When did Custer lose the initiative?

[tbw]

So, just when did Custer lose the initiative? For some they would most likely say before he ever arrived there, and there may be something to that. For others it was his non support of Reno after he had sent him off and apparently came up with some other kind of plan and forgot to tell Reno about his plans. And like Elliot, Custer gallivanted off downstream and left Reno in the lurch. Of course there are many others, this just the tip on the proverbial iceberg.

You could have poor Reno then just doing his duty fully expecting Custer to come running down the valley behind him and taking care of those that flanked him and got into his rear. It would have been quite natural for him to assume someone else was supposed to have taken care of that problem. Surely it wasn't his, Reno's error, was it?

But of course we have the magic of the bluffs where Custer was seen by oodles and gobs of Reno's men. This most of the time well over 3/4ths of a mile or more away. yet the all instantly recognized him standing up there in all his glory like some kind of Christ returning to save his children at the end times.

As I mentioned before, Godfrey had issues, as most of them did. But he was never seriously taken for the things he did state right. And was credited way to much for those things he wrongfully stated to protect his commander. One of the most credible things the man ever said was when he, on his map, placed Custer's move well out of sight of Reno and the Indians view, basically skirting the bluffs as Curley and Martin stated rather than going over them. Yet today we have heavy guru's who would swear that he rode over them, he just had to, after all he had to see what Reno was doing, didn't he? He had sent Benteen off, but to our knowledge he never did mount the nearest knoll, hilltop or mountain to see what Benteen was doing. Which he should have. That he didn't tells us what about Reno and what interest he would have had doing what people wrongfully accuse him doing based upon statements and testimony that defy all rational explanation for him having done that. What they don't realize is timing here. The timing of it would have been all wrong. For instance if Custer had gone to the sacred mountain and looked down and saw poor Reno just about to be swamped by Indians 7 or 8 times his number. Does anyone in their right minds think he would have done something about it? (Actually that figure most likely was 9 times Reno's number of troops, this based upon Benteens initial appraisal of how many he observed when he so calledly rescued Reno.) Yet even what someone claimed to have done is shoved into the realm of unbelievability, poor Goldin being banished because of him telling of some lie or another. No, surely not him, right? All rationality tells us that Custer should have done something, anything within his power to assist Reno, that is; If - If - If he went to the mountain t hat early... If he looked down on poor poor Reno, If he gave a damn whether he won or lost, he should have, had to have done some damn thing. RIGHT? Yet what someone else claimed they did at that time, to help Reno, orders that came from the early concerned Custer atop those bluffs, isn't believed. Something is wrong there with this line of thinking. If your going to put that man Custer atop those bluffs that damn early you had better be damn well prepared to add Goldin to your like to love list or you'll likely end up being called a charlatan or a fraud and rightly should be.

Of course Custer is still blamed here for not sending someone, or doing something to help poor poor Reno after seeing him floundering under the strain of 9 times his number. Of course what was Custer supposed to do here. Well, some would say he should have stayed there, waiting for all his troops, (hint, hint Benteen) to fully arrive before attacking or making other rash decisions that they think put the mission in jeopardy. But of course he should have done something to help Reno while waiting for Benteen. Just don't send Goldin with the message while he awaited atop those Bluffs. And while up there he supposedly could have kept Benteen from dawdling his time away back there, by kicking his butt with a messenger, just don't send Goldin.

But of course his biggest mistake was going on downstream, leaving the safety and comfort of that sacred bastion of strength atop Reno's hill or nearby. And like some great conductor, baton in hand, conducting his band to orchestrate it to perfection, like some kind of Wellington at Waterloo he stood with 225 while Reno struggled all by himself to overcome the odds that overcame his small band, just don't send Goldin. And Benteen still recalcitrant, seen returning to the trail because he thought he would be needed there after disobeying his "pitch in" orders, just don't send Goldin. If the problem was Benteen, and Custer was to remain on the hill/bluffs, would it have still saved Custer? If the problem was Benteen, and Custer didn't see Benteen returning from this mission, would he still have thought Benteen should have been in communication distance of the pack train? Yet Custer after seeing all of this from those hills/bluffs did what to rectify those situations? He didn't send Kanipe, Martin or Goldin did he? No, today it's just accepted that he sent only one, as only one was needed. Needed to make that doddering old fool Benteen do something and somehow save an already unsalvageable situation, this according to Benteen himself. Yet somehow, someway that initiative was lost early, when Custer took to the hills, right after sending Reno off, verily seconds after Reno's departure to see what he could see and then vamoose on downstream as if nothing had been seen. Maybe he didn't see any of it from way up there, maybe just maybe, in this instance, Godfrey was right.

[joewiggs]

You have brought of a great point that can not help but make one rack up the old brain power for an answer that has defied many for, "lo" these many years. when was the initiative lost? Your points are more than valid they are nearly sacrosanct in their relativity and insight.

I wonder though if Custer ever possessed the "Grail" of military conquest;initiative! I sometimes feel that the mission was doomed from the very beginning for several factors:

The ethnocentric mind-set of white society of that time that assumed that one soldier was worth the weight of 20 warriors although these soldiers were poorly trained, small in stature (comparatively often) and not mentally prepared to face the horrific martial prowess of an emboldened warrior when family is threatened;

The "plan" formulated by the military hierarchy that was doomed to failure due to the inexplicable lack of communication between the three prongs and, based upon strategic movements in unchartered realms;

The "caste" system of the military that separated the lowly "grunt" form his mighty superior thus hampering the passage of vital information up and down the chain of command.

Example: Martini not offering to inform Benteen of Custer's whereabouts simply because he was not asked!

I can not help but wonder if the true initiative was lost long before Terry ever set out?

[joewiggs]

Another thought! When perusing Indian testimony I was continually impressed with one salient though that, initially, I glossed over. That "thought" was the apparent shock, trepidation, and panic the village experienced at the sudden approach by Reno.

Women, children, and old folk began fleeing hastily North away from the soldiers pushing south with many warriors choosing to protect their fleeing loved ones rather that make a stand.

Continuous reading has convinced me that the 800 or so warriors Reno claimed he initially saw and, "knew it could only be a trap"were merely the 50 or so Indians that had been pursuing from the "Lone Tipi" camp. Upon reaching the village proper, these Indians began to circle their ponies and, in the process, the pony hooves kicked up great amounts of dust. This was an Indian trick that served two purposes;a warning to the village and a camouflage as well.

Yes, there were hundreds and hundreds more warriors further north who were confused, shocked, and uncertain as to what the next step should be. Even Lt. Varnum (who who sped down the valley ahead of Reno's command) testified that the Indians were on the run until they suddenly stopped and reversed course. Varnum instinctively turned backwards to what could have prompted such a reversal only to see that Reno, unpredictably and surprisingly had ceased the charge and was now with his men on a skirmish line.

Talking about encouraging the Indians to "about face" they instantly realized that the troops did not have the heart to punch the charge home and,therefore, responded as only they could;with a ferociousness and frenzy that was unstoppable.

Here then was the moment when Custer lost the initiative even though he had not engaged the enemy himself as yet. Everything when down hill from that point on!

[elkslayer]

For me, the initiative was lost when Reno "charged" away from the enemy...
Reno's charge came as a complete suprise...suprise definitely being a force mulitplier. Although he dismounted too early in my opinion, he was still a threat to the camp. After one casualty, he backed up to the very defensible timber. Custer still had the initiative at this point since Reno was still a major threat to the camp. Reno was in such a great position at this time, I think it was Sitting Bull that ordered them to break camp(retreat). He said that Reno's men could not be dislodged and they were only a short charge away from the encampment. Now, imagine that Reno actually stayed put in the timber... Benteen follows his written and oral orders and goes straight towards Custer after grabbing extra packs of ammo. As both these things are happening, Custer charges in from the flank. Forget the hammer and anvil, this could've become an envelpment.
Heck, forget Benteen. If Reno would've held his position and occupied the warriors, Custer could've found a place to cross the river relatively unmolested and captured the fleeing women and children and thus ending the battle. When Reno leaves the battle, he takes the initiative with him.

Jim

[joewiggs]

I agree with your perspective completely and, I believe Reno's abortive "charge" down the valley to be the ultimate cause of the fatalistic outcome of this battle. You are very astute to recognize a main factor in Custer's failure that is often over looked by some students.

Reno need not have attempted to charge through the village to accomplish the mission, yet a tad more of intestinal fortitude,by Reno, could have cause great havoc and disarray among the warriors had he committed himself to a greater thrust towards the village than he actually did.

Historically, Indian warriors did not "attack" unless the odds in their favor were great. What they will do. without hesitation, is defend their families and loved ones. Had Reno pulled up to within 100 yards of the village it is probable that the warriors would have laid down a "rear-guard" action in order to allow the majority of the camp to escape.

The warriors primary mission of a rear-guard protection force would have prevented an aggressive Indian counter- thrust which would have been counter productive to their primary mission (escape of all non-combatants), thus allowing Custer to strike the village from a flanking position. We already know that if Reno had persevered another 20 minutes Benteen would have joined his command as, he in fact, he actually did on Reno Hill.

Custer's co-joining"flank" thrust would have culminated in a whirlwind of havoc that, at the very least, would have fractured the warriors ability to rain destruction on Custer's command as they eventually did.

Thank you for a great piece.