Post by tbw on Nov 23, 2012 10:08:28 GMT -5
Recently I've been going over post of our members, here as well as other places and I'd like to start a discussion [as in EVERYONE asking questions and THUS not feel the need to start arguments over personal beliefs. In other words, or in so many... if you disagree ask questions instead of arguing a point. Get it?] about one members thoughts on statements made by F. Benteen. I'll get to that in a moment, but as a prelude to that I offer the following.
The Court of Inquiry has long been berated for what it failed to accomplish. This in particular in terms that we could better understand the "W's" (who, what...etc) of Custer and his mens deaths. Although it could be argued that it was Reno's inquiry, and thus no other unnecessary testimony need be heard. And it failed in this regard because of that information loss that might have given credible evidence to the charges if for no other reason, and should have been all inclusive.
Benteen stated to the court that he had planted a guidon in 1876, then believing that Custer and his men might still have been alive at that time to view it, or as he put it, "I thought so". The very next day he stated to the court that when he received the message from Custer through Martin that he at the time of the inquiry in 1879 thought that Custer and his whole command were dead.
Now what some people might think is that he was still lying in 1879 when he made that statement that they were all dead by the time Martin arrived. This because of some of the men having heard what was called volley fire later when he met up with Reno and that could have been none other than Custer and his men. Then there's that forever misinterpreted times and timing aspect that just wont go away because of firm beliefs about who thinks what happened when at a preordained spot, where they for sure was. This based on statements like this: "The troops were by file on a line of river bluffs, and as I have stated another company was formed at right angles on another ridge. I planted a guidon at the highest point that looked over that country. Some of the officers say that the battlefield was in sight, but I know positively that it was not, having gone over it two or three times since."
Now lets presuppose that preordained position where Benteen planted his men by file on the highest point that looked over that country was Weir Peak. Been there, done that. And there is quite simply no way he could have placed all of his men by file on that particular peak. I've stated this a number of times, and I'll keep stating it simply because everyone is gullible enough to believe something that was impossible to have either to have occurred or impossible to have been accomplished, now or then. So how can we ever determine whether Benteen or even Reno for that matter were lying, when we can't even come up with the exact geographical locations they were at when making reference to geographical locations that were and are by their very descriptions vague at best, and by the very definitions of the words used not applicable to the statements attributed to them, NOW or THEN.
Next volley fire needs be understood in the context it was stated. Was that volley fire heard before Benteen's arrival or after? Do you know? Or for that matter really care? Most don't, and go on assuming huge lies instead of researching to find out. And the last point on this. A comparison needs be undertaken to understand when the sporadic fire was occurring and when? Before or after Benteen's arrival?
Based upon your own conclusions, and I will add without argumentative comment from anyone, and instead everyone adopting question based inquiry, we might find the truth behind all of this. So go ahead state your theories, ideas, whatever you think about this and let the questions fly.
The Court of Inquiry has long been berated for what it failed to accomplish. This in particular in terms that we could better understand the "W's" (who, what...etc) of Custer and his mens deaths. Although it could be argued that it was Reno's inquiry, and thus no other unnecessary testimony need be heard. And it failed in this regard because of that information loss that might have given credible evidence to the charges if for no other reason, and should have been all inclusive.
Benteen stated to the court that he had planted a guidon in 1876, then believing that Custer and his men might still have been alive at that time to view it, or as he put it, "I thought so". The very next day he stated to the court that when he received the message from Custer through Martin that he at the time of the inquiry in 1879 thought that Custer and his whole command were dead.
Now what some people might think is that he was still lying in 1879 when he made that statement that they were all dead by the time Martin arrived. This because of some of the men having heard what was called volley fire later when he met up with Reno and that could have been none other than Custer and his men. Then there's that forever misinterpreted times and timing aspect that just wont go away because of firm beliefs about who thinks what happened when at a preordained spot, where they for sure was. This based on statements like this: "The troops were by file on a line of river bluffs, and as I have stated another company was formed at right angles on another ridge. I planted a guidon at the highest point that looked over that country. Some of the officers say that the battlefield was in sight, but I know positively that it was not, having gone over it two or three times since."
Now lets presuppose that preordained position where Benteen planted his men by file on the highest point that looked over that country was Weir Peak. Been there, done that. And there is quite simply no way he could have placed all of his men by file on that particular peak. I've stated this a number of times, and I'll keep stating it simply because everyone is gullible enough to believe something that was impossible to have either to have occurred or impossible to have been accomplished, now or then. So how can we ever determine whether Benteen or even Reno for that matter were lying, when we can't even come up with the exact geographical locations they were at when making reference to geographical locations that were and are by their very descriptions vague at best, and by the very definitions of the words used not applicable to the statements attributed to them, NOW or THEN.
Next volley fire needs be understood in the context it was stated. Was that volley fire heard before Benteen's arrival or after? Do you know? Or for that matter really care? Most don't, and go on assuming huge lies instead of researching to find out. And the last point on this. A comparison needs be undertaken to understand when the sporadic fire was occurring and when? Before or after Benteen's arrival?
Based upon your own conclusions, and I will add without argumentative comment from anyone, and instead everyone adopting question based inquiry, we might find the truth behind all of this. So go ahead state your theories, ideas, whatever you think about this and let the questions fly.
