|
Post by biggordie on Jun 16, 2008 16:26:10 GMT -6
I don't know about the trot and canter, but she walks real good............
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 16, 2008 11:57:30 GMT -6
LBH College used to operate small tour buses, with a small charge . The NPS could/should include a smaller fee in the admission charge for this type of tour - hop on, hop off - then people could visit the entire battlefield, and the College could have guaranteed riders, or at least guaranteed fares, and thus benefit from economy of scale.
People might not be too interested in paying an extra, say, five bucks or so, but their attitudes might change if the increase included a mini-bus tour.
Of course, as Darkcloud so ably points out, nothing beats the experience of walking the hills and gullies under an azure Montana sky. Make it without water, and arrange for hidden archers to occasionally rain arrows down upon the unwary, and the odd warrior to charge among them swinging his war club or axe, or firing in the air for effect [with, of course, "hideous whoops"], and By George!!! the survivors are certain to tell their friends [sort of like Westworld].
Such a scenario is sure to cut down [no pun intended] on the number of repeat visitors, but think of the family members who will come to see the family plots, or the bones left bleaching in the sun - no extra charge for a cedar stake driven at the head of the corpse.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 16, 2008 11:19:04 GMT -6
zak:
You are entirely correct, for the most part. It IS possible for a small caliber bullet [and sometimes a larger one] to travel around the skull rather than through it, but usually there will be a massive exit wound - it is hard to call it a wound, really - more like an excavation - especially considering that the ammunition, of whatever type, used lead bullets or balls, which are virtually guaranteed to flatten and cause a big mess.
Whether Custer shot himself at the end, or his brother or someone else did him a favor since he was wounded, or he was dispatched by a warrior in hand to hand combat or from horseback while riding by and firing into the bodies, we will likely never know for sure.
It's quite clear that he was dead, a mess, and that he was mutilated far beyond what has generally been published. I'd be willing to bet that his throat was cut, that both thighs were slashed and that at least one finger was cut off. The arrow shaft seems to be accurately depicted; but I'd tend to bet against the sewing awl through his ear(s).
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 15, 2008 19:54:27 GMT -6
zak:
There was an extensive testing program undertaken by an Army selection board, before the Springfield was adopted as the official long arm of the service. Thousands upon thousands of rounds were put through the test weapons [which included Winchesters and others], and, of course, every individual weapon was proofed at the armory before being shipped to the troops in the field.
Whether you call that independent testing,is up to you.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 15, 2008 19:49:41 GMT -6
zak:
I don't think that anyone is saying that Custer wanted Benteen to rescue him. I doubt that Custer had any thoughts of being beaten until it was a virtual fact. The question was more on the order of "Was it possible for Benteen to have prevented Custer's disaster in the circumstances as they developed and what would he have to have done in order to do that?
This is all "what ifs"and conjecture, and has nothing to do with what Benteen should have done in the actual circumstances after meeting Reno. One might argue that he had a duty to see what was what up ahead; but any argument that he should have then attempted to join Custer is utter nonsense - especially considering that Custer, or any part of his command, was beyond saving when Weir reached Weir Point.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 15, 2008 11:59:09 GMT -6
alanw:
It is sometimes profitable to re-explore different facets of the events. At least one would get that impression from the regularity we do so. I don't usually deal in conjectures, but I'll make an exception here, for what it may be worth. BTW, welcome to the forum.
(1) Had Benteen moved at about the same pace as did Custer, once he had returned to the trail from his "left oblique march" it is barely conceivable that he might have actually seen the tail end of Custer's command going over the high ground north of North Ash Creek. It would have been close. Had he in fact done so, he could have sent a galloper to Custer saying that he was coming on [then there would have been no need for the messengers sent by Custer], and Custer could have waited for Benteen to arrive - or sent him instructions to do otherwise, if that was what he wanted.
If he had missed the sighting referenced above, he would have had no way of knowing where Custer had gone.
(2) Let's say that Benteen did not increase his pace, and that the first intimation of what Custer had done or wanted was Knipe's message that "they want you up there as fast as you can get there." Even then, he might have gone fast enough to avoid bumping into Reno's retreating command [probably just] and headed north.
(3) Let's say that Benteen did what he actually did, and sent Knipe back to the pack train, and moved on at the pace he had been maintaining until Martin arrived. Even had he asked Martin where Custer had gone and galloped up to the high ground, chances are pretty good that he would still have run into Reno as he in fact did. In any event, Custer was already beyond MTC.
He could have told Reno that he had a direct order from Custer to "come on" and continued north.
(4) Only in scenario (!) above was there any possibilty of Benteen joining Custer while there was still an opportunity of doing so, and only if he had actually seen the tail of Custer's command and acted as I suggested. Otherwise, scenarios (2) or (3) would apply.
In scenarios (2) and (3), Benteen could have advanced as far as Weir Point without being molested in any serious way - as he did a while later [how much later depends upon your point of view]. I do not believe that he could have joined Custer had he attempted to do so, or benefited him in any meaningful way - and would only have upped the body count by trying to go any farther.
By the time he would have reached Weir Point, Custer would have been considerably farther north, and warriors would have been streaming up Medicine Tail Coulee, Deep Coulee, Deep Ravine and other routes to the higher ridges where Custer's troops wound up.
This is, of course, as you point out, all a mater of conjecture, and since my conjecture is just as good as anyone else's, there you go.
Regards,
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 14, 2008 21:40:14 GMT -6
I think Michael only sees them after POOCHIE has become POOSHIE.
Mr. Muffin is probably preoccupied with staying out of the reach of IT IN THE PIT.
Gordie
PS Michael - How are the new needles for your sewing machine working out?
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 23:55:57 GMT -6
I liked him in Hondo. Actually, I liked him in most everything I saw him in - he seemed to always perform above the quality of the scripts. Of course, I also liked Gerald Mohr.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 16:52:36 GMT -6
If they'd used their collective noodle in the first place, the Superintendent's Residence, Visitor Center and entrance would have been located at the road entrance from Hwy 212 and the parking lot could have been reasonably close to Custer Hill and the National Cemetery, to the north/northwest, without intruding on any [or very little] of the historically significant ground. The Cemetery has already done a rather thorough job of messing up that area.
This would have had the effect of naturally limiting access to those truly interested in doing more than visiting the Visitor Center, making it easier to get to Custer Hill, and keeping vehicles away from sensitive areas unless people wanted to go beyond Custer Hill [which many, if not most, do not].
The basic problem I see with putting the new Visitor Center down in the valley, is that you would need duplicate parking and washroom facilities, so that there would not be much benefit to the Custer Hill and National Cemetery areas.
Maybe they should install a drive-in theater behind Custer Hill. They could paint a mural on the side of the screen facing the Hill, so nobody would know that it was there [those Hollywood scenery painters could do it easily].
Or they could move all the markers somewhere else, and let visitors use their imaginations................................
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 16:31:50 GMT -6
Kathlene:
You're supposed to take out a small portion of the rump and grind it up ala hamburger, not put the head on a hamburger bun. Them horns'll getcha ever tahm.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 12:55:18 GMT -6
That's for sure - that's for danged sure [Jerome Courtland in Battleground, one of my all-time favorite "war movies"].
Gordie
Hut hoop hareep ho.................You had a good home; but you left. You're right......Sound Off......
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 12:51:10 GMT -6
I differentiate between jungles and woods. And living rooms and chicken coops.I am an equal-opportunity differentiator.
I am more familiar with the Johnny Rivers version Of Every Day I Have To Cry [and actually know all the lyrics]. I do remember Steve Alaimo from some of those go-go TV shows, where the chicks all did the Monkey and the Mashed Potatoes. I do not, however, remember the names of the shows - I was too busy ogling the chicks.
Gordie
I had me a girl, and yes I really loved her. Every night you know I was thinkin' of her. But you can't mix love with money - 'cause if you do it's got to hurt somebody. And every day I have to cry some..........
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 12:42:23 GMT -6
For those who may be interested:
The name of the last Cheyenne who was at LBH was Charles Sitting Man, also known as Wolf Necklace, who died in 1961. I could not find any further information about him. I must admit that I did not devote a great deal of time to my search. For all I know he might have been in a nursing home for his last twenty years, and it was another man entirely who cussed me out in 1960.
I just thought it was a neat story, and might lead to my veneration on the forum.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 11:21:58 GMT -6
I forgot to ask, in all my enthusiasm over welcoming Jim B. [BS just loves Jim B.], what is this Alamo that everybody is so gaga over? Does it have anything to do with that rent-a-car outfit? Was it the rent-a-car's last stand?
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by biggordie on Jun 10, 2008 11:13:38 GMT -6
Body Surfer:
Against All Odds. Google it.
Gordie
|
|