Warbonnet & Yellow Hair Monuments

Located just north of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the now defunct town of Montrose north of Harrison, a pair of monuments recognize the events of the Battle of Warbonnet Creek, where the U.S. 5th Cavalry turned away what was rumored to be 800 Cheyenne who were attempting to link up with Sitting Bull in the weeks following his victory against Custer. 

The Warbonnet battlefield monument sits on a hill that would later house a civilian-built fort that served to protect Montrose during tensions that arose during the Ghost Dance War. Closer to the road, just across Warbonnet Creek, head east from the trail to the battlefield monument and you’ll find another marking the encounter that led to the only casualty of the battle.  At this site, William “Buffalo Bill” Cody killed and scalped the Cheyenne Yellow Hair as he and a group of warriors were attempting to cut off a pair of couriers trying to reach the main 5th Cavalry forces. Cody claimed the scalp as “the first scalp for Custer,” and later featured it in his wild west shows. Though the battle had just one casualty, it was considered a rare victory for the U.S. during the fighting in 1876.  

(For a more complete telling of the battle visit: https://www.historynet.com/buffalo-bills-skirmish-at-warbonnet-creek.htm)

To visit the monuments, take Highway 2/71 north of Crawford to Hat Creek Road and then travel on Hat Creek Road 10 miles and turn on to Montrose Road. Monument is located north of the Montrose Church.