Why no scouts or medical personal with Benteen?

[crzhrs]

Custer sent Benteen on his scout to the left with no medical personal or scouts. Why would Custer do so? The soldiers were in an unknown area, there was the probability of the largest Indian village on record, and dire warnings from all scouts and about the number of Indians.

Something doesn't sound right. Did Custer know Benteen would not find Indians? Did Custer want Benteen out of the action as "pay-back" or was it another in a series of wrong decisions?

[crzhrs]

C'mon . . . someone has got to have an opinion on this.

Custer sent medical personal with Reno and most of the scouts, including all non-natives, while he took several Crows, Mitch Boyer, and a medical team.

Why nothing with Benteen? Something is screwy with that. If no medical personal then Custer felt Benteen would find no Indians. No scouts, then Custer left Benteen to roam aimlessly in the wilderness.

Bad decision or leave Benteen out of the action?

[michigander]

Oh yes for this reason he called for his presence.

[twomoons]

That's a very good question, indeed! Not sure. But I am quite sure someone will come up with an answer. Of course only if it fits a pet theory. Any way I'll check into it and/or you could ask Walt, he's got some good connections. Maybe he or they'll know.

[Steve Wilk]

Art Unger addresses this in his ABC's book. Apparently the ever moody Benteen was upset because his company's packs, along with G's I believe, were singled out as causing delays with the pack train. This Lt. Mathey reported to Col. Custer. Custer may have sent the sulking Benteen off on his reconnaisance/scout to cool his heels, as well as to conform with Terry's suggestion of feeling to his left.

Custer, even though he had no idea of what Benteen would run into, may have felt that his and Reno's battalions would be more likely to see combat, and/or that Benteen's mission would entail a sweeping of hostiles toward the main village. At the time he dispatches Benteen, Custer is of course under the impression that the village is in the process of fleeing. Thus the surgeons would be more likely needed with the attacking forces. But then Benteen's orders directed him to "pitch into" anything he found.

Oversite or deliberate omission? Benteen could have easily requested one of the surgeons...or at least a hospital steward. No record anywhere that he did. So it looks like old Benteen had no expectation of combat; and seems to hardly have taken his scout seriously.

We can only speculate what Custer's reasoning was. But a surgeon could and did die in battle just as a trooper. Indians did not respect any military conventions to avoid firing on medical personnel, as Drs. DeWolf and Lord tragically found out.