Post by herosrest on Jan 25, 2013 21:47:29 GMT -6
Without Custer's knowledge, the Regiment moved forward around 8:45 a.m. to encamp a second time shortly after 10:00 a.m. Do people actually believe this stuff.....?
The Marches Before the Fight
The distance from the mouth of the Rosebud, where Custer started out, to the battle field at the mouth of the Little Big Horn was something over one hundred miles. I think the first day we marched twelve miles, the second day thirty-five miles, the third day thirty-three miles, and the fourth and last day twenty-five to twenty-eight miles. We started at noon on the 22d of June, and did not reach the battle field until about noon on the 25th of June. All stories about Custer running his men and horses until they were worn out by the time they arrived on the battle field are unqualifiedly false. A heavy pack train kept up with us. The movements of Custer throughout the march, so far as I could judge, were deliberate and soldierly in the extreme.
By rapid marches, day and night, half-past ten o'clock on the morning of the 25th June found the regiment about to begin the ascent of the divide between the Rosebud and the Little Big Horn rivers.
Early the same morning the hostile camp had been located by the scouts in the valley of the Little Big Horn. It was Custer's intention to remain concealed until night, and then make his dispositions to attack the Indian village at dawn on the 26th; but shortly after halting he received information which assured him that his presence was known to the hostiles.
To prevent their escape he determined to march at once to the attack.
Custer divided his regiment into three squadrons; one, of five troops, he commanded himself, the other two, of three troops each, were commanded by Reno and Benteen respectively.
Reno had the advance, and he was ordered "to move forward at as rapid a gait as he thought prudent, and charge the village afterwards, and the whole outfit would support him." He directed Benteen to move off to the left and south until he could see the valley of the Little Big Horn�to attack anything he found, and to send him word.
When about three-quarters of a mile from the Little Big Horn Custer swung off the trail to his right, evidently intending to support Reno's attack by striking the Indians in flank.
It was now about one o'clock in the afternoon. Reno moved forward and crossed the river without molestation, delaying twenty minutes to water. He continued his advance down the valley under a desultory fire for two miles, when he was brought to a stand by a large mounted force of Indians.
www.history.army.mil/books/R&H/R&H-7Cav.htm[/right]
The column marched at 5 a.m. the 24th. The Crow scouts had been out much earlier and returned to the command about 6 a.m., stating that they had seen fresh signs of Sioux.
A halt was made for lunch about noon at the forks of the Rosebud, near Lame Deer and the regiment rested here until 5 p.m. The command moved at 5 p.m. and crossed to the left bank and passed through the sites of several large camps. The Indian Trail was new and the valley floor was scarred by the trailing lodge poles. Scouts were again sent ahead and camp was made at 7:45 p.m. near where the small village of Busby now stands. During the day the headwaters of Tullock's Creek, which Terry had directed Custer to scout and report were near. However, Custer did not then, or at any time, scout this area, and Terry with Gibbon was left in ignorance of Custer's position, or what had been found.
The command had marched 28 miles by 7:45 p.m., the 24th, but the animals had been under saddle, on the alert, or marching, from 5 a.m. until 7:45 p.m., a total of 14 hours and 45 minutes, and 9 hours and 45 minutes was consumed in actual march conditions. Every cavalryman knows that it is not alone the distance covered by an animal that wears him down, but also the time spent in making that distance. We may very well assume that Custer's horses and mules were exhausted and worn, the evening before that last day of life for so many of them. Yet much remained to be done before the last great halt.
At 9 o'clock the scouts returned and reported that the Indian Trail crossed the divide and into the valley of the Little Big Horn. It should be noted how much extra distance the ponies of the scouts were covering and had been covering since leaving the camp on the Powder. Their animals became so fatigued that several were unable to keep up with the command and dropped to the rear.
The column moved out again about 1:00 a.m. of the 25th, but due to delays in the pack train had only proceeded about 8 miles by daylight. A halt was made here and some of the men made coffee which was so bitter from the alkaline water that it was not drinkable. The horses had no water for the same reason.
At about 7:00 a.m. Custer received a message from Varnum who was ahead with scouts at a point on the divide later called "Crows Nest." Custer at once gave orders for the regiment to march at 8:00 a.m., and he, together with some scouts proceeded to join Varnum. The scouts, particularly Bouyer tried hard to show Custer where the Indian Village lay on the Little Big Horn about 15 miles northwest. Even with glasses Custer was unable to see it and expressed the opinion that there was no village there. This opinion, or obsession, seemed to have remained his and to have guided all his subsequent actions, at least until the time he ordered Reno to attack, and even at that time the village could be seen only in small part, if at all. However the scouts on Crows Nest knew. They knew by the dust, smoke, and the great pony herd on the mesa west of the Indian camp, even though the bluffs along the east bank of the Little Big Horn effectively screened the tepees. Had Custer accepted the humble but expert advice of these scouts how different the fate of the regiment might have been. But Custer was Custer! He accepted no advice not conforming to his pre-conceived opinions.
At this time, while observations were being made on Crows Nest, six Sioux appeared near the divide and must certainly have located the command. They quickly disappeared and the Crow scouts told Custer that the enemy would surely be warned.
Custer rejoined the command which had arrived and was sheltered in a deep ravine just east of the Crows Nest, and issued orders that each troop detail one officer and six enlisted men to accompany the pack train.
It seems advisable here to check up on the condition of men and horses and the writer can do no better than to quote from the "Custer Tragedy" by Dustin. – "Concerning the condition of the command at this time it may be summed up thus: On June 22nd, the command marched 12 miles going into camp at 4:00 p.m. On the 23rd, starting at 5:00 a.m. the march was 33 miles, camping at 4 :30. On the 24th, moving at 5:00 a.m., marched until 1:00 p.m., moving out again at 5:00 p.m. and camping at 7:45 p.m. distance 28 miles. On the 25th the command marched at 1:00 a.m., none of the men having had more than three hours sleep, and many of them none at all. This march continued until about 4:00 a.m., and was resumed at 8:00 a.m. covering a distance of probably 14 miles to the ravine at the foot of the Crows Nest. From this point to the Custer Field Monument the distance is not less than 20 miles over his route, and Reno, in reaching his final position, traveled still farther, while Benteen's three troops added at least 6 or 8 miles in their march. It will be manifest, therefore, that Custer and Reno's battalions marched over 60 miles from 5 o'clock in the morning of the 24th to approximately 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th, Benteen, upwards of 70 miles and the pack train and its escort over 55 miles, in a period of 33 hours, including halts, with very little sleep or food, hardly any water, almost no grass, and but few oats for the animals."
Another matter we must consider is that the scouts had covered from 10 to 25 miles more than any of the troops with the possible exception of Varnum and those in Benteen's battalion.
Military necessity cannot be urged as the motive for this abuse of men and animals. Custer was to have arrived on the Little Big Horn to cooperate with Gibbon on the 26th; instead he reached the objective about 24 hours too soon. Had this additional time been allotted the marches, men and animals would not have reached the scene of action in the exhausted state which was theirs.
To return to the command which was left in the ravine east of the Crows Nest when the last troop commander, McDougall, reported "ready," it was noon of the 25th of June. The column moved across the divide and at 12:15 p.m., Custer halted and divided the command into three battalions, or squadrons. Reno was given troops A. G. and M., Benteen got H. D. and K., and Custer himself retained the rest. Varnum and Hare had the scouts. The command totaled about 630 men.
The halt was brief, and Benteen moving out to the left under Custer's orders to scout a line of bluffs five miles or so to the front and to look for Indians, was soon out of sight of the remainder of the command which marched down Reno Creek, Custer on the right bank and Reno on the left. In this way they covered about 12 miles. At about this time some Indians were seen running their horses toward the Little Big Horn and Custer, apparently considering the village was in retreat, ordered Reno with his battalion ahead. Reno was ordered to move forward as rapidly as prudent, charge afterward, and was told that he would be supported by the "whole outfit." Reno forded the Little Big Horn near the point where Reno Creek empties and halted on the left bank to form his command. Many of the horses had scattered in crossing in their frantic efforts to drink. However no halt was made for watering and a hastily snatched swallow here and there was all the desperately thirsty animals got. Reno had about two-and-a-half miles to cover between the ford and his first position of attack. As soon as his battalion was formed he took up the trot and after a short distance the gallop, which was held until the command dismounted to fight on foot at a bend in the river opposite the present site of the village Garryowen. Here these horses got such rest as might be possible in the excitement of battle. Then followed the wild dash of Reno's charge to regain and cross the river and reach the bluffs beyond.
Gerard indicated they saw what looked like a small village moving upstream toward the large village. This gave those at the lookout pause. Was the village trying to escape? It is more likely this was a small group of Indians just arriving in camp, but whether this was discussed is not known. In any event, the news of the Indians seen around the Crow's Nest was mentioned at this time. This upset Custer. He then led the entire party on a quick ride back to the regiment. However, instead of having to return 8 miles to the camp, he found them only a mile or so short of the divide. After Custer left the camp for the Crow's Nest, the entire camp had moved forward around 8:45 a.m. and had encamped a second time shortly after 10:00 a.m. All this was done without Custer's knowledge. (continued) >[/color] home.comcast.net/~jbusse1/june25.htm This link expired and no longer points to the previously relevant battle resource. Link I am unable to update the resource.
A little more hunting and the resource was, possibly still is, linked to Friends Website. www.slinqs.com/en/site/friendslittlebighorn.com#seo
Data ~ ' The Little Big Horn-Photos Maps & Links - Comcast.net home.comcast.net/~jbusse1/links.htm Roll your own.
1.2.3.12/bmi/www.us7thcavcof.com/ZZZ.jpg
CUSTER's RIDE
great-american-adventures.com/testimonials/custers-ride-glory/
~
The Marches Before the Fight
The distance from the mouth of the Rosebud, where Custer started out, to the battle field at the mouth of the Little Big Horn was something over one hundred miles. I think the first day we marched twelve miles, the second day thirty-five miles, the third day thirty-three miles, and the fourth and last day twenty-five to twenty-eight miles. We started at noon on the 22d of June, and did not reach the battle field until about noon on the 25th of June. All stories about Custer running his men and horses until they were worn out by the time they arrived on the battle field are unqualifiedly false. A heavy pack train kept up with us. The movements of Custer throughout the march, so far as I could judge, were deliberate and soldierly in the extreme.
George B. Herendeen
Helena Herald, January 4, 1878
www.astonisher.com/archives/museum/geo_herendeen2_little_big_horn.html
Helena Herald, January 4, 1878
www.astonisher.com/archives/museum/geo_herendeen2_little_big_horn.html
By rapid marches, day and night, half-past ten o'clock on the morning of the 25th June found the regiment about to begin the ascent of the divide between the Rosebud and the Little Big Horn rivers.
Early the same morning the hostile camp had been located by the scouts in the valley of the Little Big Horn. It was Custer's intention to remain concealed until night, and then make his dispositions to attack the Indian village at dawn on the 26th; but shortly after halting he received information which assured him that his presence was known to the hostiles.
To prevent their escape he determined to march at once to the attack.
Custer divided his regiment into three squadrons; one, of five troops, he commanded himself, the other two, of three troops each, were commanded by Reno and Benteen respectively.
Reno had the advance, and he was ordered "to move forward at as rapid a gait as he thought prudent, and charge the village afterwards, and the whole outfit would support him." He directed Benteen to move off to the left and south until he could see the valley of the Little Big Horn�to attack anything he found, and to send him word.
When about three-quarters of a mile from the Little Big Horn Custer swung off the trail to his right, evidently intending to support Reno's attack by striking the Indians in flank.
It was now about one o'clock in the afternoon. Reno moved forward and crossed the river without molestation, delaying twenty minutes to water. He continued his advance down the valley under a desultory fire for two miles, when he was brought to a stand by a large mounted force of Indians.
Brig. Gen. E. A. GARLINGTON
1896www.history.army.mil/books/R&H/R&H-7Cav.htm[/right]
The column marched at 5 a.m. the 24th. The Crow scouts had been out much earlier and returned to the command about 6 a.m., stating that they had seen fresh signs of Sioux.
A halt was made for lunch about noon at the forks of the Rosebud, near Lame Deer and the regiment rested here until 5 p.m. The command moved at 5 p.m. and crossed to the left bank and passed through the sites of several large camps. The Indian Trail was new and the valley floor was scarred by the trailing lodge poles. Scouts were again sent ahead and camp was made at 7:45 p.m. near where the small village of Busby now stands. During the day the headwaters of Tullock's Creek, which Terry had directed Custer to scout and report were near. However, Custer did not then, or at any time, scout this area, and Terry with Gibbon was left in ignorance of Custer's position, or what had been found.
The command had marched 28 miles by 7:45 p.m., the 24th, but the animals had been under saddle, on the alert, or marching, from 5 a.m. until 7:45 p.m., a total of 14 hours and 45 minutes, and 9 hours and 45 minutes was consumed in actual march conditions. Every cavalryman knows that it is not alone the distance covered by an animal that wears him down, but also the time spent in making that distance. We may very well assume that Custer's horses and mules were exhausted and worn, the evening before that last day of life for so many of them. Yet much remained to be done before the last great halt.
At 9 o'clock the scouts returned and reported that the Indian Trail crossed the divide and into the valley of the Little Big Horn. It should be noted how much extra distance the ponies of the scouts were covering and had been covering since leaving the camp on the Powder. Their animals became so fatigued that several were unable to keep up with the command and dropped to the rear.
The column moved out again about 1:00 a.m. of the 25th, but due to delays in the pack train had only proceeded about 8 miles by daylight. A halt was made here and some of the men made coffee which was so bitter from the alkaline water that it was not drinkable. The horses had no water for the same reason.
At about 7:00 a.m. Custer received a message from Varnum who was ahead with scouts at a point on the divide later called "Crows Nest." Custer at once gave orders for the regiment to march at 8:00 a.m., and he, together with some scouts proceeded to join Varnum. The scouts, particularly Bouyer tried hard to show Custer where the Indian Village lay on the Little Big Horn about 15 miles northwest. Even with glasses Custer was unable to see it and expressed the opinion that there was no village there. This opinion, or obsession, seemed to have remained his and to have guided all his subsequent actions, at least until the time he ordered Reno to attack, and even at that time the village could be seen only in small part, if at all. However the scouts on Crows Nest knew. They knew by the dust, smoke, and the great pony herd on the mesa west of the Indian camp, even though the bluffs along the east bank of the Little Big Horn effectively screened the tepees. Had Custer accepted the humble but expert advice of these scouts how different the fate of the regiment might have been. But Custer was Custer! He accepted no advice not conforming to his pre-conceived opinions.
At this time, while observations were being made on Crows Nest, six Sioux appeared near the divide and must certainly have located the command. They quickly disappeared and the Crow scouts told Custer that the enemy would surely be warned.
Custer rejoined the command which had arrived and was sheltered in a deep ravine just east of the Crows Nest, and issued orders that each troop detail one officer and six enlisted men to accompany the pack train.
It seems advisable here to check up on the condition of men and horses and the writer can do no better than to quote from the "Custer Tragedy" by Dustin. – "Concerning the condition of the command at this time it may be summed up thus: On June 22nd, the command marched 12 miles going into camp at 4:00 p.m. On the 23rd, starting at 5:00 a.m. the march was 33 miles, camping at 4 :30. On the 24th, moving at 5:00 a.m., marched until 1:00 p.m., moving out again at 5:00 p.m. and camping at 7:45 p.m. distance 28 miles. On the 25th the command marched at 1:00 a.m., none of the men having had more than three hours sleep, and many of them none at all. This march continued until about 4:00 a.m., and was resumed at 8:00 a.m. covering a distance of probably 14 miles to the ravine at the foot of the Crows Nest. From this point to the Custer Field Monument the distance is not less than 20 miles over his route, and Reno, in reaching his final position, traveled still farther, while Benteen's three troops added at least 6 or 8 miles in their march. It will be manifest, therefore, that Custer and Reno's battalions marched over 60 miles from 5 o'clock in the morning of the 24th to approximately 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th, Benteen, upwards of 70 miles and the pack train and its escort over 55 miles, in a period of 33 hours, including halts, with very little sleep or food, hardly any water, almost no grass, and but few oats for the animals."
Another matter we must consider is that the scouts had covered from 10 to 25 miles more than any of the troops with the possible exception of Varnum and those in Benteen's battalion.
Military necessity cannot be urged as the motive for this abuse of men and animals. Custer was to have arrived on the Little Big Horn to cooperate with Gibbon on the 26th; instead he reached the objective about 24 hours too soon. Had this additional time been allotted the marches, men and animals would not have reached the scene of action in the exhausted state which was theirs.
To return to the command which was left in the ravine east of the Crows Nest when the last troop commander, McDougall, reported "ready," it was noon of the 25th of June. The column moved across the divide and at 12:15 p.m., Custer halted and divided the command into three battalions, or squadrons. Reno was given troops A. G. and M., Benteen got H. D. and K., and Custer himself retained the rest. Varnum and Hare had the scouts. The command totaled about 630 men.
The halt was brief, and Benteen moving out to the left under Custer's orders to scout a line of bluffs five miles or so to the front and to look for Indians, was soon out of sight of the remainder of the command which marched down Reno Creek, Custer on the right bank and Reno on the left. In this way they covered about 12 miles. At about this time some Indians were seen running their horses toward the Little Big Horn and Custer, apparently considering the village was in retreat, ordered Reno with his battalion ahead. Reno was ordered to move forward as rapidly as prudent, charge afterward, and was told that he would be supported by the "whole outfit." Reno forded the Little Big Horn near the point where Reno Creek empties and halted on the left bank to form his command. Many of the horses had scattered in crossing in their frantic efforts to drink. However no halt was made for watering and a hastily snatched swallow here and there was all the desperately thirsty animals got. Reno had about two-and-a-half miles to cover between the ford and his first position of attack. As soon as his battalion was formed he took up the trot and after a short distance the gallop, which was held until the command dismounted to fight on foot at a bend in the river opposite the present site of the village Garryowen. Here these horses got such rest as might be possible in the excitement of battle. Then followed the wild dash of Reno's charge to regain and cross the river and reach the bluffs beyond.
Gerard indicated they saw what looked like a small village moving upstream toward the large village. This gave those at the lookout pause. Was the village trying to escape? It is more likely this was a small group of Indians just arriving in camp, but whether this was discussed is not known. In any event, the news of the Indians seen around the Crow's Nest was mentioned at this time. This upset Custer. He then led the entire party on a quick ride back to the regiment. However, instead of having to return 8 miles to the camp, he found them only a mile or so short of the divide. After Custer left the camp for the Crow's Nest, the entire camp had moved forward around 8:45 a.m. and had encamped a second time shortly after 10:00 a.m. All this was done without Custer's knowledge. (continued) >[/color] home.comcast.net/~jbusse1/june25.htm This link expired and no longer points to the previously relevant battle resource. Link I am unable to update the resource.
A little more hunting and the resource was, possibly still is, linked to Friends Website. www.slinqs.com/en/site/friendslittlebighorn.com#seo
Data ~ ' The Little Big Horn-Photos Maps & Links - Comcast.net home.comcast.net/~jbusse1/links.htm
1.2.3.12/bmi/www.us7thcavcof.com/ZZZ.jpg
CUSTER's RIDE
great-american-adventures.com/testimonials/custers-ride-glory/
~
