Post by Jas. Watson on Oct 12, 2007 10:58:32 GMT -6
On another thread (Did Reno do any good?) it was said by a couple writers there something to the effect that officers were not allowed to just barge around doing whatever they pleased but should still remain always under their commander's direction.
This caused me to re-look at GAC's orders. Now we do see that famous paragraph about 'the commander places too much confidence in your...' which to some non-military folks may seem like some kind of carte blanche (but still only 'when nearly in contact with the enemy')...but the orders very directly continue on to some very specific 'Commander's Intent' which is pretty damned specific.
And which GAC did not follow.....
He was ordered to acertain the direction the Indian trail leads. And 'Should it be found to turn towards the Little Horn...you should still proceed Southward....and then turn toward the Little Horn....' and so on. Pretty direct language to ex-army me, even if it is couched in 'the commander thinks' type language (which a lot of military orders are said in that way).
Now let's examine this breach of orders. By following the Indian trail directly he stood a better chance of being prematurely spotted by those watching their back trail (as it was, this did not happen), but worse there was a very good chance that he would have come out directly ON the villiage--not above it...or worse yet for the overall mission, what if the Indians had turned UPstream instead of a couple miles down?
Remember the plan was (and hence the orders) were to "preclude the possibility of the escape of the Indians to the south or southeast by passing around your left flank". This was to get the Indians between the Seventh and Gibbon's column.
By not continuing as written orders directed further south from the indian trail, GAC stood a very real chance of jeopardizing the entire operation. If the Indians had turned up stream--a 50-50 chance, and the seventh had come upon them from below, and the Indians scattered as was expected, even had he successfully attacked the villiage GAC would have--should have--been in very hot water militarywise.
I wonder how he would have justfied this had his action screwed up the entire operation and the Indians scattered to the south winds?
Much has been said about Benteen's 'written orders' but less has been said about GAC's disobeyment of his written orders.
Jas~
This caused me to re-look at GAC's orders. Now we do see that famous paragraph about 'the commander places too much confidence in your...' which to some non-military folks may seem like some kind of carte blanche (but still only 'when nearly in contact with the enemy')...but the orders very directly continue on to some very specific 'Commander's Intent' which is pretty damned specific.
And which GAC did not follow.....
He was ordered to acertain the direction the Indian trail leads. And 'Should it be found to turn towards the Little Horn...you should still proceed Southward....and then turn toward the Little Horn....' and so on. Pretty direct language to ex-army me, even if it is couched in 'the commander thinks' type language (which a lot of military orders are said in that way).
Now let's examine this breach of orders. By following the Indian trail directly he stood a better chance of being prematurely spotted by those watching their back trail (as it was, this did not happen), but worse there was a very good chance that he would have come out directly ON the villiage--not above it...or worse yet for the overall mission, what if the Indians had turned UPstream instead of a couple miles down?
Remember the plan was (and hence the orders) were to "preclude the possibility of the escape of the Indians to the south or southeast by passing around your left flank". This was to get the Indians between the Seventh and Gibbon's column.
By not continuing as written orders directed further south from the indian trail, GAC stood a very real chance of jeopardizing the entire operation. If the Indians had turned up stream--a 50-50 chance, and the seventh had come upon them from below, and the Indians scattered as was expected, even had he successfully attacked the villiage GAC would have--should have--been in very hot water militarywise.
I wonder how he would have justfied this had his action screwed up the entire operation and the Indians scattered to the south winds?
Much has been said about Benteen's 'written orders' but less has been said about GAC's disobeyment of his written orders.
Jas~