Powder River Expeditions

Powder River Expedition refers to two expeditions against the Indians of Wyoming and Montana.

1865

In 1865 Major General Grenville M. Dodge ordered the first Powder River Expedition as a punitive campaign against the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho for raiding along the Bozeman Trail. It was led by Brigadier General Patrick E. Connor and is sometimes referred to as the Connor Expedition. One of the guide's for Connor's forces was the legendary frontiersman Jim Bridger. The expedition encountered only minor skirmishing until it reached the Arapaho camp of Chief Black Bear along the Tongue River. The battle of the Tongue River was the only major engagement of the expedition and was a victory for the army. The battle ended Arapaho attacks on the overland trails for a while but overall the campaign did little against the Sioux and the conflict in the Powder River country eventually grew into Red Cloud's War.

1876

In 1876 Brigadier General George Crook led an expedition along the Powder River in concert with the movements of Alfred Terry in Montana. Collectively these movements were known as the during the Black Hills War in which the Powder River Expedition was a small part. The U.S. army suffered a setback in the Battle of the Powder River but Crook was able to move on and fight the Battle of the Rosebud which stopped the army in southern Montana. After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Crook ordered Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie south into Wyoming. Mackenzie fought the Dull Knife Fight bringing about the end of Cheyenne resistance in the North Plains which helped lead to the surrender of Sitting Bull.