At Canyon Creek in Montana, Colonel Samuel Sturgis with elements of the 7th Cavalry attempted to block the nimíipuu as they moved north.

The battle at Canyon Creek on September 13 was not a decisive engagement in military terms, but it cost the nimíipuu something they could not afford to lose: horses.

The nimíipuu’s horses were their speed, their logistics, their ability to carry children and elderly people and supplies.

Throughout the flight, the size of the horse herd had been a critical factor.

At Canyon Creek, a significant number of horses were lost — driven off or captured by the soldiers — and the loss slowed the march and put more weight on the people who now had to move on foot or with reduced carrying capacity.