Fiasco on the Powder River: Prelude to Custer's Last Stand. Lives of the Little Bighorn
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- On March 17, 1876, the United States Army commenced it's first attack of the Great Sioux War.
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What ought to have been a decisive victory was an abysmal embarrassment.
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The Army thought they were attacking Crazy Horse's village and instead hit an unsuspecting village of Northern Cheyenne, who then fled and joined with the Oglala Sioux of Crazy Horse and the Uncpapa Sioux of Sitting Bull.
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The Great Sioux War or "Centennial Campaign" of 1876 couldn't have had a worse beginning. Events that unfurled that frigid March morning paved the way to the stalemate at the Batte of the Rosebud on June 17, and culminated in the US military catastrophe of the Battle of the Little Bighorn-- Custer's Last Stand-- on June 25th, 1876...
*** PS-- There are no authenticated photos of the warrior Crazy Horse. You will see a sketch in my presentation of "Crazy Horse" that was found online. At times I use photos etc that are public domain images to illustrate my slides. These are not always clearly marked. Thanks for understanding! ***
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For more about my current work-in-progress or my other published books (The Confusion of Languages and You Know When the Men Are Gone, both with Putnam/Penguin), please see my author website
www.siobhanfallon.com
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siobhanfallonwriter
THANK YOU!
Fantastic insight into why Custer was so obsessed with not allowing the Indians to escape. This would explain his mindset in dividing his forces, having Reno hit one end and then riding miles north to cut off the Indians and take captives. At this point in his life, Custer could not afford to suffer the same fate as Reynolds. This reveals the considerable pressure that was on commanders to carry off a successful attack or wreck their careers. Thank you Siobhan for this presentation!
oh, Thane, thank you!
Dividing their forces was very common in the 1876 campaign
That's a very good point. It also speaks to why Custer was selected in the wake of Reynold's failure and his career being damaged for not achieving said goal. Custer may have had many flaws but the man had 12 horses shot out underneath him - he was as stupidly brave, full bore and aggressive as the Army had. He was either going to fully achieve his goal or die trying.
And just to think, if Reynolds didn't let the 500 Indian ponies be stolen the Cheyenne don't have the same force when they unite with Crazy horse and Red Cloud. Horses were power back then. Even if the guards were more aware that night or they killed the horses they took, does the Little Bighorn even happen? It also explains why after this they started killing the pony nerds vs simply taking thousands of horses, as it was near impossible guard so many horses at night.
The more I study these event the more I start to realize the Little Bighorn wasn't really Custer's fault as they now try to make it seem. There were so many moving parts and it was a perfect storm. If Reynolds was granted more leniency and Custer didnt fear for his career if he doesn't achieve the directive, it probably never happens. If Reynolds wiped out the Cheyenne pony herd and prevents the Cheyenne from uniting with Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, it probably never happens. We like to boil down complex events and make single scape goats, but that's not how anything works. Custer was just a man of his time doing his job, and the Army full well knew what type of pitbull attack dog personality he had and what a failure of their pitbull would look like. Grant criticized him after and the situation as being "wholly unnecessary", but what else did they expect was going to happen by selecting Custer with so much pressure on the line, sending out a few hundred troops to try and defeat a united force of thousands with the highest stakes in the balance. A pressure cooker was created and it predictably blew up.
I saw some psychological breakdown on Custer and the presenter basically surmised that if Custer ended up surviving the Bighorn, he would have destroyed his life in some other way. It was like he was manic bipolar and either was on top of the mountain or at the bottom of the world....this cycle kept on going on but Custer was able to dig himself out with his heroics in battle time and time again. That stupid bravery and loving on the edge mentality that made Custer so successful in the battle field was horrible for civilian life. He made so many stupid decisions, investments, had problems with vices and perhaps the Little Bighorn was the best possible ending for him - he went out like a hero vs a sad drunk as so many other of his peers did, or even killing himself which was a huge.problem for little Bighorn survivors. Some like to fancy Custer would be President and have a fairy tale ending with Libby but that was never going to be in the cards....I think she never married again not because she loved Custer so much and could never love another, but because Custer left her saddled in immense debt, was cheating on her, was a really bad husband in alot of ways and just ruined her hope for finding happiness in a marriage again. People back then had hard lives, and who knows the kind of PTSD and trauma he was dealing with from the Civil War still.
Absolutely fantastic presentation! 👏 👏👏
Thank you for this 👍
Long live the Cheyenne.
Brilliant writing, with artifact details, a prelude to a historical event that to this day is talked about!
Hollwood would do good to take notes from you! Thank you once again for being our guide into our nation's past.
To you Fair Lady, "I tip my hat to you in respect."
Oh Hugo! You are making me blush. Thank you!!
@@SiobhanFallon7
Your an amazing story teller,, and your voice is perfect! I am telling you, you can make the dust on a soldier's face come alive. I felt a shiver of cold air when you spoke about the indians having to walk in the cold!
Simply Amazing!
Great video!!! Very insightful from the Native American experience on how this battle gathered the Native Americans to form a united force that was quite formable as seen in their next two battles. In my opinion sound effects detract from you narrative which is quite professional. Please don’t limit your videos to the 7th Cavalry only. There are many battle fought by the American Natives against the US that are interesting.
Thank you
Thank you for the vote of confidence! Right now I am most familiar with things that touch upon the 7th Cavalry and the Little Bighorn fight. But making these presentations make me branch out and learn new things. I never quite know what will strike my fancy next ;) I appreciate your kind words!
It was great learned more about what events occured prior to the little bighorn which has always intrigued me. Yes leave out they sound effects they're a distraction ur voice is pleasant and u did a more than adequate presentation. Keep the vids coming thx u.
Thank you so much, Stanley! Please keep watching 🙏
You know I have seen the movie son of the morning star at least 20 times and I remember the part in the movie when general Terry tells Custard to make sure that he holds on to his wounded soldiers but I never knew why he said that to him so thanks for explaining that always dropping knowledge in every one of your videos
Great job. Sadly all these attacks on the Indian villages were uncalled for, heartbreaking IMHO.
The attacks were called for by the POTUS...
Great video! Loved the insight into Custers mindset that arose out of the mistakes here
Thank you!!
It's incredible to step back a bit from the Little Bighorn fight and see all the different influences that brought everyone there.
So good of you to comment!
I am amazed by the quality of work you put into your videos. Splendid. Marquis´ books on Wooden Leg and on Tom LeForge are great tools for cross examinating lots of what we are told about LBH (at least helped me to have important portions of the full puzzle come home...) 25 years ago a friend asked me "do you know if Sitting Bull ambushed Custer?" - I said "No!" and it made me think movies and common knowledge on the subject did not provide any clear answers as fas as I knew of. So I promised to try and find out (haha) and wow! I did not take long before I was sucked totally into this fantastic legend. I needed literature, I needed geographical/logistic knowledge/distances/terrain/transport/ and so on. Early on I noticed the soldier horses was on half rations hard working for days in a rough terrain, so I checked up on mustangs and blah blah blah..I had to know hundreds of details about everything. It took me years and I was not bored one second. My cousin, who is a dane too, visited Montana some 18 years ago and I asked him to find The Crows Nest and take some photographs for me. Late at night he called me " Hey! It´s gravelroads out here...the sign says Busby is a few kilometers south from here!" "Super! I am told that near the school in Busby you turn right and drive up to the divide in Wolfmountains!" He did and got close to the nest..and a fence with a sign "Private! Stay out!" :)) (Sorry I got carried away.....) :)
Ha! I get carried away too. Amazing how this particular battle seizes the imagination and becomes an obsession!
Not sure if you have heard of the Little Bighorn Associates or the Custer Battlefield Museum and Historical Association? Both have active Facebook pages and both have newsletters/ magazines and annual conferences. Lots of groundbreaking research and new writing still going on with great minds who know the battlefield like the back of their hands. The LBHA is a little more robust. If you are on FB find me there!
As usual a very good assessment of the powder river fight . Everyone always seems to forget that the US military along with foreign military Observers considered the northern plains Indians the finest light cavalry in the world.
Indeed!! Both Custer and Benteen said as much, and there was very little those two officers agreed on! 🐎😉
Thank you for another great presentation! Certainly, Grant's order in December for the tribes to report to the agencies in January was an almost impossible task ( even if they wanted to.) How were they to move their families in the dead of a Montana winter?
I love that you are starting to include more Native accounts in your videos as well. Every since I read the Wooden Leg book and saw the map near the end, I have questioned Benteen's whole story. It certainly makes much more sense that Custer would have split his commands and sent Benteen to follow the obviously large trail of the combined tribes that headed SOUTHWEST to the Little Big Horn from the Reno Creek/ Lone tepee camp.
Cheers
I agree. I think Grant originally issued a deliberately impossible demand, especially with that kind of short deadline. But as time went on, staying out of the reservations became a form of resistance in itself. Excellent comments, thank you! I need to look at Wooden Leg's map right now! ;)
Siobhan, I would like to see you do a video about yourself, on how you got so interested in the Custer fight and the Indian wars. And your journey from the beginning to the present. I think that would be interesting!
@@Mr.56Goldtop really? Ok!
I definitely subscribed to your channel. It’s very unusual for a woman to have such interest in the history of Native Americans and the battles that were fought. I appreciate your interest in sharing these hidden gems with us who love this type of history. On a side note, you present yourself very well and your beauty is amazing. Thank you!
You are incredible!! What a wonderful message to receive as I try to finish up my latest video!
So very kind of you, Dave.
You made my day 🙏
Excellent video as always - informative, entertaining and terrifically well researched. I think Reynolds did a poor job although Sheridan, not one normally to accept excuses, in his annual report said the overall failure was due to 'the severity of the weather'. Mind, the severity of the weather didn't greatly impede Custer at the Washita.
In my 76th year I consider a 54 year old as a mere stripling but compared to the assertive and ambitious young colonels, Miles, Mackenzie. Merritt, Custer et al he was positively superannuated,
Right, now for your Washita videos.
Good points. We do forget about how catastrophic weather could be without any modern convenience or method of transportation.
I appreciate you watching and giving feedback! 🙏
Excellent presentation!!!! Thank you
Thank you, Mark!
Please let me know if you like any of my other videos too.
So good of you to comment 🙏🎉🙏
Siobhan Fallon! I just now stumbled on to your videos! Great work on these. I'll have to catch up! Nice mapwork Geoff Lackey!
Thank you!!! And I'll pass that on to Geoff
This was awesome. Thank you.
Thank you!!
Very well done. I understand a lot more about the subject was always interested in human conflicts. Thanks for the time you spent. The sound wasn’t too bad at all. I like the sound affects.
You are awesome. Thanks for the kind words and comments.
I am interested in human conflict too-- so many variations and miscommunications.
Thanks again!
I love studying history, and I find your videos excellent and very interesting. I watch them the first chance that I get after you post them. In answer to your question regarding the sound effects, I personally prefer them without the added effects. But with or without they are still very interesting to watch. Thank you for all your work in putting them together.
That was such a lovely comment to read. Thank you so much. And I really appreciate the feedback. Sometimes I get such a kick out of the sound effects that I just can't help myself. But the presentations are easier to do without sound so it's good to know they aren't necessary.
Thank you again for your generous praise and most of all for watching!
Was able to walk this site in 1997.
Wow that's incredible!
I'm Ogallala Lakota, Rosebud, an Iron Shooter, KU Alumni, they mutilated the dead for religious after life reasons, chopped off legs so they couldn't dog you in the after life and because Custered lied about further killing Indians, they skewed his hears, so as to hear better, Captain Miles Keogh, Irish Catholic, was properly dead propped up against a tree, untouched because the scapular around his neck was 'to Powerful' and his horse 'Comanche' was also left alone, all the other horse killed or captured, being the only survivor, found by the river drinking water, with more coming out of the half dozen bullet holes, it was reported, the horse was honored and put to pasture, never to wear a saddle, unless the boots were in the stirrup backwards and ate apple until he died at 29, you can still see and take pictures with him at the Kansas University Natural History Museum, where he proudly stands!
Amazing story. Keep the sound effects
Much appreciated, Michael!
What a wonderful website. Im hooked. Good presentation . Awesome!
Best message ever!! Thank you so very much and I hope the videos continue to resonate with you 🙏
Let me know what others you like when you get a chance!
Never knew the powder river campaign drove the plains indians into an alliance. This fact further condemns Crook for not informing anyone of the unexpected strength of the Indians he found at the Rosebud. Again great job on putting this all together. As i recall Custer found a dead soldier while following the trail to the LBH. They attributed the dead soldier to the Powder River fight. Could that body been Ayers?
@Freedomfred939 wow I don't know! Wooden Leg talks of the Cheyenne killing a soldier who said he got lost so I always assumed that was the soldier body. But I'll looking into the Ayers story more...
I wasn't aware of the Powder River battle. Very Interesting as usual. Thank you. I like the sound effects but you do what you feel comfortable with. The Indians worshipped the land and it was evident the way they fought for it.
The more I step back, the more I see how complicated and connected everything is in this conflict.
I'm working on a video on Custer's trusted half Arikara, half Sioux Indian scout, Bloody Knife, and his life is incredible.
Please check back to see it when it's up!
Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🙏
I continue to enjoy these videos.
Thank you!
Super interesting❤ Siobhan
Amazing story, tragic for Natives and Whites! Love the extra sound effects
Thank you so much. I've scaled back the sound effects on my more recent videos because so many people said they were distracting. I'm so glad the sound didn't annoy you!
Love your videos! Please no sound effects. They sound corny. Just want to listen to the story and your very pleasant voice!
Thank you for the feedback!! 💕
I like the way that you tell your stories just fine. I enjoyed this rendition,of course Wooden Leg gave an account of the LBH battle as well. The Washita,Sand Creek - clearly the Cheyenne were at war. I always liked that the Cheyenne stopped the railroad advancement for a time. Black Kettle's murder sums it all up.
Thank you, Walter!
p.s. I am working on a Washita one now. There is so much there, and impossible to just focus on the single day of fighting, when it seems to have began as far back at the Medicine Lodge Treaty (if not even earlier) and to not have truly finished until Sping 1869.
And I talk a bit about Chief Black Kettle in the Clara Blinn presentation if you want to take a look...
Again thanks for commenting and watching!
Great video, and very informative. Need to start reading some books 👍
Thank you so much! There are too many books! ;)
Not only does Colonel Reynolds look elderly in that photo, he looks very much like Gene Hackman. 🙂
Ha! Oh my gosh he sure does 🤣
Great video. My vote is for less sound effects (I know, I’m a spoil sport :)) Really do like the content and the book lists.
Thank you! Been leaning toward less sound myself. It's easier for me that way too 😉
The government was being cynical at best. Most Indians not already on the reservations would most likely never have gotten notice prior to January ultimatum date...and if they did... few, if any could have transported their families safely through the savage blizzards of the Northern Great Plains prior to Spring. When the Spring did arrive, many Reservation Indians took off to the "rock concert...' Last chance for old timey hunting summer... and, if Army showed up... a big fight.
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NOTE: The Army was sent to attack Indians found on "Unceded Indian territory..." In other words, where, by treaty, they had a right to be... The Little Bighorn was far from any white settlements... The Indians were not without fault re much of the "Crimsoned Prairie" troubles... But this time they didn't start it...and Custer paid for the Administration's sins... -YP-
I agree with you about the Grant Administration trying to provoke the tribes and making demands they knew could not be met in that time frame. It's as if Grant wanted to hurry up the ultimatum so the US Army could strike in winter when the Native ponies were weak and the tribes were most sedentary (and before they had the freedom of motion /ability to scatter as was feared they would do in the summer circa the Little Bighorn fight). And I also agree with your reference to the "Crimson Prairie"-- they were all human and there were shifting shades of innocence and guilt for sure.
However, though the Little Bighorn battlefield was far from white settlements, it was on Crow land, who sided with the US Army in the conflict and had repeatedly asked for US intervention in keeping the Sioux out of their territory. Again, shifting shades of guilt. And lots of tragedy for all. How aware of this was the US Army as the Seventh Cav tracked the combined villages of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne? Honestly I don't know.
Excellent info. No sound effects please . It distracts from your wonderful story telling.
Thank you! I have since gotten rid of the sounds. So good of you to take the time to comment!!
I am a fan of your work her I must ad. Thank you.@@SiobhanFallon7
@sunnyjacksmack thank you!! That makes the work worth it. I really enjoy learning this material and it's a joy to find people who also find it interesting 🥳🙏
Thankyou pretty woman with a very Irish name
Yes my name is Irish! My father came over from Ireland to America at 16.
@@SiobhanFallon7 Cool i`m Aussie and my dad`s lot come from County Cork
The killing of the hundreds of Indian horses is heartbreaking
It is. And shows how that was a method used in trying to wipe out modes of transportation and war fighting.
But horrid nonetheless.
And must have been traumatic for cavalry men of both sides, who knew the value and necessity of their horse wealth 🐎😭
A few obvious questions jump out. Why on earth would the army not have enough men to control the Indian pony’s and requisition them into the army? The military was running low on horse flesh. I would assume this is from the mass loss of horse flesh during the civil war and the over use of the remaining stock.? Also Reynolds’s didn’t seem to be the one to blame for this fiasco. He was counting on the support from the two companies in the hills to secure their area and they seemed to be left worthless in the attack due to terrain? Seems like as poorly armed as this tribe was that they could’ve captured the majority of the women and kids which would have caused the warriors to submit. A total FUBAR on this one which would go back to Crook? Great job on presenting these. I had never heard of this “battle”.
Yes, so many issues here!!
Burning the village's food and warmth was a huge problem -- not sure what Reynolds was thinking other than he wanted to get out fast. 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
There was no law that said that chiefs must sign a treaty... Sitting Bull certainly never did. He had no reservation to report to... He and his immediate followers hunting on "Unceded" land... Totally in lawful occupation of said area... No threat to *anybody*...but none of that mattered. The Army was ordered to go looking for a fight... In all justice, they could not complain when they found one. But that didn't matter either... ... ... YP
The battle was so ill thought out . TERRY sent them out to slaughter . Who waits to attack when the enemy has congregated in one area . Not alone when some are better weaponized . It was down right stupid at high water line of snow . It was that close to death for CROOK . CRAZY HORSE was a man of war . SITTING BULL big medicine.
The wounded soldier left by the three cowards, fought for the wrong side
Where do you find a woman who's THIS into the battle of the little bighorn??? If I ran into a woman, who knew this stuff, I'd definitely pay attention!!
Thank you! 🙏🤣
As for Washita, it's useful to know what Custer and his men did to the Cheyenne hostages on the journey back to the agency.
I have a series on the Washita as well that you might want to check out.
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment !🙏
@@SiobhanFallon7YES! I found it! You're awesome.
@@redswingline262 🙏
Been enjoying your videos while I'm at work though I do need to rewatch to benefit from the maps, illustrations etc. I love Native American history but the Indian Wars of the mid - late 19th century is tough because many of my Civil War heroes like Grant just don't shine as brightly when you know how they dealt with the Plains Indians. All these campaigns were designed to hit them at their most vulnerable - late winter in this instance when food supplies are running low and then to cast out women and children who are made to suffer even more. I was torn when hearing Wooden Leg's description of the children crying and the women struggling to try to save themselves and their children. I realize the Indians were not innocent all the time and both sides did cruel things to each other BUT the Native Americans nearly always get my sympathy - basically people just emerged from the stone age trying to protect their way of life VS overwhelming numbers of people from a highly modern (for the time) society who are only interested in forcing them to assimilate or just exterminating them.
Your videos are always on interesting subjects and I just ordered your book You Know When the Men Are Gone. I've studied various aspects of Military History for most of my 50+ years. I hate war but care very much for the folks who were/are affected by it.
Please do not use the sound effects or music. As you said the sound of your videos is funny, sometimes you are speaking very softly and a turn up the volume as high as it will go then there is a VERY LOUD sound or your voice gets very loud.
Thank you for the very thoughtful comments. I am torn as well, which might be part of why I find this moment in history so compelling. You have both opposing sides doing what they think are right and what their people are telling them they ought to do, and yet it leads to continued bloodshed and horror that is hard for our modern minds to comprehend.
Regarding the sound issues, I have spent the last coupld of days trying to reinstall just about every darn thing on my computer to get the microphone working properly. That's why I haven't finished the latest project, one you might find interesting (so please stay tuned!) about Chief Black Kettle's camp on the Washita, and the fight there in 1868. Cross your fingers for me that I get the sound issues resolved TODAY so I can finally put this one up, I have been working on it for months now.
All best and thanks so much for your comments! Hope to hear from you again!
Thank you for uploading! It appears that there wasn't much esprit de corps amongst the troopers. Lorenzo Ayers and Vincent Charley were both abandoned to their fate. Who does that?
Really terrible. I agree.
@@SiobhanFallon7 it reminds me of William Defoe in Platoon ... but I don't particularly like William Defoe so I didn't mind what happened to him ... lol
@@gemellodipriapo ha ha ha!! I need to watch Platoon 🤫
@@SiobhanFallon7 Only watch the last 10 mins … it goes on forever … almost like fighting the entire Vietnam war …
CHRIST will look out for you!
Wonderful Ms Siobhan - thank you! Just FYI - the picture you posted when you bring up Tashunka Witco/Crazy Horse is not Crazy Horse...there are no credible photos of him
Yes, I know, no photos of Crazy Horse. What a shame, as there are so many good descriptions that fire up the imagination. I actually wrote in the synopsis that there are no verified images of him. I was hoping the sketch would let me slide though ;)
@@SiobhanFallon7 awww I'm not trying to be critical or the chops buster...I've seen that sketch, which I'm pretty sure is from a photo of a man called Stabber, used to illustrate/depict Crazy Horse before. Me, I would LOVE to see his face...he's been my hero since I was a child over 50 years ago, but I respect why he never wanted it done and can see how things are better this way in more ways than one. Men like him aren't about image and idol worship and such IMO. Thank you for your wonderful channel! xoxoxo
@@thebookofearl3303 I don't think you are being critical! I really appreciate suggestions! Very good of you. The Crazy Horse story is an incredible one.
Two Moon's attributed the attack to 'Three Fingers' of whose success stealing Commanche horses he must have known : Consequently Two Moon considered it a great coup to have stolen his horses back from no lesser man than Ranald Mackenzie ...
I'm just catching up on your older videos. Like the others, this was excellent!! I've read that the U.S. calvary uniforms on campaigns were not exactly uniformed ( no pun intended ). Is that true? As long as something was blue that they were wearing.
Thank you so much!
I think the uniform in garrison was much more strict, but on campaign they could loosen up to a great degree.
@SiobhanFallon7 Thank you so much for your answer. Siobhan!
Regular Army O by McChristian is a great book, as is 40 Miles a Day on Beans and Hay by Don Ricky-- both go into these kinds of details. I think you'll find what you are looking for there. I was able to buy them second-hand online for a song!
@SiobhanFallon7 Cool, thank you very much!
Hey siobhan this is Kevin Williams... my life's dream has to visit the Custer battle field.im a man of merger means but I'm getting older I think it's getting time to go I swore I would never ride in a Greyhound bus ever again but I guess it's time to eat my words.. do you know where the nearest bus station is to the battle field? I can take cab from there if there are any out there..I don't know where you live but I would love to meet you and have you show me around since you know the place far better than I do this I a once in a lifetime thing for me....I hope you don't find this too forward but for any help you can give me I will be personally very grateful
Hello Kevin!!
I won't be making it out to the battlefield this year, sadly. We are stationed in Cyprus, my husband is in the Army, and I am only home in the States for a few weeks to see my patents this summer.
They are doing construction on the battlefield-- renovations of the visitor center.
I will see if I can find out about buses and let you know!
The Native Americans were fighting for their way of life and their land.
Absolutely. I assume you are refering to the Cheyenne and Lakota?
But so were the Crow and Arikara scouts who were working with the US Army to attempt to get their traditional tribal enemies off their land. That is why the Crow allied with the Cavalry, and that is why the Crow retain the land that the Little Bighorn Battlefield is on today.
And when it comes to the Rosebud fight, many historians credit the Shosone scouts for saving the US Army.
So there are definitely areas of grey when "Native American" fighting for their lifestyle and land, when each tribe may have been fighting their own specific fight 🙏
I COULD BE WRONG, but @16:35 you sound quite pleased about Custer's band playing after he victoriously ambushed, killed and impoverished a village who's chief was known to fly the US flag beside his lodge. Of course, this was possible largely due to Custer's of human shields... which is a favorite instrument of Hamas, Islamic Jehadists & others, by the way.
I'm not into reenactments, and I am not admirer of Custer. I've tried to serve my country faithfully over a number of years in various capacities. I've seen much suffering, I've encountered suffering & starving infants, adults & the elderly. I've also smelled my share of dead bodies, heated under the summer's sun. But unlike Custer & his contemporaries, I wanted to help... even when I was powerless to do so. I know some will say, "times have changed." But Custer's terrorist tactics (that the Union seemed especially fond of) were repeated across the South ESPECIALLY. Accordingly, they added unnecessarily to post war violence throughout the South. They also added to the deep resentments between North & South, and to the costs of reconstruction & resolution of the nation.
As I've said, I've opposed terrorists face-to-face. Custer was a terrorist (as were his fellow commanders). History reports that he was also a deserter, a hypocrit, a murderer and a dishonorable, backstabbing glory-hound who was known to assassinate the character of others anonymously in the press. And how so many historians admire him, frankly astounds & disturbs me. There would probably be many more Indians & whites alive today if my Confederate ancestors or a warrior at the Washita had shot straighter.
What was that you were saying about terrorists? In reference to your last line that is.
Hi there! You might want to take a look at this series which examines the larger conflict and multiple collisions between the Southern Cheyenne and the U.S. Army. Thanks!
ua-cam.com/play/PLHfg6vohewsz_5UUQNdUfwYvWa5jP_3Jn.html
dr.jr. You are very mistaken, the Cheyenne were carrying out horrid atrocities against Women, Children, Babies and Men, as well as stealing horses etc. What they did was far far worse than anything that the 7th Cav. ever thought of doing. Be aware that Custer followed a war party to that village and there were captive White Women and Children being held there, and the Cheyenne killed them rather than let them go free. GAC took hostages, treated them well and let them go free, to bad the Cheyenne had no such humanity.
Custer was told to take Gatlin guns and also to wait for the main force to arrive before he engaged the Indians. He did not want to take the Gatlin guns because that would slow him down. If he had had Gatlin guns when they did engage the Indians, I believe the Little Bighorn would have been a victory for Custer.
But perhaps the Little Bighorn was a better ending for him with all of his vices that I have read about since.
What vices? Gambling? He did not drink.
I think the Little Bighorn made Custer immortal in some ways, but his soldiers surely would have preferred to survive, as would have their families. And some of Custer's last words was his desire to get this campaign done so they could all return home, and by home, he was probably thinking of his wife, Libbie 😥
Major Reno took a Gatling gun on his earlier scout with the 7th in mid June. It proved both slow and treacherous, at one point over turning on the rough terrain and killing a mule and badly wounding a soldier. Custer did not want to repeat that mistake.
Gibbon and Terry brought the Gatling gun with the INF with their column. And they arrived to the Little Bighorn a day late.
Custer had been given the discretion to attack and above all to not let the Indians escape. He thought they were fleeing.
He chose to attack 🤷🏼♀️
@@SiobhanFallon7 yes, gambling put him in debt from what I have read. Yes, the Little Bighorn made him immortal but I think he would have preferred to live longer than age 37. He would still have been known because of his Civil War exploits.
Thank you so much for your research and these videos.
No sound effects is better.
Thank you! Following that advice actually makes things easier! 😉🙌
No sound effect
Noted!!
1 MONTH? In the 1800's????????? FU US Grant FU!!!!!!!!!