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Post by joewiggs on Sept 20, 2013 16:22:47 GMT -5
General Nelson A. Miles
"No commanding officer can win victories with seven twelfths of his command remaining out of the engagement when sound of his rifle shots."
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Post by joewiggs on Sept 20, 2013 16:27:47 GMT -5
Benteen:Sent to the left and why:
Dr. Thomas Marquis stated that Benteen's path was the route the Indians took in going and returning, by the Indians, who fought Crook on June 17th. Such a trial had o be scouted and Custer sent his best man to do it."
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Post by stumblingbear on Sept 20, 2013 19:08:42 GMT -5
General Nelson A. Miles"No commanding officer can win victories with seven twelfths of his command remaining out of the engagement when sound of his rifle shots." I agree with Gen. Miles and his math. The problem with his statement is that Benteen testified that he was unable to get to Custer's side. I don't believe that he and his three companies could have made a rescue without loosing all of his men. How would a little over 100 men drive through thousands of Indians? |
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Post by joewiggs on Sept 22, 2013 18:02:20 GMT -5
Benteen was never requested to drive through thousands of Indian with approximately 115 troopers. The view from the Crows nest had revealed, to Custer, the general location of the Sioux village in the lower valley of the Little Big Horn. It was imperative that Custer make certain that no Indians were camped in the Upper Valley above the point where he would enter (therefore his rear) as he moved on to his objective.
He,therefore, dispatched Benteen to find a ridge line to the left (south) from Custer's entry point which would enable Benteen to scan the upper Little Big Horn Valley. An perfectly reasonable military objective to secure a military flank. Benteen, of course, convinced of his own superiority in military matters did not follow through. iI was this salient fact that he hid from the Reno Inquiry.
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Post by joewiggs on Sept 22, 2013 18:13:46 GMT -5
John M. Chivington (ironically a Methodist preacher) believed that it was honorable, under God's Law to kill any Indian found. His orders to his volunteers were:
"Kill and scalp all, big and little.. Nits make Lice."
A tribe of friendly Indians were reduced to the lowly stature of insects and massacred. I wonder which heaven Mr. Chivington went to?
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Post by whitebull on Sept 23, 2013 9:45:49 GMT -5
Hell's Bells! That attitude sure explains some of the bad attitude the Indians had against Custer don't it!  |
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Post by joewiggs on Sept 26, 2013 12:06:55 GMT -5
You are absolutely correct. The White race does a thing and it is called Nationalism and correct. The Indians act in-kind and its barbaric and savage!  |
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Post by joewiggs on Dec 21, 2013 20:43:46 GMT -5
I don't know if the below is true or not but, if nothing else, it's interesting!
Interview with John A. Bailey (a saddler in B company.)
Bailey says that on June 25, McDougall was to have the advance, but he he was asleep when Custer had officer's call and Custer, hearing of this,told him he would have to take the rear guard that day. bailey says some of the men wept when they learned this.
Custer and Company (Walter Camp's notes) page #81
If this is true, its the first time I've heard of it. I've always thought that Benteen was the first to get the assignment as he was the first commander to report for the task.
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Post by joewiggs on Dec 21, 2013 20:56:43 GMT -5
Here's another tidbit that caught my eye and, I think, fascinating. Camp on Custer, page#50: John Henley, private in company F: The evening of this day I saw three officers sitting on a log talking. One of these was Capt. Yates, I heard one of them make a remark: "Gentlemen, it is only a question of time until Custer will get us into a hole from which we will not escape." Wow! Talk about prophesying! Interestingly, although Henley clearing recognizes each officer he does not mention the name of the officer who made the statement. However, Henley does name one of the officers;Capt. Yates! How his heart must have pumped and his stomach churn as he approached Ford "B" a short time later! |
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Post by tbw on Dec 22, 2013 13:21:54 GMT -5
I don't know if the below is true or not but, if nothing else, it's interesting! Interview with John A. Bailey (a saddler in B company.) Bailey says that on June 25, McDougall was to have the advance, but he he was asleep when Custer had officer's call and Custer, hearing of this,told him he would have to take the rear guard that day. bailey says some of the men wept when they learned this. Custer and Company (Walter Camp's notes) page #81 If this is true, its the first time I've heard of it. I've always thought that Benteen was the first to get the assignment as he was the first commander to report for the task. Believe it. Benteen was as happy as a lark at getting the advance, not because he would be one of the first to get a permanent arrow scalp parting his hairs. But because he wouldn't be eating anyone's dust. Ever drove cattle on a 100 degree day? Its not just the damn heat but the damn dust you have to eat if the wind is in the wrong direction, and nowadays you have to follow roads, so one of those directions is bound to be the quote "wrong way". Now you're not only hot but extremely hot because the dust has given you an extra coat you don't need on an extremely hot day. That, and it chokes the hell out of you no matter how much you try to emulate Jessie James. Benteen "elated" and McDougall and his men "crying". Believe it.... you had to have been there, which more often than not we never try to do.... |
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Post by joewiggs on Dec 22, 2013 19:38:20 GMT -5
Ha Ha! ;D I never began to look at the situation that way. No wonder some of the soldiers were said to cry when they lost the Advance. Avoiding mule smells on a hot day can't be the best way to spend an afternoon.
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Post by joewiggs on Dec 22, 2013 19:57:27 GMT -5
For all the Custer aficionados, I have what may turn out to be bad news! it appears that after being selected to accompany Terry to the Little Big Horn he quickly bragged an old acquaintance of Terry (Custer did not know this fact until later)that he planned to "swing clear of Terry,' just as he had done with Stanley back in 1873. Soon after he make this rash statement, he must have realized what a stupid he had been to jeopardize his position if word ever got back to Terry. On Tuesday, May 16, Custer called out for Libbie, and asked her to come into the living room, where she found her husband and general Terry. Custer than spoke: "General Terry, a man usually means what he says when he brings his wife to listen to his statements. I want to say that reports that reports are circulating that I do not want to go out to the campaign and serve under you. But I want you to know that I do want to go and serve under you, not only that I value you as a soldier, but as a friend and a man." What Custer did not realize when he made this speech is that Terry did not hear of Custer's bragging until later that fall, after the battle. I guess it's true. Being a blabbermouth can get you into all kinds of ticklish situations. |
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Post by tbw on Dec 24, 2013 14:33:10 GMT -5
Ha Ha! ;D I never began to look at the situation that way. No wonder some of the soldiers were said to cry when they lost the Advance. Avoiding mule smells on a hot day can't be the best way to spend an afternoon. Well it don't take long to smell like the animal you're riding. Even if you have a saddle between your back side and his back. Touch a sweaty spot and you've got instant horse smell and you ain't getting rid of it without soap, nevermind the water, it'll just dilute the soap. And if you're wanting to know what it looks like on a dusty hot day, just watch The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and watch for those Union guys all decked out in Confederate uniforms.  |
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Post by stumblingbear on Jan 24, 2014 13:15:07 GMT -5
Ha Ha! ;D I never began to look at the situation that way. No wonder some of the soldiers were said to cry when they lost the Advance. Avoiding mule smells on a hot day can't be the best way to spend an afternoon. Well it don't take long to smell like the animal you're riding. Even if you have a saddle between your back side and his back. Touch a sweaty spot and you've got instant horse smell and you ain't getting rid of it without soap, nevermind the water, it'll just dilute the soap. And if you're wanting to know what it looks like on a dusty hot day, just watch The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and watch for those Union guys all decked out in Confederate uniforms. Say No More! That scene presented a complete and smelly picture of Calvary life while mounted on a hot day. Yikes, I bet the smell was awful!!  |
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