photo #7908177

Sacrifice June 25 1876 39 horses were killed during Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The horses were used as breastworks by the soldiers. The horses are buried in the 7th Cavalry Horse Cemetery at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Crow Agency, Montana. Explanation Soldiers used the horses as breastworks to protect themselves. The horses were assigned different colors to help identify them and add to unit cohesion. The horses were buried just below Last Stand Hill. A granite marker marks the location of the horse cemetery. A cordwood monument was erected in 1879 and the horse bones were placed inside. Additional details Private William White, a mule packer, was one of the first to arrive at the battlefield after the battle. Lt. Edward S. Godfrey, Company K, 7th Cavalry, arrived on Custer Hill two days after the battle. General Edward J. McClernand observed a circle of dead horses on Custer Hill. Col. John Gibbon recalled seeing numerous dead horses along the southwestern slope of Custer Hill.