Posted on 04/27/2007 9:23:05 AM PDT by drzz
Yes, I agree, and that's why he requested it. The 1951 text version of the court of inquiry can be found at Reno Court of Inquiry.
I used to have it in hard cover, but that was many years ago (something my ex-wife was able to retain :)).
No, it’s not a misleading comment, because Miles accused Reno of leaving the timber too early (he fought there only 30 minutes, with only 40 bullets/man shot) and Benteen of never joining Custer
Other testimonies
http://custer.over-blog.com/categorie-10018107.html
You are correct. It's been awhile since I thought about it, and much of my library material is borrowed by my nephew (who will get it on my passing). Sorry for the unclarity.
FBI discoveries in 1954 and other scientific examinations of the Reno Court of Inquiry exhibits show that there were false.
Reno’s perjuries were also too many to be counted.
See http://custer.over-blog.com/categorie-10017943.html
No problem - you know, Freerepublic will never cease to amaze me.
I post my videos here while thinking that nobody cares, and nobody is interested, and 200 people have already watched it and know almost everything about the people and the battle...
Freerepublic is just heaven - I have never seen a website with so many intelligent and curious people. Totally amazing.
You know, a lot of people say here, in Switzerland, that US people don’t know anything about history etc. etc. In fact, we are the dumb ass here in Europe, and US citizens (the ones on Freerepublic being the leaders) have an astonishing culture.
Bravo! Incredible.
http://www.custerwest.org/
Weir died of 'consumption' soon after the battle. If anyone ever got a glimpse of Custer's demise... it was either him or Edgerly.
Sorry, but I still consider it possibly misleading to an uninformed person, unfamiliar with the engagement. One might take from this that they were never engaged at all.
Sure, Reno left the timber early, and Benteen failed to act properly on Custer's written order ("Come on, Be Quick!"). Then they both failed to ride to the sound of battle coming from Custer ridge. In that regard the comment is accurate. My point is that it could be misunderstood as a blanket statement that 7 full companies/troops of cavalry were never engaged that day.
Look, I'm not trying to criticize here. Only bringing up things.
Oh, yes, the court of inquiry was full of errors, omissions, fraudulent testimony, etc. It is not something to be relied on. I was just pointing out that there was, indeed, an inquiry. But would that have happened had Reno not requested it? Doubtful, IMHO.
Hey, I don’t take anything as a critic - it’s a debate, all right ! It always a pleasure to debate on one of my favorite subject.
Look at the numbers :
Custer fought 88% and lost 210 men. (he had 210 men with him)
Benteen, Reno and McDougall (pack train) fought 18% of the main battle (June 25 1876), and with two more days of fighting, lost only 53 men (they were around 457).
457 men with 18% of the fight, 210 with 88%.
Just went to your beautiful, colorful website. Bravo, yourself!
I have been a Custer fan since I was a little girl (I was captivated by some of his Civil War photo portraits). It’s nice to know there are not only fans in the U.S. but in Europe!
Interestingly, I just had an argument with a fellow freeper in which I proclaimed Elizabeth Custer the most beautiful American woman of the 19th Century. What do you think?
Sorry I don’t see the evidence. We know the command fell apart because the soldiers of various company commands were scattered all over the place. Only Keough’s command and a group around Custer retained cohesion meaning they fought and died together. How did they figure 200 Indian dead? The red pins told them so? That is abusrd. The Indian accounts all state that only a few dozen were killed seems reasonable. For every warrior killed, three or four would be wounded. So a casualty count around 100 is within the ball park.
Your worry about long range guns and short range guns is in vain. When hundreds of Indians are over running your troops right in your face, who cares what range the rifles are? Hell, shotguns would have worked.
Hever hear about the mural commissioned on the Battle of Little Bighorn?
The artist was a surrealist. He was asked to make a painting based on Custer’s observations about the battle. He did the work secretly, not letting anyone in while he was painting, and covering the wall when he was not.
No one saw it until it was unveiled. Then everyone was stunned. It had an image of a beautific looking cow in the center, topped by a halo and looking towards heaven. Around the cow were dozens, maybe hundreds of male and female pairs of Indians. Except for being Indians from North America, it could have been straight out of the Khama Sutra.
“What *is* this?” shouted the head of the institution. “We hired you to visually depict Custer’s words.”
“But that is what this is,” protested the artist. “My rendition of Custer’s last words. You know — ‘Holy Cow! Look at all those f’ing Indians!”
In fact, the “scatter” theory don’t stand with the facts.
The latest National park service researchs show that 200 Indians were killed on the battlefield alone.
http://custer.over-blog.com/article-10191993.html
In fact, Indians had short-range rifles and soldiers long-range rifles - and it made Custer stronger - he could hold the lines until Reno and Benteen came. Indian testimonies tell us that the soldiers hold their lines with great courage.
See the videos:
http://custer.over-blog.com/categorie-10018107.html
and
http://custer.over-blog.com/categorie-10017942.html
Possibly. Or someone in their command. But with all the smoke (as described by them), and as far as Weir Point is from Custer Hill/Battle Ridge, it's doubtful anyone would know that's what they saw. And that assumes that Custer was still alive near the end.
On Reno Hill, soldiers heard heavy firing - it was also noticed by everyone around.
It was only when Co. C set out to prevent Indians from capturing horses (bear with me, I'm writing from memory), that a general disintegration began.
While intriguing, I've always had problems with that account; mostly, Fox's idea that Custer's wing sat below Custer Hill for a prolonged period of time. I just can't see how that could happen.
Not that Custer didn't divide his five companies; he well may have. After all, Mark Kellogg's body was initially claimed to have been found near the ford North of the Indian camps. But the timing, to me, is suspect.
I've always believed that Custer's men fought harder than many have claimed, and I've never bought into the idea of mass suicides, etc.
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