Battle of the Little Big Horn...................

[Rick]

I've been to the Little Big Horn and reading Bills post was like a little vacation back to there for me.

One point of interest for me was standing on the spot where Custer's scouts first saw the encampment. A tractor was working the ground where the village was located so it helped put things into scale for me. The Scouts told Custer the number encamped there and if the turned and ran possibly they could save there lives. Custer sent for a pair of quality binoculars belonging to another officer and looked the situation over. With the glasses he couldn't see the encampment but the Indian Scouts said you could tell because the ground moved like it was covered with worms. Custer advanced and the Indian Scouts deserted.

This information was given by the Park Ranger giving us the tour. Anyway, this is how I remember it so if I'm wrong correct me.

[John Sukey]

Bill D. the point is that Custer had NOT served his full sentence for the episode in Kansas so he should NOT have been in command at the time.

[Rick]

Just remembered. The Ranger thought he wanted to be nominated to run for President. So if he had killed the Indians he would of been on a fast horse to get to the convection with some war stories. In short he wanted to be a hero. What is the old story? If you want to make God laugh make a plan.

The charges in Kansas were mentioned and strings were pulled to give Custer a second chance. Can't remember who gave him the break.

[Bill D]

Just remembered. The Ranger thought he wanted to be nominated to run for President. So if he had killed the Indians he would of been on a fast horse to get to the convection with some war stories. In short he wanted to be a hero. What is the old story? If you want to make God laugh make a plan.

The charges in Kansas were mentioned and strings were pulled to give Custer a second chance. Can't remember who gave him the break.

If I recall correctly, it was General Sheridan who got him reinstated. He did not serve the entire "time in exile" but by the time of the Big Horn fight he was no longer facing any charges.

I'm not defending Custer. He had his faults but he gets a bum rap on some of the things at the Little Big Horn. Actually, I have a friend who is at Dull Knife College who has done a series of "ledger book" drawings over a copy of the first newspaper account of the "massacre". The friend is a full blood Northern Cheyenne and his account (as drawn) was gleaned from a number of Cheyenne first person accounts of the battle. They tell a completely different story than the one generally recognized by the whites.
Do you suppose there could be two sides to this story?

[Weasel]

It always seemed that Sheridan had his eye on a different prize. Libbie. All Libbie had to do was ask Sheridan for something and he would melt like butter. Custer was being court marital for leaving his command in the field to be with Libbie. Sheridan gave the surrender desk from Appomattox to her. Why??????????
There probably wasn't nothing there but it would make a good soap box.

[Bill D]

Bill D. the point is that Custer had NOT served his full sentence for the episode in Kansas so he should NOT have been in command at the time.

Custer NEVER commanded the 7th. He was the Lieutanent Colonel. The Seventh was always commanded by Colonel Samuel D. Sturgis throughout the entire Custer period. That aside, General Sheridan, Custer's patron saint, intervened with the powers that be to have Custer fully reinstatedd "for the good of the Army" well prior to the Big Horn debacle.

[Sunray]

"...attacking the village..." More like a small city. Estimated to be 10 to 15,000 men, women and children. The accounts I've read of the battle said the encampment was the biggest ever seen. Custer is rumoured to be out numbered 10 to 1. Supposedly, roughly 2500 + warriors(six tribes) against Custer's split command of 650 or so. Four Gatlings wouldn't have helped much. They also said most of the Indians didn't fight mounted.
"...Custer NEVER commanded the 7th..." For sure. He did command Terry's cavalry though.

[Dan In Indiana]

Several years ago, I was at the battle field, and while going through the Visitors Center, I was looking over a mock up of the battle [had all those little lights on it] and got into a conversation with one of the Park employees in uniform who just happened to be an Indian. We talked for a few minutes when he asked me if I knew much about Custer, and I replied only what I had read on numerous accounts on the Internet, and it was my honest, personal opinion that Old Blondie was a self centered, self serving, egotistical, power hungry SOB and he got what he deserved. That Indian just started chuckling with a big smile on his face and never said a word.

[pelago]

thank, you so much for sharing this

[John Sukey]

I agree with the opinion on Custer. It's just too bad that he dragged his troops with him into that mess.
Oh by the way the only people who had cavalry sabres on the day were the indians from the previous engagement.
Note; when the army won, it was a victory, when the Indians won, it was a massacre.
Custer was noted for his high casualty rate in the Civil war at a time when high casualty rates were the norm.