I suspect one of the big differences was the quality of men in the CW versus LBH. He generally had good, trained and motivated men in the CW. The men on the frontier during the Indian Wars were the dregs of society. Typically poorly trained and poorly equipped. Good men in their own way, but not an elite force.
Totally agree with you there.
Desertion rates were high, moral low.
And hardly any resources to train with. The 1870’s experienced a horrible economy.
Irish, German, Italian immigrants who’ve hardly ever ridden a horse, much less fought in battles. Malnourished.
It was like a Russian officer training his Cossacks, Tartars, Georgian, and Indigenous Siberians to fight Nazis during WWII. That is a hard deck to play with.