Day 10 - Washita Battlefield

After a 3 hour drive from the dry and missing attractions in Texas, we arrived at the Washita Battlefield National Historic site near the town of Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

Long before Custer met his end at the Little Big Horn, he led his troopers to attack Chief Black Kettle's camp along the Washita River in Western Oklahoma.  In the pre-dawn hours, Custer and his 700 troopers attacked and routed the 100 or so Indians in Black Kettle's camp.  Two hours later, 30-60 Cheyenne lay dead and 53 more were taken captive.  Custer then had his troops kill about 800 horses and mules the tribe had and destroyed all their posessions and supplies.  Black Kettle was supposed to be under the protection of the Army at the time but that made little difference, he and his wife were among those killed.

Washita River

There is an excellent visitor center with fine displays and presentations and paths throughout the battlefield with educational markers.  This is a beautiful place with tall prairie grass and a peacefulness about it that indicates nothing of its past.  More pictures of this area can be found HERE and the video below will give you a sense of being in the sea of grass.  We left the battlefield and traveled to Weatherford, Oklahoma for the night.