Indian arrows and other fight techniques

[Melani]

Thanks for that analysis, Gordie. I actually rather enjoy speculating on "what-ifs." The more I do that, the more it seems there really was no way out after the decision to attack was made. So now my brain turns to--what if Custer had managed to coordinate with Terry's column somehow, and the whole bunch of them had attacked the village? I don't even have a clue about where to start thinking about what would have happened in that scenario, and certainly the events leading up to June 25 would have had to be totally different, since in reality Terry was a day later than expected. But it might have been an impressive fight.

In regard to your comment about the kids not needing much prodding, I have often thought that the Indians were really, really p****d off, and the condition of the bodies reflected that. There is another story about somebody who had lost family butchering a soldier like a buffalo.

[biggordie]

And those stories are doubtless true, Melani - just like the one of the two warriors holding a trooper down while another sawed off his head with a sheath knife, or the one where the three women were seen going around and around in a strange kind of gavotte with a guy who had been ostensibly feigning death until they commenced to de-masculinize him. Then there is the one of two of Bloody Knife's nieces parading his head on a pole through the Hunkpapa camp. What people, any people, are capable of when they fear no reprisal, and when they are suitably motivated for it, is virtually unimaginable. As I often said to my children, and now to my grandson - the worst atrocity you can possibly imagine in the darkest depths of your mind has either already been done by someone, probably more than once; is being done at this very instant, or is being planned.

The Cheyennes were known at one time as the "cut finger people" since that was their typical war trophy; the Lakotas were the "cut throat Sioux." Some collected scalps, some other body parts - some strange individuals have been known to collect ears from their victims

- sorta like the matador being awarded the ears and tail of the bull he has just slaughtered [with the aid of umpteen others].

Anyway, as to Terry and Custer coordinating an attack: I doubt that the camps would have stood for that. They would have either run for it, or possibly attacked the weaker of the two columns. Had Custer waited until Terry bumbled his way within co-operating distance - say till the 27th - his presence would have already been discovered and reported, as it was later on the 25th.

The antelope and other hunters would not have had to stay in the valley to confront Custer's forces, and would have discovered Terry's command sometime on the 25th while it was struggling through the Tullock's ridges and ravines, becoming badly separated [not by design] in country not suited to any type of military formations or fighting. Meanwhile, Custer would have been sitting on the Rosebud, probably, waiting for Terry to get into position.

I can see the headlines now....................

Gordie