and perform their cerimonies to release their spirits while Custer's men lay there for quite some time without anyone to pray for them.

However, I'm curious if the Native American cerimonies to release the spirits would cover Custer's men too. If they did, it could have helped relieve any actual haunting of the area leaving behind only the residual hauntings that I've heard about.

With the land cleared now, this would be a good time for an investigation especially if you also liked to camp.