Posted on 06/25/2007 6:45:11 AM PDT by drzz
In Memoriam: Custer's Last Stand, June 25, 1876
Private William Slaper : «Each man had secreted himself behind a slain horse. »
Lieutenant Charles DeRudio: “The horses were laying as if to suggest a barricade.”
Lieutenant Luther Hare: “The evidence on the Custer field indicated very hard fighting.”
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Reno court of Inquiry: “In regard to the severity of the fighting on General Custer’s battlefield, did you see any evidences that there was hard fighting there, or the contrary?
Lieutenant Godfrey: “I think there must have been a very hard fighting.
Reno court of Inquiry: “You think there was a hard struggle?”
Lieutenant Godfrey: Undoubtedly, there was a very hard struggle.”
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Lieutenant Edgerly: “I believe Custer fought very desperately.”
Lieutenant Edward McClernand, of Terry’s column: “Horse remains in a 30-foot diameter circle not badly done, evidently used as breastworks.”
Lieutenant Edward McClernand, of Terry’s column: “(The Custer Hill stand) showed more care taken in deploying and placing men than was shown in any other part of the entire field – including, of course, Reno’s several positions.”
Thunder Hawk’s wife: “It was quite a fight” (on Custer Hill)
Wooden Leg could see “that all the soldiers were killed except for a band that remained hidden behind their dead horses.”
Flying By: “(the stand) was made in the place where Custer would be killed, down at the end of the long ridge.”
Flying Hawk: “Custer made a stand on his hill.”
Gall: Gall neared the end of the ridge where the last soldiers were making a stand. “They were fighting good” he said.
Lights: he could see the soldiers who had fled the Keogh fight joining those making the stand on the hill.
Two Eagles: The most stubborn stand the soldiers made was on Custer Hill. From his position a short way north and west of that point, Two Eagles noticed the hilltop was very level and the soldiers took the spot to continue their defense. (…) “They were killed on top of the ridge” Two Eagles declared.
Red Hawk: The bluecoats were “falling back steadily to Custer Hill where another stand was made”, said Red Hawk. “Here the soldiers made a desperate fight.”
Two Moon: (…) Two Moon turned back to watch the fight. (…) The “grey bunch" was still fighting.
Standing Bear: Moving north along the ridge to where he could see better, Standing Bear noticed dismounted soldiers holding their horses by the bridles. “They were ready for us”, he said, and they began to shoot, “the bullets were just raining”. (…) Bear Horn rode up too close (to the last stand) and was himself shot down.
Iron Hawk: On Last Stand Hill, Iron Hawk saw about twenty men on horseback and about thirty men on foot. “The Indians pressed and crowded right in and around them on Custer Hill” But the soldiers weren’t ready to die. Said Iron Hawk,“We stood there a long time.”
Big Beaver: Big Beaver crawled back down the coulee to put a bit more distance between himself and the deadly soldiers bullets. (…) The Indians were rushing toward the hill where the soldiers were making their desperate fight.
http://www.custerwest.org
Back in 1995, I had the opportunity to visit the Little Big Horn battlefield.
I was there in the late afternoon and early evening after many of the tourists had left.
It was incredibly interesting and a little errie to be standing alone on top of Last Stand Hill with just the wind blowing.
Here’s the score:
Indians 1
Custer 0
The real score is:
Custer : 3 (two battles of the Yellowstone, 1 Washita)
Indians : 1
I was there in about 1984, and you are right, it is a little spooky.
Hello
See the testimonies posted here - I was there in 2002 and thought about fighting behind a slain horse until the end... Heroic and scary.
An example of what happens when arrogance (Custer) meets determination (Indians).................
The last hill
Misunderestimating the enemy bump.
Hi Confederate
You should better see http://www.custerwest.org about what the witnesses and army officers really said about the battle.
You’ll be surprised. It’s known in the army circles at the time that the real story hadn’t been told to the American people. See the case on http://www.custerwest.org
Custer wanted to fight 1’500 warriors.
He fought 1’500 warriors.
Custer wanted to surprise the enemy.
He surprised the enemy.
Custer thought that the Indian organization was poor.
Indian testimonies talk about friendly fire and mess on the Indian side.
No underestimation here. see http://www.custerwest.org (English version)
Then I left for Glacier National, then Yellowstone.
I still have pictures, including those I took with that new invention - The Polaroid Swinger.
But that was in a different series...........
hehehe
yeah, it was the 1868 and 1873 years... Custer graduated in Indian fighting, but the Indians eventually disturbed the 1876 graduation day
Yeah except Little Big Horn was win or go home. Or in this case, die.
There is something wild, and lonely, in a day of cellphones, and, "we will be right there..."
The real score is:
Custer : 3 (two battles of the Yellowstone, 1 Washita)
Indians : 1
___________
Then to use the American football analogy, the score should be:
Indians: 8
Custer: 7
Custer scored 2 safeties and kicked a field goal, but on the last play of the game, the Indians scored a touchdown, and went for the win by going for a 2 point conversion, on which they were successful.
I’m not educated on this topic well enough to argue the merits of one side or the other, but given that Custer died on the battlefield, it would be hard to give him the winning score.
We went in 72. I don’t recall the fence. Is that new?
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