Powder River Expedition (1865)

Powder River Expedition
Part of the Sioux Wars, American Indian Wars

The Powder River in southeastern Montana where Cole's and Walker's columns passed in 1865.
DateJuly 1 to October 4, 1865
Location
Result Stalemate
Belligerents
United States United States Sioux
Cheyenne
Arapaho
Commanders and leaders
United States Patrick E. Connor
United States Nelson D. Cole
United States Samuel Walker
United States Frank North
Red Cloud
Sitting Bull
Roman Nose
Little Wolf
George Bent
Strength
2,300 soldiers
179 Indian scouts
195 civilians
~2,000 warriors
Casualties and losses
31 killed
19 wounded
68-96+ killed
14+ wounded
18 captured (including women and children)
This event should not be confused with the Big Horn Expedition during the Black Hills War.

The Powder River Expedition of 1865 also known as the Powder River War or Powder River Invasion, was a large and far-flung military operation of the United States Army against the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians in Montana Territory and Dakota Territory. Although soldiers destroyed one Arapaho village and established Fort Connor to protect gold miners on the Bozeman Trail, the expedition is considered a failure because it failed to defeat or intimidate the Indians.