Post by herosrest on Oct 9, 2010 8:53:42 GMT -6
Many people, quite rightly (and obliquely the opposite) roundly defend Fred's perfomance
during Lima Bravo. It is the lack of performance during the forenoon and midday of 25th June
at issue here, rather than the heroic defence which occured at Reno Hill subsequently. None
of we, were party to the conversations that imparted knowledge of events to Alfred Terry as
he wrestled with the immediate consequences of the battle. He was obliged to examine the
nature of tactics and performance of 7th Cavalry during their attack and defeat.
Terry had to ascertain the facts, perhaps the hostile tribes had developed a new weapon or
altered tactics and it was his sole responsibility as commander of the expedition to conduct
the shambles in thoroughly professional regard. Terry was by training and instinct, a lawyer
and of proven courage. He was also as blind as a bat with no ability to guage and manouver
across unmapped terrain, he was truly unfortunate in respect the mishap and injuries that
befell Thomas LaForge.
It can be argued that Lima Bravo would have been avoided had A - Reno pursued the trail
discovered on his scout up the Rosebud, which would have brought about anihilation of the
right wing a week earlier: or, B - if Terry, instead of baring arms (rolling up shirt
sleeves) had sued the Sioux. Frederick Whittacker met Benteen before publishing his
scandalous book, which squarely levelled, straight forward and very simple accusations of
derelictions of duty at both Reno & Benteen.
Reputations and honour were very publicly besmirched and challenged. Reno was a loose cannon
in this respect, it is my opinion that he was by 1878, if not long before, completely
paranoid in life and career and his solace was in drinking and the wonders that can acheive
for self esteem. Weir fell apart and not one senior officer appears to have felt or behaved
kindly to his memory. Benteen was particularly vicious towards him as he was towards the
Custers and also, in writing, to Lt. Maguire very shortly before the RCoI at which Terry's
engineering officer was first to give evidence and around whose maps of the battlefield the
entire proceedings revolved.
There was very much at stake for Reno & Benteen once Whittaker and those cognisant of G.A.
Custer's abilities, leadership and battlefield qualities, took up his cause. Both Reno &
Benteen were as utterly ruthless in condemnations of Custer as they were promting their own
innocences and disadvantage due to a rash commanders military lapses. From the officer's of
Benteens unit, one tale emerges, from those of Reno's a different situation is presented.
Not enough focus or attention is paid to the record left by Brig. Gen. Luther Hare, in
particular his details of the advance towards Custer from Reno Hill but that matter is for
another Columns of Four. Hare was one of the best military leaders ever produced by the
United States, this being Lima Bravo, he fell to the back shelf and lies in a dark corner
gathering dust under a blanket of cobwebs.
LBH was his first battle and when he saw that village, he was out on the left flank of the
advance. When he guaged the reality of what stood before his battalion, he performed a smart
oblique into the timber. When he got a grip of himself, he did his duty, turned in a sterling performance,
rallied his men and briefly, was completely relied upon by Reno to bring things under control while
Benteen was standing around wondering wtf to do.
Two miles to the left is two miles to the left, it is qualified by Terry as being the
situation when the action commenced. That is a topic for study, analysis and debate but to
aviod all that palaver, it is stated fact that no one who survived knew where Custer was at
that time, thus the action commenced when either Reno was ordered to advance and cross into
the valley, or when he began the advance in the valley or, quite logically and prime, when
the skirmish line opened fire. The information given to Terry can only have come from
Benteen, who knew not where Reno had been sent or what his orders were, apparently, when he
was two miles to the left he decided it prudent to return to Reno Creek.
Reno equally, had no idea where Benteen was at that time, there is evidence, oblique all be
it, to suggest that Reno expected Benteen to be west of him on his left flank where the
second battalion of the left wing, the left wing of the regiments left wing, would be
deployed in battle. Reno did not know where Benteen was or what his orders were. That matter
discussed between Lee and Reno at RCoI is quite hilarious.
Lt. Varnum did know more and mentioned such in a letter written July 4th (depending on
international date lines and sticky keyboards) and there is the cruxed root of the
differences of opinions between various officers, as it is referred to, but is actually
disagreements between the respective groups of officers of the the 7th Cavalry's two left
wing battalions. Varnum joined Reno's advance late after talking with Custer and galloping
to catch up to Reno at the river and so knew more than Reno, perhaps.
during Lima Bravo. It is the lack of performance during the forenoon and midday of 25th June
at issue here, rather than the heroic defence which occured at Reno Hill subsequently. None
of we, were party to the conversations that imparted knowledge of events to Alfred Terry as
he wrestled with the immediate consequences of the battle. He was obliged to examine the
nature of tactics and performance of 7th Cavalry during their attack and defeat.
Terry had to ascertain the facts, perhaps the hostile tribes had developed a new weapon or
altered tactics and it was his sole responsibility as commander of the expedition to conduct
the shambles in thoroughly professional regard. Terry was by training and instinct, a lawyer
and of proven courage. He was also as blind as a bat with no ability to guage and manouver
across unmapped terrain, he was truly unfortunate in respect the mishap and injuries that
befell Thomas LaForge.
It can be argued that Lima Bravo would have been avoided had A - Reno pursued the trail
discovered on his scout up the Rosebud, which would have brought about anihilation of the
right wing a week earlier: or, B - if Terry, instead of baring arms (rolling up shirt
sleeves) had sued the Sioux. Frederick Whittacker met Benteen before publishing his
scandalous book, which squarely levelled, straight forward and very simple accusations of
derelictions of duty at both Reno & Benteen.
Reputations and honour were very publicly besmirched and challenged. Reno was a loose cannon
in this respect, it is my opinion that he was by 1878, if not long before, completely
paranoid in life and career and his solace was in drinking and the wonders that can acheive
for self esteem. Weir fell apart and not one senior officer appears to have felt or behaved
kindly to his memory. Benteen was particularly vicious towards him as he was towards the
Custers and also, in writing, to Lt. Maguire very shortly before the RCoI at which Terry's
engineering officer was first to give evidence and around whose maps of the battlefield the
entire proceedings revolved.
There was very much at stake for Reno & Benteen once Whittaker and those cognisant of G.A.
Custer's abilities, leadership and battlefield qualities, took up his cause. Both Reno &
Benteen were as utterly ruthless in condemnations of Custer as they were promting their own
innocences and disadvantage due to a rash commanders military lapses. From the officer's of
Benteens unit, one tale emerges, from those of Reno's a different situation is presented.
Not enough focus or attention is paid to the record left by Brig. Gen. Luther Hare, in
particular his details of the advance towards Custer from Reno Hill but that matter is for
another Columns of Four. Hare was one of the best military leaders ever produced by the
United States, this being Lima Bravo, he fell to the back shelf and lies in a dark corner
gathering dust under a blanket of cobwebs.
LBH was his first battle and when he saw that village, he was out on the left flank of the
advance. When he guaged the reality of what stood before his battalion, he performed a smart
oblique into the timber. When he got a grip of himself, he did his duty, turned in a sterling performance,
rallied his men and briefly, was completely relied upon by Reno to bring things under control while
Benteen was standing around wondering wtf to do.
Two miles to the left is two miles to the left, it is qualified by Terry as being the
situation when the action commenced. That is a topic for study, analysis and debate but to
aviod all that palaver, it is stated fact that no one who survived knew where Custer was at
that time, thus the action commenced when either Reno was ordered to advance and cross into
the valley, or when he began the advance in the valley or, quite logically and prime, when
the skirmish line opened fire. The information given to Terry can only have come from
Benteen, who knew not where Reno had been sent or what his orders were, apparently, when he
was two miles to the left he decided it prudent to return to Reno Creek.
Reno equally, had no idea where Benteen was at that time, there is evidence, oblique all be
it, to suggest that Reno expected Benteen to be west of him on his left flank where the
second battalion of the left wing, the left wing of the regiments left wing, would be
deployed in battle. Reno did not know where Benteen was or what his orders were. That matter
discussed between Lee and Reno at RCoI is quite hilarious.
Lt. Varnum did know more and mentioned such in a letter written July 4th (depending on
international date lines and sticky keyboards) and there is the cruxed root of the
differences of opinions between various officers, as it is referred to, but is actually
disagreements between the respective groups of officers of the the 7th Cavalry's two left
wing battalions. Varnum joined Reno's advance late after talking with Custer and galloping
to catch up to Reno at the river and so knew more than Reno, perhaps.