Battle of Little Muddy Creek Battle of Little Muddy Creek The Battle of Little Muddy Creek, also known as the Lame Deer Fight, was fought on May 7, 1877 by United States soldiers and scouts, against a village of Miniconjou Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. The Battle occurred near Little Muddy Creek in Montana Territory, near present-day Lame Deer, Montana, United States. On May 1, 1877, Colonel Nelson A. Miles led a mixed force of his own 5th United States Infantry, the 22nd United States Infantry, and the 2nd United States Cavalry out of Cantonment Tongue River in search of Miniconjou Lakota under Lame Deer. On
Battle of the Little Bighorn Sitting Bull's ranks for the summer buffalo hunt. The agents did not take into account the many thousands of these "reservation Indians" who had unofficially left the reservation to join their "uncooperative non-reservation cousins led by Sitting Bull". Thus, Custer unknowingly faced thousands of Indians, including the 800 non-reservation "hostiles". All Army plans were based on the incorrect numbers. Although Custer was severely criticized after the battle for not having accepted reinforcements and for dividing his forces, it must be understood that he had accepted the same official government estimates of hostiles in the area which Terry and Gibbon had