Curley

[tbw]

Ya gotta love those researchers who say that there was less than 100 casualties produced by Custer's men (less Reno's battle). There was one observer who knew and lived to tell about it many a time, and yet no one ever believed him and he said numerous times, that...
"more Indians were killed than Custer had men." And you can take that one to the bank.

[joewiggs]

Curley is one of my favorite characters involved in the battle. To have been so young and to have experienced the terrifying spectacle of hot battle is amazing.

What I wouldn't give to have the opportunity to sit with him (and a good interpreter) and ask a zillion questions about what he saw.Undoubtedly he observed the approach to Ford "B" from a distance and reached Calhoun Hill with the command. From there he probably traveled east and observed the battle from a mile or so distance.

His escape was nothing miraculous, it occurred before the command was completely surrounded.

[strange]

Interesting you guys bring up Curley, I brought up a question about him that wasn't answered on the other board... how much fighting were the scouts experienced in? BloodyKnife seems to have some big records of combat but was Curly ever involved with any fighting?

Yeah, I like Curley. He's fantastic and his account is very interesting.

[tbw]

Interesting you guys bring up Curley, I brought up a question about him that wasn't answered on the other board... how much fighting were the scouts experienced in? BloodyKnife seems to have some big records of combat but was Curly ever involved with any fighting?

Yeah, I like Curley. He's fantastic and his account is very interesting.

No response O'er there huh, and no wonder, most of them are so full of themselves they don't have time for what they consider trivia. Nope, not trivia at all....

Curly was born in Montana sometime in 1859. Of course he was a member of the Crow tribe, and as a young warrior he participated in several battles with the Sioux before agreeing to became a scout for Colonel John Gibbon in April of 1876. Two months later he was detailed by Gibbon to join General George A. Custer in his search to locate the Hostiles and bring them back to the reservations.

You may also find this interesting... Its by Vinnie Deloria, enjoy...

Certain Australian primatives [sic] assert that one cannot conquer foreign soil, because in it there dwell strange ancestor-spirits who reincarnate themselves in the new born. The foreign land assimilates its conquerors. (Jung 1928:49)

He went on to ponder the effects of the earth on human personality, how specific places might be formative to particular kinds of personalities. Such pondering appears to be the deep source for all his work on Indian affairs, and of his awareness of the dangers of rootlessness/ruthlessness in those societies cut off from both conscious and unconscious links to the soil. In stating this preeminence of the land itself in aboriginal experience, Deloria quotes Curley, a Crow chief, in 1912, refusing to give any more of his land to the federal government:

The soil you see is not ordinary soil—it is the dust of the blood, the flesh and the bones of our ancestors. We fought and bled and died to keep other Indians from taking it, and we fought and bled and died helping the whites. You will have to dig down through the surface before you can find nature’s earth, as the upper portion is Crow. The land as it is, is my blood and my dead; it is consecrated; and I do not want to give up any portion of it. (God Is Red, 166–67)

[crazycanuck]

Curley and Bouyer were on or near Luce Ridge when Custers troops approached Ford B. That's a short distance to the LBH and Ford B.

[crazycanuck]

Curly and Buoyer came down from Weir Point to tell Custer in Medicine Tip Coulee that Reno was retreating to the bluffs and thus Custers attempt at Ford B to relieve pressure on Reno and wait for Benteen.The beginning of the end. Here Custer knows he is in serious trouble as the Indians are fording south of him, and NE is the only way to go for Custer but unfortunately for Custer, Crazyhorse will be fording north of him as the crab claws begin to enclose it's prey.

[crazycanuck]

Benteen didn't need a Doctor as we all know the action was going to be north with the Reno charge and the Custer support. Benteen was assigned a minor job of not letting no existent Indians scatter south all because of his horse.Custer is like my dog who won't let anybody get out in front of him. Like Custer my dog knows what porcupines are like.

[crazycanuck]

Hey I'm not taking any money to any banks if you know what I mean ?

[joewiggs]

Feb 6, 2011 8:42:37 GMT -5 crazycanuck said:

Benteen didn't need a Doctor as we all know the action was going to be north with the Reno charge and the Custer support. Benteen was assigned a minor job of not letting no existent Indians scatter south all because of his horse.Custer is like my dog who won't let anybody get out in front of him. Like Custer my dog knows what porcupines are like.

Exactly, Benteen knew that the crux of the battle would be occurring at another location yet, he basically testified at the Inquiry that could have gone on until he reached the Pacific ocean if he had not turned about on his own, "hook."

This is the very type of subtle disinformation that submerges truth in a mire of crap that needs to be identified. This relatively small bit of information goes along way in proving that it was never Custer's intent to attack the village alone and it also helps us to understand his reason for his division of troops, a separation that was intended to be brief.

Such information goes a long way in deflating the balloons of disgust so many have proffered regarding that tactic of separation, don't you think?

[crazycanuck]

I believe Custer was following orders(Terry's orders to prevent Indian escape to the south) sending Benteen to the left. But who is responsible for the stretch of distance that developed between Custer and Benteen which led to the disaster ? Is it Benteen,Reno or Custer ? I blame Custer 85%,Benteen 10% and Reno 5%.

[joewiggs]

If I am not mistaken, Benteen's oblique left generally followed the path of Custer excluding a bit over mile away from him. n approximate mile left then traveling in the same general direction as Custer.

In other words, very contrary to Benteen's gross exaggerations, the actually distance traveled between the two commands were not significantly different.

Members of Benteen's own command grumbled out loud due to the slowness of the troops movement. Two messengers were sent to Benteen, two top Sergeants, with additional orders so eager was Custer to hear from Benteen.

Indian testimony tells us of one incident in which Custer waiting for approximately twenty minutes before moving on. Apparently he waited for Benteen, made several halts to glance upon the back trails for sight of him.

I'm not suggesting that Benteen purposely left his commander in the clutch. Upset because he felt slighted by Custer he simply plodded along, grumbling about his bad luck of having a jerk for a commander (Boss).

[crazycanuck]

I wonder why if it were so important for Custer to have Benteen close up, why would Custer risk moving on without him,knowing the size of the village and the fight in the Indians? Couldn't you regroup ,swallow the ego and return to fight another day notwithstanding July 4th and the possible glory celebrations waiting in Washington for arresting the hostiles. Ya gotta say Custer blew this one,remember he gave the orders to Benteen and Reno and they did what they were asked to do,go left and charge.I'm thinking Custer let Benteen and Reno down rather than the other way round. Instead of thinking your subordinates did not carry out there job Custer failed more so in not doing his properly. Custer is 85%,Benteen 15% and Reno 5% to blame for the fiasco and I could bump Custer up to 95% .Am I wrong ?

[moderator]

Iwonder why if it were so important for Custer to have Benteen close up, why would Custer risk moving on without him,knowing the size of the village and the fight in the Indians? Couldn't you regroup ,swallow the ego and return to fight another day notwithstanding July 4th and the possible glory celebrations waiting in Washington for arresting the hostiles. Ya gotta say Custer blew this one,remember he gave the orders to Benteen and Reno and they did what they were asked to do,go left and charge.I'm thinking Custer let Benteen and Reno down rather than the other way round. Instead of thinking your subordinates did not carry out there job Custer failed more so in not doing his properly. Custer is 85%,Benteen 15% and Reno 5% to blame for the fiasco and I could bump Custer up to 95% .Am I wrong ?

Unfortunately this thread is being derailed. (Nothing wrong with the discussion or content.) I have created a new thread, please continue the derailed portion of this discussion there, thank you.

IT IS HERE:
thecusterfiles.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=questions&thread=159&page=1