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Post by bighornbuff on Nov 27, 2009 8:54:22 GMT -6
Amazing what the new rifles could and did do. Otherwise, this would have been a total disaster. I was reading where the new Springfield rifles were issued specifically because of what happened with Fetterman and his men.
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Post by crzhrs on Dec 7, 2009 8:28:41 GMT -6
If the men didn't have the rapid fire rifles, more than likely they would have all been killed . . . the warriors may have suffered casualties but not like they did with Fetterman when the two frontiersmen killed/wounded many warriors because they had new rapid fire rifles. Firepower can make the difference if men are organized, disciplined, and have competent leadership (it doesn't hurt to be in a fortified position, either)!
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Post by bighornbuff on Dec 7, 2009 12:36:15 GMT -6
I agree that all would have been killed had they not had that kind of rifle. I think the Indians were quite baffled by the withering gunfire.
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Post by markland on Jan 7, 2010 6:13:33 GMT -6
While going through the Ft. Phil Kearny post returns a few days ago, I spotted something important beginning either in March or April. The post returns began reporting target practice results. It is a well known fact that Carrington had never instituted formal target practice but Wessels did. Each company's results are there from what I remember seeing. Later I'll post those. The important thing is that without having learned to shoot, I don't think the breech-loaders would have been as significant at the WB fight as they were.
Billy
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Post by El Crab on Mar 18, 2010 22:53:21 GMT -6
Likely due to the government finally making sure the soldiers stationed on the Bozeman had ammunition. When Carrington was sent to build the posts, they went with less ammunition than was expected. And after establishing the posts and spending months there, each post was woefully low on ammunition.
Sadly, it took Fetterman's destruction to get the government to equip them properly.
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Post by wolfgang911 on Mar 29, 2010 16:44:09 GMT -6
they build the forts as a home base for expeditions and did not have any clue being attacked in it or next to it, so the ammo and the training was waiting for the forts being finished, and then gety out there, that is at least what carrington wrote didn't he
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