Benteen Reno, and their failure to act...

[johnson1941]

WM Camp took issue with Benteen & Reno lingering so long ("2.5 hours") near where Reno retreated before "sending" out an advance. Actually we know Weir eventually went out on his own hook, and Edgerly followed, due to firing heard.
(Shoot will add link asap, as there is another relevant page)

I found this interesting, hopefully others will.

A couple comments...

Benteen at that time 'did not know the ground between him and Custer was full of indians'.

'Reno was not yet beseiged'

Camp mentions the failure to send even a scout 'the high ground 1/2mile distant'.

This “high ground” is NOT the high(est) point Weir HILL, right on the bluffs, where Camp knew Custer 1st saw part of the village, but could NOT see the battlefield (there is NO view of Custer battlefield from Weir HILL); but very likely Sharp Shooter HIll, which was likely near the same height or just slightly lower. (both at 3500' in 1891).

'the fence around the monument is easily made out...'
'fence posts around the cemetray on Custer Hill are easily made out'

Camps notions..., followed by view from Weir Hill (you can see Weir Peaks), and view from SSH (you can see Custer Hill)

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

That period on the bluffs was central to accusations raised against Reno and more pointedly Benteen; by Whittaker in the book published before years end. Central to Whittaker's accusations was the timing of it as he discerned from the information then available to him.

Waiting to close up the two commands (Reno and Benteen) was not unreasonable given the virtual destruction of the battalion commited to the valley. There was then a delay which seems difficult to fathom by reasonable means related to command decisions but it is hotly disputed since then and continues today.

Where a reasonable pro-Reno outlook stumbles, is with the information provided by Terry's 'Painful Duty' report of 27th June, 1876; exhibiting his knowledge of the fight on Reno Hill beginning at 2:30pm when the commands dug in under siege. That didn't happen, and Terry did not dream it up. Analysing this turns into a toilet paper job so i'm not getting into it. However, his senior ADC Smith, reported exactly the same, published at Bismarck, as soon as Far West arrived and the press could speak with him for the special editions of the local rag. The die was caste. Had that report been introduced to Chicago in 1879, then things would have become tediously awkward for Reno. Terry ducked and the report was forgotten although of course, it never was given the coverage and discussion which it deserved.

[johnson1941]

There is no period hill “3411”…that’s a BM from a 1967 map near a road, and to the east a bit. Fred Wagner coined that…close…but not the actual place Custer was seen/1st saw the village per Martin

The flat hill to the forefront in the middle image referred to is Weir Hill.

Of course as we know it is much lower now than in 1876.

As I stated in the post: “followed by view from Weir Hill (you can see Weir Peaks)”.

Edgerly peaks blocked the view from Weir Hill/G, even when it was the highest point, as Camp and Benteen confirmed. Which is why you couldn't then, and still can’t see the battlefield, and would need to be on SSH to do so....(RB's 3440 - today which the last pic above showed). THIS is the hill Camp referred to above where you COULD see the monument, fences etc.


As the middle image vs last image in above post shows - such at it is now.

This middle view might be from very close to where Godfrey skirmished {more on the road I would think, and a bit farther south (1700' Weir Hill to DeWolf}. He drove the Indians back over Martins Ridge & was to have troops try to occupy the hill, but was called in to the corral.

Godfrey, Custer's Last Campaign
"The bullets struck the ground all about us; but the "ping-ping" of the bullets overhead seemed to have more terrifying influence than the "swish-thud" of the bullets that struck the ground immediately about us. When we got to the ridge in front of Reno's position I observed some Indians making all haste to get possession of a hill to the right.

I could not see the rest of the command, and I knew that that hill would command Reno's position. Supposing that my troop was to occupy the line we were then on, I ordered Hare to take ten men and hold the hill, but, just as he was moving off, an order came from Reno to get back as quickly as possible; so I recalled Hare, again drove the Indians to cover, and ordered the men to run to the lines. This movement was executed, strange to say, without a single casualty."

Godfrey, w/Camp
"..after passing the long ridge some distance, dismounted his men, forming a skirmish line at right angle to the river...CO K was guarding ridge in rear of Weir Hill - about 1/4-1/2 mile south of Weir Hill"

Hare
“A. Captain Weir and Captain French were the only ones who engaged the Indians till within 3 or 4 hundred yards of the final stand. Then Captain Godfrey engaged them. Co. K...dismounted at the point where Reno retreated up the bluffs (500 yards north of Reno hill)"



A view from just south of and looking over Weir Hill to Weir Point, close to reno retreat up…