They were going home to communities that were themselves vulnerable to attack, that were managing the disruptions of constant movement, and that were dependent on the success of the resistance campaign for their continued ability to live as they chose.

The women of these communities — who processed the bison killed by the hunters, made the clothing and equipment that the warriors used, managed the children and the elderly through frequent camp movements — were as essential to the resistance as the warriors themselves.

Their labor made possible the warrior’s presence on the trail.

This broader social dimension of the resistance campaign is rarely foregrounded in accounts that focus on military engagements and political decisions.

But it is part of understanding what was being defended and what made the defense possible.