County of marker: Harding County
Location of marker: Canam Hwy (US-85/SD-20), Centennial Park, Buffalo
Marker erected: July 3, 2009
Marker erected by: Harding County Chamber of Commerce
Marker Text:
In the early 1800s in Harding County, being warfare and hunting was the chief activity of the Plains Indians. Tribes fought with one another over hunting areas and where the huge buffalo herds roamed. Success in warfare earned title of a brave. Among the Sioux and Cheyenne, scalping or killing an enemy permitted a warrior to count "coup". But touching a live enemy with a coup stick earned the highest honor. After battle, the warriors told of their heroic deeds and celebrated their victory.
Harding County was once home to huge buffalo herds. In the "Battle of the Crow Buttes", Sioux braves ravaged a Crow camp in Harding County, while the Sioux warriors were gone [sic - did they mean Crow Warriors], destroying the camp and raping the Indian women that were left at the camp.
Warfare ensued. The Crow warriors left their women, children and old folks at a camp at Sand Creek, located north of the Buttes. With Sioux warriors chasing them, they rode south, looking for a better vantage point, which they thought would be the top of the Crow Buttes. Here they could see the countryside for many miles.
Instead, the Sioux encircled the Crow Buttes, trapped the Crows and then waited patiently. The Crows had no food or water with them, and being sultry weather, no rain fell. They had no way off of the Crow Buttes.
The Indians that tried to escape were killed by the Sioux. The remainder of the trapped Crows died slowly from thirst and starvation.
After the Crows had all died, a "bizarre" medical event took place. The Sioux contracted a deadly fever from the dead bodies of the Crow and most of the Sioux braves also died. Subsequently a nearby canyon to the northwest was named "Canyon of Skulls" as it was filled with the skeletons of the Sioux warriors.
Other views of this battle are given by Tunwéya Thokáheya through his photos and text by Dakota Wind.
Another view American Tribes Forum
Text of marker shown on the marker:
Marker erected by Butte County Historical Society & Butte County Game, Fish and Parks Commission
Crow Buttes, located in Harding County, was the scene of a bizarre battle between the Crow and Sioux Indians in the summer of 1822. Sioux men ravaged a Crow camp, destroying it and raping the squaws. Warfare ensued, Crow warriors left their women and children and old folks at Sand Creek north of the Buttes, fleeing for a better vantage point on top of the Crow Buttes, with Sioux fighters chasing them.
The Crows had no water with them and being sultry weather no rain fell. The Sioux encircled the Crow Buttes and waited patiently until the trapped Crows died from thirst. Subsequently, the nearby canyon of skulls, to the northwest, was filled with skeletons of Sioux who had died like flies after contracting a fever from the Crows.