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Several complaints, one minor, the rest major. Cavalry companies are, and were,called troops. That's minor. Benteen's conduct was not.

The author failed to note that Benteen was one of the ringleaders of the anti-Custer faction in the regiment. He hated him, from at least as far back as Elliot's death at the Washita. He had written anonymous articles in the eastern newspapers castigated his superior officer's conduct at the battle, while still serving in the regiment. He never, to my knowledge, requested a transfer, apparently preferring to back stab Custer.

At the Little Big Horn, I believe Custer's initial maneuver was a reconnaissance in force. Two things would have been of concern. First, he didn't know the precise location of the village. Second, Custer, along with ALL his superiors, believed the Indians would flee, as they always had, when the village was attacked. It had been impressed on him that his primary duty was to assure the Indians did not escape. Custer was not the only officer who failed to consider that the Indians would not flee.

Nor was Custer's belief that he faced perhaps 800 Indians a self imposed delusion. That strength was the Army's estimate of the number of Indians in the field. And it was a correct estimate until several weeks before the battle, when the reservation Indians swelled Sitting Bull's ranks for the summer buffalo hunt. The Army's strength estimate didn't change, because the civilian Indian agents on the reservations didn't tell the Army that large numbers of Indians had left.

Benteen did not HURRY to join Custer after Martini caught up with him. He took his sweet time. Autie Reed, Custer's nephew was with Benteen when Martini arrived. He died with his family. Benteen only made it to Reno Hill.

Neither Benteen nor Reno obeyed their orders. Benteen didn't quickly join Custer. Reno did not charge the village. He stopped well short of his objective.If Custer was censured for failing to obey his, and attacking a day early [Interestingly, nobody ever comments on the fact Terry and Gibbons were a day LATE for the proposed rendezvous, arriving on the 27th, thus leaving Custer hanging alone for the 26th, if he delayed his attack], why weren't Benteen and Reno? At least Custer was trying to accomplish his mission, believing he had been spotted by hostile scouts [It had bee his intention to rest the 7th until dawn on the 26th].