A Cycle of the West · Chapter
XII: High Noon on the Little Horn explained
The chapter depicts the Battle of the Little Bighorn from multiple perspectives: the Sioux village's initial unawareness, the terror of the non-combatants as Custer's column approaches, the fierce fighting on the ridges, and the desperate d
What happens
The chapter depicts the Battle of the Little Bighorn from multiple perspectives: the Sioux village's initial unawareness, the terror of the non-combatants as Custer's column approaches, the fierce fighting on the ridges, and the desperate defense on Reno's hill. It also includes a poignant scene of a young Sioux boy, Hohay, fishing with his elders and playing at war, contrasting childhood innocence with the brutal reality of the battle. The chapter ends with the wounded day bleeding into night, the war drums of the Sioux, and the exhausted troopers digging in for another day of siege.
Themes in this chapter
Conflict and Cultural Collision
The chapter vividly portrays the violent clash between U.S. cavalry and Sioux warriors, with both sides experiencing terror, heroism, and despair.
Fate and Inevitability
The sense of doom pervades the chapter—Custer's charge is seen as a 'bannered onset of a host' but leads to annihilation; the troopers on Reno's hill feel 'all were men about to die.'
Loss and Nostalgia
The chapter contrasts the innocence of Hohay's play with the brutal reality of war, and the troopers' longing for water and home underscores the loss of life and innocence.
Characters to notice
- George Armstrong Custer
Leads the charge with the grays, sorrels, and bays toward the ford, seen by the fleeing villagers as a bannered host.
- Crazy Horse
Rides a white-faced roan, inspiring the Sioux with his lean, swift fighting spirit and the cry 'There never was a better day to die!'
- Red Hawk
Fishing with Running Wolf and Hohay; dismissive of the boy's fears, focused on the wind and the fish.
- Running Wolf
Fishing companion of Red Hawk; comments on the wind and the possibility of rain.
- Hohay
A young Sioux boy sent to catch grasshoppers; he daydreams of battle, imagining himself a hero, then returns to reality feeling small.
- Major Marcus Reno
His hill is under siege; men wait for his action and grumble about Custer's absence.
- Sergeant Hanley
Chases a bolting ammunition mule with an Irish yell, returning with the mule and then working among the rest.
- General George Crook
Mentioned as the Gray Fox, believed by the Sioux to be returning for revenge; also referenced in Hohay's pebble game.
Key passages
“There never was a better day to die! Come on, Dakotas! Cowards to the rear!”
Crazy Horse rallies the Sioux warriors, declaring that this is the perfect day to die and urging the Dakotas to follow him while shaming the cowards.
This cry encapsulates the defiant spirit of the Sioux in the face of overwhelming odds.
“What was it that the Major waited for? He'd best be doing something pretty quick or there'd be Custer with a pointed stick to look for him!”
A soldier on Reno's hill grumbles that Major Reno is hesitating, warning that Custer will soon come looking for him with a pointed stick if he doesn't act.
This dark humor reflects the tension and frustration among the besieged troopers.
“The wounded day bled ashen in the west; the firing dwindled in the dusk and ceased; the frightened stars came peeking from the east to see what anguish moaned.”
As evening fell, the wounded day turned pale in the west, gunfire faded into silence, and the stars timidly appeared to witness the suffering below.
This poetic description emphasizes the aftermath of battle and the pervasive sense of loss.
