June 8 and June 9: The Wheels Begin Their Turn

[fred]

The arrival on the Powder River gives Terry a chance to re-assess his situation and link up with Gibbon-- finally. He also plans for a scout, south, more to ensure the absence of hostile bands than to bring any to battle. Some say he asked Custer to lead it and Custer refused, feeling it was a waste of time. Others believe he asked Major Reno, directly. What do we believe?

This-- to me-- is more of the most significant events of the campaign (we will address the actual beginning of the scout and Reno's orders on June 10) as it serves as something of a blueprint for subsequent events and it points out the dichotomy in personalities between the two senior officers of the Seventh Cavalry: ultimately, the cautiousness of Reno and the rashness of Custer. Can we find the parallels here, a day or two before Reno sets out?

Is there reason to believe Custer did what he did just to prove to Reno what Reno should have done, or is Custer's action in refusing to lead the scout a precursor of more sinister ideas?

What do Terry and Gibbon think? What do they plan? How is Gibbon's reconnaissance intelligence handled? Responsibly or not? Should it have told them any more than they got out of it?

To me, the real thinking of the campaign begins in these two or three days. This is where the seeds took hold. What is the significance-- if any-- of these two day's actions?

[elisabeth]

June 9:

At 4 a.m., Terry starts upriver on the Far West. At 11 a.m., he takes Gibbon on board and a conference ensues. Terry's party on the boat consists only of himself and his aide, Lt. Gibbs -- and a single 7th Cavalry officer, Keogh. (Gray, Custer's Last Campaign, p. 175-178.) His role, if any, is unclear; Gray dismisses him as simply "along for the ride". But it would be rash to rule out the possibility that Terry had him there for a reason.

[crzhrs]

Custer once again is not obeying Terry's "suggestions". Is a pattern starting here? Will this be the first of several of Custer's decisions not to do what Terry wants? Will this lead to Custer's decision not to scout Tullock's Creek because it would be a waste of time?

Has Custer followed up on his statement of cutting loose from Terry?

[elisabeth]

He'd already started this pattern, annoying Terry in various ways; on May 31st he'd left the column "without any authority whatsoever", as Terry wrote in his diary, and was reprimanded so severely that he felt obliged to apologise -- or rather, justify himself -- in writing. It has been theorised (by Darling, SATB) that the choice of Reno to lead the scout was intended as a wake-up call to Custer.

In which case, chronology comes in again. Chicken or egg? Did Custer decide the scout would be pointless only after he knew Reno was to lead it? Or had he indeed been offered it and refused? Different accounts differ on the sequence of events.

[fred]

June 8: Remain in camp. Starts raining around 4 p.m.

June 9: Still raining. Remain in camp. Heavy thunderstorms begin around 4 p.m.

[conz]

Out of Bray:

"Late in the afternoon of the eighth, after a twelve-mile march up the Rosebud, the procession of villagers stopped. The Cheyenne camp was already raised when a returning war party streaked into the circle shouting the news of Crook's march. Along the length of the village, to the shouted summons of heralds, councils convened."

One small warparty headed directly for Crook and repulsed Sibley's scouting force on 9 June.

"For three days, spring rains lashed the Rosebud, keeping the Indians in camp. Crazy Horse and his peers debated the intelligence from Tongue River. Convinced by Sitting Bull that the real threat would come from the east, Crazy Horse was reluctant to commit his strength to combating the southern menace..."

I love Kingsley's writing style...very easy history to read!

Note that the heavy rains inhibit Native movement, much moreso the Army's!

Clair

[conz]

"Reaching the Powder late on 7 June, Terry personally went downstream to the Yellowstone the next day, hoping to consult with Gibbon. He was pleasantly surprised to find several couriers from Gibbon's force at the river. Here, he finally gained the intelligence that Gibbon had not heretofore reported. Terry now took control of both columns." - CGSC brief

[conz]

Terry cannot order Reno directly, because Reno is subordinate to Custer...that is silly.

Terry gives the mission to conduct the scout to Custer, and Custer decides whether he will lead it, or a subordinate will.

Perhaps Terry desired Custer to lead it personally because he trusted Custer more than any subordinate, but it is Custer's prerogative to designate who will perform this mission...Reno, Benteen, or Keogh being likely choices, depending upon the size of the scout.

Terry may have suggested the size of the scout, and this he COULD have ordered if it was really important, but would have consulted with the Regimental commander about it certainly.

Custer was the expert here, and the cavalry leader. Terry would not be telling him much about how to do his job...back then just like today.

The interesting investigation is why Custer chose Reno to lead it. Was it:
1) because of size (large battalion) so the next senior officer had to?
2) because Custer wanted to give Reno the experience?
3) because Custer wanted Reno to have to "prove himself," like a test?
4) because it would get his 2IC out of the way?
5) because Custer didn't trust Benteen to do it?

Military decisions can be full of implications. <g>

Clair

[AZ Ranger]

Shavetails and Bell Sharps
The History of the U.S Army Mule

By Emmett M. Essin


"On June 8, each troop of the Seventh received a string of eleven mules that probably consisted of seven mules trained for packing and four wagon mules. The wagon mules most likely had never caqrried supplies on thier back, and troopers of the Seventh had never packed even trained pack animals."

[Horse Thief]

According to Willert, the Dakota Column:

June 07: Arrived at the Powder River (site of "Locate, MT")
June 08: Remained in camp
June 09: Remained in camp
June 10: Camped 6 miles North of the Mizpah Creek Junction
(with the Powder)

Anyone know why they would move South, up the Powder about 6 miles, to Mizpah Creek on the 10th, then on the 11th march North to the Yellowstone ?