What Did Weir See?

[joewiggs]

The military of the past placed the utmost importance on the "colors" that they carried with them into battle. Many a soldier willingly gave up their lives to protect these sacrosanct emblems. Losing them (regardless of the circumstances) " was a brutal act of shame that was beyond recompense.

When Weir gazed upon the turmoil of war in the dust hidden environs of Calhoun Hill he supposed the frantic movement he observed was that of Custer's men.

Sgt. James Flanagan handed Weir a set of binoculars while commenting, "I don't think so Sir."

Weir looked through the glasses and saw, to his horror, jubilant warriors carrying the guidons and hoisting them into the air while shooting their weapons into the ground. What Weir saw could only have meant one solitary event:Defeat!

Why then did Reno and company subsequently agreed and insisted that what was observed was simply a rear guard action and that the main command,under Custer, was heading toward Terry?

It must have been psychologically traumatic for the men to discern the truth even though raw evidence (captured colors) were plainly visible.

[whitebull]

What you say makes sense but if I'm not mistaken everyone on Reno Hill was pretty sure that Custer had been run off but not killed. Benteen even hinted that Custer was doing to them what he did to Elliot! I believe others said that he (Custer) could be no worse off then they. Ain't it true that the men on Reno Hill thought that Terry was Custer coming to save them?

[joewiggs]

A good many individuals did make this claim;were they being truthful when they did so is the question. Remember, these men stood their ground for approximately two hours before attempting a true effort to assist and/or ascertain the true status of Custer's command. During that time all survivors perished. what would the public outcome be if it could be shown that Benteen's command, McDowell's and Reno's remnants failed to take a positive effort to render aid.?

The assumption that the rescuers would have died also, had they attempted a true rescue, is unprovable simply because no attempt was made. The possibility that the Indians would have fallen back rather than face a concerted and strong movement of the rest of the command toward them is very plausible.

In summation it was not the lack of resources that prevented a military rescue of Custer, it was a total lack of the courage of Reno to give the order that prevented the attempt.