Custer's ride revisited by local reenactor [Battle of the Little Bighorn]

Monroe News ^ | June 21. 2008 | by Ronda Stiffler

[johnny7]

Custer reenactor Steve Alexander rides the trail that Gen. Custer rode as part of the celebration.
On June 25, 1876, a force of 200 U.S. soldiers under Gen. George Armstrong Custer is wiped out
by the Sioux Indians at Little Big Horn, Montana. - Photo courtesy of Sandy Alexander

In 1876, General George Custer led the 7th Cavalry of the United States Army on a fateful journey across four hundred miles of prairie in thirty nine days. Today, Monroe resident and Custer reenactor Steve Alexander begins recreating Custer's last ride, leading troops of the Frontier Army of Dakotas and Kincaid's Irregulars portraying the US Army‘s 7th Cavalry.

(snip)

One hundred and thirty two years ago, General Custer's Crow scouts took him to the "Crow‘s Nest" to observe the Indian encampment along the Little Big Horn River. On Wednesday, Alexander will escort his wife Sandy to the Custer Battlefield Museum to attend a ceremony honoring Chief Joe Medicine Crow, the last chief of the Crow Tribe, before riding from the "Crow‘s Nest" to the reenactment of the Battle of Little Big Horn.

[johnny7]

The Anniversary isn't until Wednesday... but since it took place on a Sunday, I figured today was appropriate. Post, flame and speculate away!

The spot where Custer tried to ford... and the famous “cut banks”

Old Army Archives photo...

johnny7 at the ford...

[bcsco]

The spot where Custer tried to ford... and the famous “cut banks”

I'm assuming that's the middle ford at Medicine Tail Coulee from the Indian camp side. I've seen it from the coulee side, but the perspective can be confusing.

[GulfWar1Vet]

It certainly is beautiful up there and fascinating to see where the battle took place.

[Mark was here]

The American troops who fought against the indians went through tough times. They were not properly equipped, they had old rifles, while the Federal Government supplied the indians with new ones. The indians were better on horse back also. After the Army losses mounted the government finally got serious and kicked ass. The troops that returned home after this war were not honored for their service as the indians had won the P.R. battle. The troops that fought and died for this country, even fighting indians should be honored, and it is a shame those troops tasted what Vietnam vets would be getting served.

[bcsco]

Here's my site on the Little Big Horn...

The Little Big Horn.

I had it up some years ago with another ISP. Then when I transfered service to Verizon, then Comcast, they initially didn't allow anything other than personal pages. Happily, that's changed.

[johnny7]

I'm assuming that's the middle ford at Medicine Tail Coulee from the Indian camp side.

Spot on. This is often called “Ford B” on many maps of the battlefield.

Where Medicine Tail joins the Little Bighorn... those “cut banks” I mention dominate the Indian side of the river and most likely, forced Custer to seek a more favorable crossing downstream... at or just past Deep Coulee.

Further, to get down to the river bank at this spot(from the cavalry side)... you have to negotiate a 15 foot embankment that runs the length of this break in the bluffs.

[mewzilla]

Thanks for the thread!

Another link on the subject....

Archaeology of the Battle of Little Big Horn

[bcsco]

They were not properly equipped, they had old rifles...

Actually, they carried the 1873 Springfield trapdoor carbine. It had been issued not too long before the Centennial Campaign and was in service for around 20 years altogether. While a single shot carbine, it was more accurate than the Winchester repeaters many of the Indians had, had greater range, and under volley fire could provide impressive firepower.

There have always been implications of the cartridges jamming in the breeches, but while true, it was nowhere near as prevalent as some make it to be, and was not a determining factor in the outcome.

[johnny7]

From the link:

“The Lakota and Cheyenne warriors, although surprised by the army's attack, quickly rallied and put all elements of the Seventh Cavalry's attack on the defensive.”

More like a Rhinoceros shaking off a mosquito...

[johnny7]

It certainly is beautiful up there and fascinating to see where the battle took place.

So true... first place I ever saw Magpies too. I believe Sitting Bull was referred to as Magpie Lupa...

[bcsco]

More like a Rhinoceros shaking off a mosquito...

Custer's strategy, since he'd become convinced his command had been discovered, was to attack the village from several directions to prevent the Indians from escaping. It worked at the Washita in '68 so he would try it again.

The problem was, at the Washita there were a number of additional camps downstream that forced him to retire after burning the village. Although he'd sent Benteen with his battalion to scout for camps south of the one he'd located on the Little Big Horn, they were all congregated in one large "village" comprising a number of camps. By separating his command, he invited defeat in detail.

[mewzilla]

Good analogy :)

[Bringbackthedraft]

Kinda like an American Thermopylae for Custer. Exciting couple of news events that week, Hickcock gets killed, the Dalton’s get shot up and the James Brothers leave Northfield Minn. in a hurry.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Oooops, the Youngers, not the Dalton’s, my bad.

[johnny7]

The problem was, at the Washita there were a number of additional camps downstream that forced him to retire after burning the village. Although he'd sent Benteen with his battalion to scout for camps south of the one he'd located on the Little Big Horn, they were all congregated in one large "village" comprising a number of camps.

Spot on again... you know the history of the battle. The Little Bighorn encampment was very compact for its population size. At the Washita... it was dispersed. Sadly, Lt. Elliot learned of this in the worst way possible.

Also, since the Washita encampment was dispersed, Custer's 7th could put on a “bold front” and intimidate the slowly massing warriors who were in his immediate front.

[johnny7]

Hickcock gets killed, the Dalton’s get shot up and the James Brothers leave Northfield Minn. in a hurry.

Wow! Hope they spelled the names correctly. I believe in some of the first accounts of the Little Bighorn debacle... they spelled Custer as... CUSTAR!

[bcsco]

Had Reno not evacuated the valley, and Benteen not dawdled in returning to Custer, the Little Big Horn may have turned into a standoff instead of a defeat. Emphasis is on the word “may”, but the likelihood of 5 troops of cavalry being wiped out would have been far less. All speculation, of course, but I still have my doubts that Custer by himself could have handled that Indian camp until General Terry arrived the following day.

[bcsco]

I believe in some of the first accounts of the Little Bighorn debacle... they spelled Custer as... CUSTAR!

Heck, my wife still refers (jokingly) to him as "Custard".

[bcsco]

Best get over here and get your videos plugged :)

[bcsco]

The Little Bighorn encampment was very compact for its population size. At the Washita... it was dispersed. Sadly, Lt. Elliot learned of this in the worst way possible.

Actually, if Elliot at the Washita were thought of as "Custer" and the balance of the 7th as Reno/Benteen, the Washita attack could be seen as a microcosm of the Little Big Horn event. The major differences being the burning of the village at the Washita, and Custer being able to extract himself there.