Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn

Podcast: Dan Snow's History Hit
Host: Dan Snow
Guest: Paul Hedren, historian and author of Sitting Bull’s War
Date: December 4, 2025

Overview

This episode explores the life and legacy of Sitting Bull, the revered Hunkpapa Lakota leader, focusing on his role in the events leading up to and following the legendary Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876). Historian Paul Hedren, a noted expert on the Sioux nation, joins Dan Snow to discuss the history, culture, and struggle of the Lakota and their allies against U.S. expansion, giving particular insight into the social structures, spiritual beliefs, and the ultimate impact of U.S. policies on indigenous peoples.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spiritual Foundations: The Sun Dance Vision

[01:38-04:42] Paul Hedren recounts how Sitting Bull led a Sun Dance shortly before the battle, enduring intense physical sacrifice and receiving a prophetic vision of U.S. soldiers “swarming like grasshoppers” and being destroyed, which became a source of hope and rallying for the combined Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho camp:

“He saw soldiers swarming into the Lakota camp like grasshoppers... while the Lakota stood unharmed.” — Paul Hedren [03:42]

2. Plains Geography & Lakota Social Structure

[06:41-12:00] The episode breaks down the Great Plains’ ecological and cultural characteristics, detailing how the bison-centered lifeway led to different tribal cultures and relationships. Lakota people, whose numbers once reached ~15,000, led mobile, interrelated bands called "oyats."

“They thrived on this animal. They ate this animal. Its skins made their clothing, made their lodges, made their teepees...” — Paul Hedren [07:22]
Discusses Lakota governance as fluid and largely non-hierarchical with inter-tribal marriages and flexible identities.

3. Sitting Bull: From Warrior to Visionary

[12:00-13:24] Sitting Bull was likely born near the Grand River in ~1831. Initially famed as a warrior, he became a revered spiritual leader, embodying "the Lakota cardinal virtues of wisdom and fortitude." His advice was influential and rooted in traditional values.

4. U.S. Expansion and Increasing Conflict

[13:24-18:14] Describes first contacts (Lewis and Clark era) and escalating settler intrusion—gold seekers, railroads—disrupting Native life.

"Inevitably, gold is the root of all trouble out here, at least as I see it." — Paul Hedren [15:48]
The government’s shifting strategy from coexistence to forced removal, culminating in reservation systems and military confrontation.

5. Sitting Bull's Philosophy of Resistance

[16:16-17:55] Sitting Bull advocated avoidance rather than violence unless absolutely necessary, providing cautious leadership, though he could demonstrate bravery to inspire his people.

“His prime counsel constantly was to avoid contact. Just stay away from them. ... We’ll fight to defend ourselves if attacked.” — Paul Hedren [16:32]

6. The Black Hills and Breaking Point

[18:14-23:57] Explores how the discovery of gold in the Black Hills violated treaties and sacred lands, serving as "the final straw" for the Lakota. The government responded by forcibly opening the land, precipitating war.

“The Black Hills … was just this enormous personality treasure, as far as those people saw.” — Paul Hedren [22:39]

7. Alliance Building and Charisma

[25:47-26:37] Sitting Bull’s unifying spiritual authority allowed him to bring traditionalists together for collective defense.

“He truly was [an alliance builder]… he becomes the foremost figure that is rallying these people ... because he’s a man of good counsel and he’s a man of spiritual vision.” — Paul Hedren [25:55]

8. The Battle of the Little Bighorn: Events & Tactics

[29:31-40:01] Covers military movements: Custer’s impetuous push to attack a large, well-defended village, the division of U.S. forces, and Native defensive strategies.
- The Village's Size & Make-up: Nearly 5,000 people, including Lakota, Cheyenne, and others, with about 1,500 warriors. Pregnancy of the spiritual moment post-Sun Dance.
- The Attack: Multiple prongs, confusion, and eventual encirclement and destruction of Custer’s command.
“Custer's leading a command of 600 men and furthermore deploys in an odd way. ... He divides his command as he's making this hasty approach ... into three segments.” — Paul Hedren [34:39]
- Sitting Bull’s Role: Not physically fighting, but ensuring safety for noncombatants and, crucially, providing spiritual and tactical counsel.
“His interests and his concerns are so multiple that he is ushering, making sure that the vulnerable ones are cared for… providing good counsel.” — Paul Hedren [40:05]

9. Aftermath and Retaliation

[42:30-47:11] Although a stunning tactical victory, Little Bighorn prompted massive reinforcement by the U.S. Army; the Native coalition could not replenish losses like the U.S. could, leading to relentless military campaigns.

“Sitting Bull didn’t have the capacity to grow more Indians. He had what he had. The army’s way was completely different.” — Paul Hedren [47:28]
Survivors fled; many, including Sitting Bull, found temporary refuge in Canada until starvation and the end of the buffalo sent them back.

10. Surrender, the Ghost Dance, and Tragic End

[51:25-56:08] In 1881, Sitting Bull surrendered. Reservation life brought further hardship: food shortages, forced acculturation, and religious suppression.
The rise of the Ghost Dance movement offered hope, but authorities saw it as a threat. In 1890, during a botched arrest, Sitting Bull was killed; followers merged with others who were massacred at Wounded Knee later that year.

11. Legacy

[56:08-57:17] The episode closes on the enduring strength of kinship and cultural pride on reservations, despite hardship—seen as an extension of Sitting Bull’s values.

“The whole business of kinship and family and tribe remains very strong across all of American reservations ... doesn’t that kind of reflect what Sitting Bull is all about?” — Paul Hedren [56:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Sun Dance vision:

"He saw soldiers swarming into the Lakota camp like grasshoppers … The Lakota would win a great victory if they stood together." — Paul Hedren [03:42]
On the Lakota’s relationship to the buffalo:

“They thrived on this animal ... provided all manner of things important to a lifeway.” — Paul Hedren [07:22]
On Sitting Bull as a leader:

"He exhibited the Lakota cardinal virtues of wisdom and fortitude and whatnot, and was, just by example, became this leader among his people." — Paul Hedren [12:05]
On U.S. strategy post-battle:

“It’s as simple as that. Sitting Bull didn’t have a capacity to grow more Indians. ... The campaigns were unrelenting. They continued.” — Paul Hedren [47:28]
On legacy:

“And in a certain way, doesn’t that kind of reflect what Sitting Bull is all about also?” — Paul Hedren [56:17]

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:38-04:42| Sun Dance, Sitting Bull’s Vision, Spiritual Context | | 06:41-12:00| Great Plains Ecology, Lakota Society/Organization | | 13:24-18:14| Early Contacts, Settler Expansion, Gold Rush | | 16:32 | Sitting Bull’s Resistance Philosophy | | 22:39 | Black Hills Gold: The Final Straw | | 25:55 | Sitting Bull as Alliance Builder | | 29:46-40:01| Battle of Little Bighorn, Tactical Details | | 40:05 | Sitting Bull’s Actions During Battle | | 47:28 | U.S. Retaliation, Fleeing to Canada | | 51:28 | Surrender, Ghost Dance, Wounded Knee | | 56:17 | Sitting Bull’s Enduring Legacy |

Closing Thoughts

The episode offers a nuanced, deeply human portrait of Sitting Bull and his people—honoring their cultural vitality, resistance, and tragic fate. Hedren’s combination of historical analysis and evocative storytelling provides context not just for a famous battle, but for a centuries-long struggle for self-determination, whose echoes persist in Native communities today.

Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn

Podcast: Dan Snow's History Hit
Host: Dan Snow
Guest: Paul Hedren, historian and author of Sitting Bull’s War
Date: December 4, 2025

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spiritual Foundations: The Sun Dance Vision

[01:38-04:42] Paul Hedren recounts how Sitting Bull led a Sun Dance shortly before the battle, enduring intense physical sacrifice and receiving a prophetic vision of U.S. soldiers “swarming like grasshoppers” and being destroyed, which became a source of hope and rallying for the combined Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho camp:

“He saw soldiers swarming into the Lakota camp like grasshoppers... while the Lakota stood unharmed.” — Paul Hedren [03:42]

2. Plains Geography & Lakota Social Structure

[06:41-12:00] The episode breaks down the Great Plains’ ecological and cultural characteristics, detailing how the bison-centered lifeway led to different tribal cultures and relationships. Lakota people, whose numbers once reached ~15,000, led mobile, interrelated bands called "oyats."

“They thrived on this animal. They ate this animal. Its skins made their clothing, made their lodges, made their teepees...” — Paul Hedren [07:22]
Discusses Lakota governance as fluid and largely non-hierarchical with inter-tribal marriages and flexible identities.

3. Sitting Bull: From Warrior to Visionary

[12:00-13:24] Sitting Bull was likely born near the Grand River in ~1831. Initially famed as a warrior, he became a revered spiritual leader, embodying "the Lakota cardinal virtues of wisdom and fortitude." His advice was influential and rooted in traditional values.

4. U.S. Expansion and Increasing Conflict

[13:24-18:14] Describes first contacts (Lewis and Clark era) and escalating settler intrusion—gold seekers, railroads—disrupting Native life.

"Inevitably, gold is the root of all trouble out here, at least as I see it." — Paul Hedren [15:48]
The government’s shifting strategy from coexistence to forced removal, culminating in reservation systems and military confrontation.

5. Sitting Bull's Philosophy of Resistance

[16:16-17:55] Sitting Bull advocated avoidance rather than violence unless absolutely necessary, providing cautious leadership, though he could demonstrate bravery to inspire his people.

“His prime counsel constantly was to avoid contact. Just stay away from them. ... We’ll fight to defend ourselves if attacked.” — Paul Hedren [16:32]

6. The Black Hills and Breaking Point

[18:14-23:57] Explores how the discovery of gold in the Black Hills violated treaties and sacred lands, serving as "the final straw" for the Lakota. The government responded by forcibly opening the land, precipitating war.

“The Black Hills … was just this enormous personality treasure, as far as those people saw.” — Paul Hedren [22:39]

7. Alliance Building and Charisma

[25:47-26:37] Sitting Bull’s unifying spiritual authority allowed him to bring traditionalists together for collective defense.

“He truly was [an alliance builder]… he becomes the foremost figure that is rallying these people ... because he’s a man of good counsel and he’s a man of spiritual vision.” — Paul Hedren [25:55]

8. The Battle of the Little Bighorn: Events & Tactics

[29:31-40:01] Covers military movements: Custer’s impetuous push to attack a large, well-defended village, the division of U.S. forces, and Native defensive strategies.
- The Village's Size & Make-up: Nearly 5,000 people, including Lakota, Cheyenne, and others, with about 1,500 warriors. Pregnancy of the spiritual moment post-Sun Dance.
- The Attack: Multiple prongs, confusion, and eventual encirclement and destruction of Custer’s command.
“Custer's leading a command of 600 men and furthermore deploys in an odd way. ... He divides his command as he's making this hasty approach ... into three segments.” — Paul Hedren [34:39]
- Sitting Bull’s Role: Not physically fighting, but ensuring safety for noncombatants and, crucially, providing spiritual and tactical counsel.
“His interests and his concerns are so multiple that he is ushering, making sure that the vulnerable ones are cared for… providing good counsel.” — Paul Hedren [40:05]

9. Aftermath and Retaliation

[42:30-47:11] Although a stunning tactical victory, Little Bighorn prompted massive reinforcement by the U.S. Army; the Native coalition could not replenish losses like the U.S. could, leading to relentless military campaigns.

“Sitting Bull didn’t have the capacity to grow more Indians. He had what he had. The army’s way was completely different.” — Paul Hedren [47:28]
Survivors fled; many, including Sitting Bull, found temporary refuge in Canada until starvation and the end of the buffalo sent them back.

10. Surrender, the Ghost Dance, and Tragic End

[51:25-56:08] In 1881, Sitting Bull surrendered. Reservation life brought further hardship: food shortages, forced acculturation, and religious suppression.
The rise of the Ghost Dance movement offered hope, but authorities saw it as a threat. In 1890, during a botched arrest, Sitting Bull was killed; followers merged with others who were massacred at Wounded Knee later that year.

11. Legacy

[56:08-57:17] The episode closes on the enduring strength of kinship and cultural pride on reservations, despite hardship—seen as an extension of Sitting Bull’s values.

“The whole business of kinship and family and tribe remains very strong across all of American reservations ... doesn’t that kind of reflect what Sitting Bull is all about?” — Paul Hedren [56:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Sun Dance vision:

"He saw soldiers swarming into the Lakota camp like grasshoppers … The Lakota would win a great victory if they stood together." — Paul Hedren [03:42]
On the Lakota’s relationship to the buffalo:

“They thrived on this animal ... provided all manner of things important to a lifeway.” — Paul Hedren [07:22]
On Sitting Bull as a leader:

"He exhibited the Lakota cardinal virtues of wisdom and fortitude and whatnot, and was, just by example, became this leader among his people." — Paul Hedren [12:05]
On U.S. strategy post-battle:

“It’s as simple as that. Sitting Bull didn’t have a capacity to grow more Indians. ... The campaigns were unrelenting. They continued.” — Paul Hedren [47:28]
On legacy:

“And in a certain way, doesn’t that kind of reflect what Sitting Bull is all about also?” — Paul Hedren [56:17]

Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn

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Summary

Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spiritual Foundations: The Sun Dance Vision

2. Plains Geography & Lakota Social Structure

3. Sitting Bull: From Warrior to Visionary

4. U.S. Expansion and Increasing Conflict

5. Sitting Bull's Philosophy of Resistance

6. The Black Hills and Breaking Point

7. Alliance Building and Charisma

8. The Battle of the Little Bighorn: Events & Tactics

9. Aftermath and Retaliation

10. Surrender, the Ghost Dance, and Tragic End

11. Legacy

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

Closing Thoughts

Further Reading

Summary

Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spiritual Foundations: The Sun Dance Vision

2. Plains Geography & Lakota Social Structure

3. Sitting Bull: From Warrior to Visionary

4. U.S. Expansion and Increasing Conflict

5. Sitting Bull's Philosophy of Resistance

6. The Black Hills and Breaking Point

7. Alliance Building and Charisma

8. The Battle of the Little Bighorn: Events & Tactics

9. Aftermath and Retaliation

10. Surrender, the Ghost Dance, and Tragic End

11. Legacy

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

Closing Thoughts

Further Reading