Dull Knife Battlefield, Military battlefield in Johnson County, Wyoming, United States.
The Dull Knife Battlefield lies on the eastern slope of the Bighorn Mountains in Johnson County, Wyoming, near Kaycee. It was the scene of the Dull Knife Fight of November 25, 1876, when the Fourth Cavalry under General Ranald S. Mackenzie raided the Northern Cheyenne winter encampment. The location is now the site of a ranch.
On November 25, 1876, the Fourth Cavalry under General Ranald S. Mackenzie raided the Northern Cheyenne winter encampment on the eastern slope of the Bighorn Mountains. About 173 lodges and all winter supplies were destroyed, and 500 ponies captured. The Northern Cheyenne then had to seek shelter with Crazy Horse's village to survive the winter.
The Northern Cheyenne established winter camps in this mountain valley because it offered protection from harsh weather and distance from military patrols. Their settlement choices reflect how they read and used the landscape.
Access to the site requires permission from the private property owner since the battlefield is located on ranch land in the area. The nearest town of Kaycee serves as a reference point for visitors planning their visit.
The site was added to the National Register in 1979, preserving the memory of an event that forced people to flee and seek shelter elsewhere. This official recognition helped protect a largely overlooked chapter of regional history.
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