This battle during Red Cloud's War (Maȟpíya Lúta) was between the US Army and a confederation of the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes in northern Wyoming. A group of ten warriors including ȟašúŋke Witkó (Crazy Horse), acted as decoys to lure the US Army to an ambush. The military was in the area to protect settlers on the Bozeman Trail. All 81 men under the command of Captain William J. Fetterman were killing making this the worst defeat of the US Army on the Great Plains at that time. Prior to this defeat, during the construction of Fort Phil Kearny, approximately 50 attacks had occurred by Native forces. When the cavalry arrived, Fetterman was supposed to have boasted, "Give me 80 men and I can ride through the whole Sioux nation." The US Army withdrew from the area (Crow territory) after the defeat.