Heroism in American History : watch the video

YouTube ^ | custerdivision

[drzz]

Many historians in America are complaining that people are not interested in American History, and not ready to want accuracy.

Here is a video about Custer's Last Stand, in words and pictures.

Enjoy 6 minutes of accurate American history! (this video was done by a Custer historian)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKeTsG2JpQA

[isthisnickcool]

Whoever made that video needs to get themselves a spelling checker.

[johnny7]

If you want the truth... look elsewhere.

[drzz]

In fact, one of my friend wrote a historical book about the battle of the Little Big Horn - and he completely agrees with this statement.

The testimonies shown in the video are accurate, and the “betrayal thesis” is a favorite in LBH historiens since a long time.

Even US general in chief Nelson A. Miles agreed with this thesis in his 1898 autobiography.

What’s on that video is completely accurate.

[gate2wire]

Couldn’t even get halfway through.
Sorry, boring, nothing new.
Blame it on Reno and Benteen. Yawn.

[drzz]

Have you read the Reno Court of Inquiry report ? A book about Custer?

Here is what Historian Robert Utley wrote in “Cavalier in Buckskin”, page 159-162:

“Despite the consequences, the decision to attack on June 25 was sound. […]

“Benteen counted himself out, as timing factors shows. When he came back to the main trail, he was about half an hour behind Custer and Reno. When he neared the mouth of Reno Creek, he was one hour and twenty minutes behind. Had he moved at the same pace as Custer, had he RESPONDED to the messages brought by Kanipe and Martin [which were orders] with the swiftness that Custer expected, Benteen migh well have fought alongside Custer. […] that don’t excuse the laggard pace that kept one-fourth of the regiment out of the fight at the decisive moment.

Reno also failed Custer, as well as every test of leadership. […]

Could Custer have won ? […] Good arguments, however, do support a conclusion that, even against the Sioux and Cheyennes in all their numbers and power, he could have won. […]

[Benteen’s] swift march on Custer’s trail on receiving Kanipe’s report [or orders] might have brought him to Medicine Tail with the action still centered there. Had Reno held in the valley, Benteen’s timely appearance would have given Custer eight companies with which to storm into the village and perhaps carry the day.

But one conclusion seems plain : George Armstrong Custer doesn’t deserve the indictement that history has imposed on him for his actions at the Little Bighorn. Given what he knew at each decision point and what he HAD EVERY REASON TO EXPECT FROM HIS SUBORDINATES, one is hard pressed to say that he ought to have done differently.”

[drzz]

Lawyer Edward A. Zimmerman, Esq., Military and Veterans National Law Center (Edina, Minnesota) speaks about the Reno Court of Inquiry and the battle of the Little Bighorn:

“There is also ample evidence that Custer conducted his movements according to accepted military doctrine and in complete accord with the broad orders orders and full discretion given him by General Terry.”

“The findings of the Court of Inquiry was evasive, ambiguous and biased and were, in major respects, completely inconsistent with the bulk of the evidence presented to the panel.”

“It is, of course, difficult to answer to all the questions that could be raised about Custer and his “Last Stand” 120 years after the battle. But it isn’t necessary to question wether Custer was set up of shut up to deal with the sampler issues concerning his conduct of his last battle which still cloud his name today.”

“My conclusion is that the evidence presented at the Reno Court of Inquiry and the larger historical record shows that Major Reno and Captain Benteen abandoned Custer.”

letter of August 4 1995, extract of a letter to Robert Nightengale, (Nightengale, Robert, Little Bighorn, FarWest Publishing, appendix A)

[gate2wire]

Like I said-nothing new here.

[drzz]

So why so many Americans are still condemning Custer? He was betrayed in the middle of the battle and has to carry the guilty of the defeat?

[johnny7]

In fact, one of my friend wrote a historical book about the battle of the Little Big Horn

Then your friend is not that well versed on the battle. I advise you to do your own research. Anyone can make such a 'statement'... when they cherry-pick their quotes and intersperse them amidst paintings/drawings of overactive imaginations.

[drzz]

Oh, really?

He spent 5 years in the USA searching on the battlefield and read more books than me in my entire life.

Remember that US General in Chief Nelson A. Miles himself said that it was a betrayal. And even the Reno Court of Inquiry Responsible Jesse Lee admitted that Reno and Benteen were guilty of not doing their duty.

A 1997 study of the battle said that Benteen and Reno were waiting without doing anything, while Custer was fighting (to sumarize: 11% of the fight by Benteen and Reno, and 88% for Custer). A 2000 book by Larry Sklenar, member of the Pentagon, said that it was a betrayal.

See this website
http://www.custerwest.org

[drzz]

General Nelson A. Miles, commander in chief of the entire US army, wrote his Memoirs in 1898 and stated that “Nobody can win a battle with 2/5 of his troops out of the fight.” (p.290, Personnal Recollection of Nelson A. Miles)

[johnny7]

I've studied the Battle of the Little Bighorn for over 20 years... read just about every human account of the battle. I have read the Court of Inquiry findings... Benteen's diary... along with the accounts of the last troopers who left Custer(Martin and Kanipe). I also know about the Battle of the Rosebud... and Crooks larger force who had difficulties with a smaller force of Sioux & Cheyenne.

I've been to the battlefield several times... climbed to the top of Weir Point(to the angst of a park ranger) and vidoetaped the entire terrain between Last Stand Hill and the Reno/Benteen Redoubt.

I also know the difference between someones imagination... and cold, hard facts.

I'm not going to get into a pi$$ing match with you. If you want to get as close as you can to what happened at the LB... seek out these credible tomes:

The Custer Myth
Custer's Luck
Custer's Last Campaign
Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn
With Crook at the Rosebud

[drzz]

Here is an extract of what the maker of the movie read to make it:

ADARE, Sierra, Fort Laramie: Getaway to the Far West, dans le Wild West, décembre 1999

AILLIOT, Patrick, La révolte des Sioux du Minnesota, dans le “Courrier de la Guerre d’Amérique”, revue interne du Club Confédéré et Fédéral de France (CCFF), avril 1997

AMBROSE, Stephen E., Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors, Garden City, Doubleday & Co, 1975

______, Undaunted Courage, Lewis And Clark and the opening of the West, New York, Touchstone Books, 1996

ANDERSON, Ian, Sitting Bull and the Mounties, dans le Wild West, février 1998

BARNARD, Sandy, Shovels and Speculation, Archeology hunts Custer, Billings, Ast Press, 1990

BARNETT, Louise, Touched by Fire: The Life, Death, and Mythic Afterlife of George Armstrong Custer, New York, Henry Holt & Company, 1996

BENNETT, William J., America, the last best hope, Nashville, Nelson Current, 2006

BERGER Yves et DUBOIS, Daniel, Les Indiens des Plaines, Paris, Rocher/Nuage Rouge, rééd. 2000

BERTHONG, Donald J., The Southern Cheyennes, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1979

BIG MAN Jr., Allen, Curley, the sole survivor of Custer’s command, dans le True West Magazine, mai/juin 2001

BRILL, Charles J., Conquest of the Southern Plains, New York, Millwood, 1975

BROWN, Dee, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, New York, Bantam Books, 1972

______, The American West, New York, Touchstone Books, 1994

CARROLL, John M. (éd.) Custer in the Civil War: His Unfinished Memoirs, San Rafael, Presidio Press, 1977

______, Custer in Texas: An Interupted Narrative, New York, Sol Lewis and Liveright, 1975

______, They Rode with Custer: a Biographical Directory of the Men who rode with General Custer, Mattituck, John M. Carroll & Co, 1993

CARROLL John M. et FROST, Lawrence A., Private Theodore Ewert’s Diary of the Black Hills Expedition of 1874, Piscataway, 1976

CATTON, Bruce, The Civil War, New York, American Heritage/Wing Books, 1988

CHIAVENTONE, Frederick J., A Road We Do Not Know, Albuquerque, New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press, rééd. 1998

CONNELL, Evan, S., Son of the Morning Star, General Custer and the Little Bighorn, London, Pimlico Books, rééd. 1999

CORNUT, David, Little Big Horn, autopsie d’une bataille légendaire, Parçay-sur-Vienne, Anovi, 2006

COX, Kurt Hamilton, Custer and his Commands, from West Point to Little Bighorn, London, Greenhill Books, 1999

CUSTER, Général George A., My Life on the Plains or Personal Experiences with Indians, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, rééd. 1962

CUSTER, Elizabeth Bacon, Tenting on the Plains, or General Custer in Texas and Kansas, New York, Charles Webster & Co, rééd. 1960

______, Following the Guidon, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, rééd. 1966

CUTLER, Bruce, The Massacre at Sand Creek: Narratives Voices, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1995

DARLING, Roger, Custer’s Seventh Cavalry Comes to Dakota, El Segundo, Upton & Sons, 1989

______, A Sad and Terrible Blunder: Generals Terry and Custer at Little Bighorn, New Discoveries, Vienna, Potomac/Western Press, 1992

DELANOE, Nelcya, L’Entaille Rouge : des terres indiennes à la démocratie américaine, 1776-1996, Paris, Albin Michel, rééd. 1996

DELORIA Jr., Vine, Custer Died For your Sins, An Indian Manifesto, New York, Avon Books, 1969

DEWAELHEYNS, Georges et PURNELLE, Véronique, La campagne et la bataille de Little Bighorn, dans “AMERICANA”, revue interne du Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur l’Histoire de l’Amérique du Nord (GERHAN), été 1996

DOERNER, John A., The Boys of ’76, Seventh cavalry Letters and Recollections of the 1876 Sioux Campaign, dans le True West Magazine, mai/juin 2001

EPPLE, Jess C., Custer’s Battle of the Washita and a history of the Plains Indians tribe, New York, Exposition Press, 1970

EVERITT, David, 1871 War On Terror : unprecedented action to crack down the Ku Klux Klan, dans le “American History Magazine”, juin 2003

FEADER, Gustav, Custer at Gettysburg, dans le “Civil War Magazine”, juin 1990

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), dossier 95-3820, 1954

FOX, Richard A., Archeology History and Custer’s Last Battle, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1993

FROST, Lawrence A., The Custer Album, a Pictorial Biography of General George A. Custer, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1964

______, The Court Martial of General George Armstrong Custer, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1968

______, Custer’s Seventh Cavalry and the Campaign of 1873, El Segundo, Upton & Sons, 1986.

______, With Custer in ’74: James Calhoun’s Diary of the Black Hills Expedition, Provo, Young University Press, 1979

GRAY, John S., Centennial Campaign, the Sioux War of 1876, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1988

______, Custer’s Last Campaign: Mitch Bouyer and the Little Bighorn Reconstructed, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1991

GREENE, Jerome A., The Great Sioux War, dans le “True West Magazine”, mai/juin 2001

______, Washita 1868: The Army and the Southern Cheyennes, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 2004

______, Evidence and the Custer Enigma : A Reconstruction of Indian-Military History, Golden, Outbooks, 1986

______, Yellowstone Command : Colonel Nelson A. Miles and the Great Sioux War 1876-1877, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1991

GRINNELL, George Bird, The Fighting Cheyennes, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1956

GUAGE, Duane, Black Kettle : A “Noble Savage” ?, dans les Chronicles of Oklahoma, 1967

HAMMER, Kenneth, Custer in ’76: Walter Camp’s Notes on the Custer Fight, Provo, Bingham Young University Press, 1976

HARDORFF, Richard G., Lakota recollections of the Custer Fight: New Sources of Indian-Military History, Spokane, Clark, 1991

______, Cheyennes Memories of the Custer Fight, Spokane, Clark, 1995

______, Hoka Hey ! The Indian Casualties at the Custer Fight, Spokane, Arthur H. Clarke Company, 1993

HARMON, Dick, SCOTT, Douglas D., FOX, Richard A., et CONNOR, Melissa A., Archeological Perspective on The Battle of Little Bighorn, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1993

HART, Louis et McCUNE B.F., The Fatal Fetterman Fight, dans le Wild West, décembre 1997

HASSRICK, Royal B., The Sioux: Life and Customs of a Warrior Society, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972

HATCH, Thomas, Custer and the Little Bighorn, Jefferson, McFarland Press, 1997

HOIG, Stanley, The Sand Creek Massacre, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1961

______, The Battle of the Washita, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1976

HOOK, Jason, The American Plains Indians, Wellingborough, Osprey Publishing, 1985

HUTTON, Paul A. (éd.), The Custer reader, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1992

______, Phil Sheridan and His Army, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1985

JACQUIN, Phillipe, Histoire des Indiens d’Amérique du Nord, Paris, Payot, 1976

______, La terre des Peaux-Rouges, Paris, Gallimard, 2000

JENSEN, Richard E., ELI, Paul et CARTER, John E., Eyewitness at Wounded Knee, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1991

JOLY, Eric, Custer, la vérité sur les guerres indiennes des grandes plaines d’Amérique du Nord, Paris, France-Empire, 2005

JONES, Douglas C., The Treaty of Medicine Lodge, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1966

KATZ, Mark D., Custer in Photographs, A photographic biography of the most intriguing Boy General, Garry Owen, Custer Battlefield Museum Publishing, 2000

KRAFT, Louis, Custer and the Cheyennes: George Armstrong Custer’s Winter Campaign on the Southern Plains, El Segundo, Upton & Sons, 1995

KUHLMAN, Charles, Did Custer Disobey Orders at the Battle of Little Bighorn?, Harrisburg, Stackpole Books, 1957

LANEYRIE-DAGEN, Nadeije, Les grandes batailles, Paris, Larousse, 1997

LANGELIER, John P., Custer: The Man, The Myth, The Movies, New York, Stackpole Books, 2000

LALIRE, Gregory, Lakotas : Feared Fighters of the Plains, dans le Wild West, avril 2001

LECKIE, Shirley A., Elizabeth Bacon Custer and the Making of a Myth, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1993

LEHUNSEC, Mathieu, Moeurs et coutumes des Indiens d’Amérique, document non publié transmis grâce à l’amabilité de son auteur

LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Reno-Benteen entrenchment Trail, 2002

MALCOLMSON, Scott L., One Droop of Blood, the American Misadventure of Race, New York, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2000

MANGUM, Neil C., The Civil War Custer, dans le True West Magazine, mai/juin 2001

McPHERSON, James M., La guerre de Sécession, Paris, Robert Laffont, 1991

MERINGTON, Marguerite (éd.), The Custer Story, The Life and Intimate Letters of General Custer and His Wife Elizabeth, New York, The Devin-Adair Company, 1950

MICHNO, Gregory F., The Real Villains of Sand Creek, dans le Wild West Magazine, 2004

______, Lakota Noon : The Indian Narrative of Custer’s defeat, Missoula, Mountain Press Company, 1997

MILES, Général Nelson A., Personnal Recollection and Observation of General Nelson A. Miles, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, rééd. 1992

MILLER, David H., Custer’s Fall: The Indian Side of the Story, New York, Duel/Sloan/Pierces, 1957

MONAGHAN, Jay, Custer : The life of General George A. Custer, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1971

NICHOLS, Ronald H., In Custer’s Shadow: The life of Major Marcus Reno, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1999

NIGHTENGALE, Robert, Little Big Horn, Edina, FarWest Publishing, 1996

PANZERI, Peter, Little Big Horn, 1876, Wellingborough, Osprey Publishing, 1995

PATRIC, William C., Custer’s Black Hills Expedition, dans le American History Magazine, juin 2003

PEARSON, Jeffrey W., Crazy Horse, dans le True West Magazine, mai/juin 2001

PETERSON, Nancy, Interpreter Phillip Wells : Wounded at Wounded Knee, dans le Wild West, août 2004

PURNELLE, Véronique et CORNELIS, Michel, Prélude à la Little Bighorn, dans “AMERICANA”, revue interne du Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur l’Histoire de l’Amérique du Nord (GERHAN), été 1996

REECE, Robert, List of the warriors at the Little Bighorn, Friends of the Little Bighorn Association, 2004

ROBINSON III, Charles, The Death of Tom Custer, dans le Wild West, juin 1996

ROLLAND, Marc, George A. Custer et la Little Bighorn : Avatars d’un héritage mythique, dans le “ Cahier du G.R.E.A.M”, Université du Maine, automne 2001

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SAND CREEK MASSACRE HISTORICAL SITE, Conduct Oral History Research for Sand Creek Massacre Historical Site, 1999

______, Historical Research of the location of the Sand Creek Massacre, 1999

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______, The Battle of the Little Bighorn, New York, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1966

SCOTT, Douglas D. et WILLEY P. et CONNOR, Melissa A., They Died with Custer, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, rééd. 2001

SCOTT, Douglas D., et FOX, Richard A., et CONNOR, Melissa A. et HARMON, Dick, Archeological Insights into the Custer Battle: An assessment of the 1984 Field Season, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1989

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______, (éd.), Life in Custer’s cavalry: Diaries and Letter of Albert and Jennie Barnitz 1867-1868, New Haven, Yale University Press, 1977

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[drzz]

Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn is not enough credible, because the ground has been “contaminated” by relic hunters and Indians picking shells.

Read “Lakota Noon” by Gregory Michno and Larry Sklenar’s work on the Reno Court of Inquiry.

By the way, even John Gray’s study is strongly disputed today by Michno’s timeline in “Lakota Noon”.

And what about Indian casualties? Read this, from the last National Park Service researchs (2006)
source : http://www.friendslittlebighorn.com/Members.htm

New Warrior Markers

Just before reaching Last Stand Hill, [LBH superintendant Darrel] Cook pointed to our right where I could just make out the top of the first of eight new warrior markers that would be unveiled over the weekend. The red granite marker is for Wasicu Sapa (Black White Man), and it rests near the head of the Deep Ravine Trail.

Our first stop was at the Cheyenne wayside marker across the road from the head of the Keogh/Crazy Horse Trail. We piled out of the car and stood in front of the marker for fallen warrior, Mato He Kici (Bear With Horns). Both of these warriors were of the Minnikojou Lakota band.

From this vantage point we had a panoramic view of the western half of the battlefield, a wide expanse of the Little Bighorn River valley, and the foothills of the Bighorns with their snowcapped peaks beyond. It’s a magnificent view that I’ve been fortunate to look upon for the last 25 summers, as well as other seasons.

Cook also pointed to red pin flags in the ground. He said I’d be able to spot them throughout the area; they represent recent research for locations of fallen warriors. He warned me to be prepared for high numbers. I’ve always believed that number to be near 100. He said there were approximately 200 pin flags.

If this turns out to be true (still more research is required by Chief Historian John Doerner),then it could be evidence that the 7th Cavalry fought hard (just as the Indian accounts have always stated). Most importantly, it would contradict recent theories that this battle was one of massive soldier disintegration and command structure breakdown. Is it possible that there may be as many dead warriors upon this field as there were soldiers, a result that is relatively impossible if soldiers are running and throwing their weapons away at the same time?

[drzz]

“I also know the difference between someones imagination... and cold, hard facts.”

I am sure you include Lieutenant-General Nelson Miles in this comment...

[gate2wire]

“He was betrayed in the middle of the battle and has to carry the guilty of the defeat?”

No, don’t buy it. Custer screwed up, deserved his fate.
Reno might not have been the bravest guy out there but he did what he needed to do to save his companies.
Custer ordered Reno and Benteen to split up, disregarded the advice of his scouts, attacked without knowing the size of the enemy.
I’ve walked the battlefield, IMHO, Custer died because of his own foolish arrogance.

[chaosagent]

I always found it interesting that Custer had 2 horse-drawn Gatling guns at his disposal but decide not to take them with him because he was afraid they would slow him down.

THAT might have made a difference!

[drzz]

Except that two heavy machine gun would have been useless to a light force of cavalry, whose strength came from mobility.

[drzz]

I wrote a book about it.

Custer never underestimated the size of the enemy (actually 1’500 warriors).

It is a myth.