Cool story thanks for sharing. If you don’t mind, wanna share your views on Custer’s loss? I have an opinion but would be interested in hearing yours.
Arrogance. Underestimating enemy. Wanting to win big fight before the main infantry column could catch up. LACK OF SCOUTING!
When seeing the ground myself I understood much better. When they rode in on the north side of the river valley from the east they could not see the vast stretch of lodges and he just assumed a normal much smaller village.
He had split the regiment into four different sub commands and they could not reinforce each other.
A lot of inexperienced troops, lack of proper training, friction and rivalry amongst the officers, not respecting your opponents. The blame falls heavily on Lt Col Ego.
Custer was athletic and personally brave and flamboyant but he was not fit to command a regiment in the field IMO.
After the battle the Army sent a real cavalry commander in the form of Ranald MacKenzie with half of the 4th Cavalry up from Texas to help deal with the situation.
Bad Hand was irascible and a hardass but he never lost and tried to keep casualties to a minimum. The guy had been shot six or seven times was in constant pain and bad tempered but he damn sure knew how to soldier. One thing I remember reading was how he made his troopers carry spare ammo on their bodies instead of in saddle bags so that it was always available.