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I'll bet he learned things from McClellan and Ulysses.

They don't run it anymore, the Crow indians took ir over several years ago.

I was there last year and park service was abundant.

4yrs ago park service was there..

Benteen was not a coward. He was in fact, a war hero from the War Between the States. He did very well at the Battle of Mine Creek, the second largest Cavalry action in the war. Of course, the largest Cavalry action of the war was Brandy Station and Custer was at that one.

I might stand corrected but I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Crow took over management of the place. Maybe that was under direction of the Park Service.
When I was there in '17 the guy at the gate taking the money was Native and wearing a NP shirt. Later I saw a Native lady leading a tour and she was wearing a uniform also.

There were two Indian brothers, Gerard and Paige Baker that were superintendents at various times at Custer battlefield, MT Rushmore, Badlands, Knife River, and Theodore Roosevelt NP. They wore their hair in traditional braids. Paige has retired, Gerard might still be at Mt Rushmore.

these are parts of Benteens letter to his wife
written in camp of 7th Cavalry and sent via
Fort Ellis.

Dated July 4th 1876.


" My Darling,

I will commence this letter by sending a copy of the
last lines Cooke ever wrote, which was an order to
me to this effect.

Benteen. Come on. Big village. Be quick, bring packs.
W. W. Cooke.
(P. S. Bring pac-s)


"This note was brought back to me by Trumpeter
Martin of my Co. (which fact saved his life.) When
I received it I was five or six miles from the village,
perhaps more, and the packs at least that distance
in my rear. I did not go back for the packs but kept
on a stiff trot for the village."
.......

"I kept up my trot and when I reached a point very
near the ford which was crossed by Reno's Battn.
I got my first sight of the Valley and river -- and
Reno's command in full flight for the bluffs to the
side I was then on. Of course I joined them at once.
The ground where Reno charged on was a plain 5 or
6 miles or 10 miles long and about one mile or
more wide; Custer sent him in there and promised
to support him after Reno started in, Custer with
his five Co's instead of crossing the ford went to the
right around some high bluffs -- with the intention --
as is supposed -- of striking the rear of the village;
from the bluff on which he got he had his first
glimpse of the whole of it, and I can tell you 'twas
an immense one. From that point Cooke sent the
note to me by Martin."
......

"I must now tell you what we did -- When I found
Reno's command. We halted for the packs to come
up -- and then moved along the line of bluffs
towards the direction Custer was supposed to
have gone in. Weir's Company was sent out to
communicate with Custer, but it was driven back.
We then showed our full force on the hills with
Guidons flying, that Custer might see us, but we
could see nothing of him, couldn't hear much firing,
but could see immense body of Indians coming to
attack us from both sides of the river."
........

"Had Custer carried out the orders he got from
Genl. Terry, the commands would have formed
a junction exactly at the village, and have captured
the whole outfit of tepees, etc. and probably any
quantity of squaws, pappooses, etc. but Custer
disobeyed orders from the fact of not wanting any
other command -- or body to have a finger in the
pie-and thereby lost his life. (3000 warriors were there)."
.......

"The latest and probably correct account of the battle
is that none of Custer's command got into the village
at all. We may not be back before winter, think so very strongly."

Well -- Wifey, Darling, I think this will do for a letter,
so with oceans of love to you and Fred and kisses
innumerable, I am devotedly,

Your husband

FRED BENTEEN.


Benteen didnt seem to care much for the loss
of George Custer, but in his letter to his wife he
did show grief for the deaths of Boston Custer,
Mr. Reed(a nephew of G.Custer) and Kellogg,
the reporter.

Three Custer brothers died at LBH.

January 29, 1867, Benteen met Custer, Lt. Col.
of the regiment. He disliked Custer almost immediately, finding him "vain, arrogant and egotistical."

Custer had got wind of the letter Benteen wrote,
[dated December 22nd 1868, Camp Supply]
criticizing Custers actions at Washita,.. Benteen
acknowledged writing such...and it was published
in newspapers in St Louis and New York, much
infuriating Custer and triggering him to threaten
to horsewhip Benteen. (according to General Godfrey)

Benteen had reinforced dislike for Custer
after Washita/ re; his act of abandoning his men.
So I wonder what he was thinking when he found
Reno in a dire jam, and again Custer
was not there to provide back-up as planned?

Accounts by fellow soldiers indicate Benteen displayed
great bravery and leadership when assisting Reno
against the great swarm of indian,..saying they owed
their lives to his efforts.

tell 'im to keep his head down

then how many times since

Shrapnel loves Custer. Custer was not a good officer though and was despised by many. IIRC, Reno was acquitted of ANY wrongdoing by a Courts-Martial that he himself called for in order to clear his name. I don't know much about Reno and don't care for Benteen since he whipped our side at Westport and Mine Creek, but he was an efficient and brave officer. Custer was afraid the officers under him would get some of the glory and that's why they lived.

Quote from a NPS Ranger at the LBH Battlefield.
I’ve read a good many books about this, and find that the more I read, the more the truth of this statement stands true.
I wish I could get out there again. There’s something about that place. Much like Gettysburg or Antietam or Fredericksburg, if you know how to listen, the very ground tells the story. It’s almost eerie, but it’s true.
It’s a fascinating subject. Custer is one of those people in history who you tend to have a low opinion of, but the more you learn about him, the more you respect him.
7mm

As far as the Battlefield itself goes and the Archeological part of it is concerned, it’s ashamed that it hasn’t been thoroughly searched using LiDaR technology and it wouldn’t take long to do that.

There’s a treasure trove of historical articles of war and of personal items laying out there yet to be recovered.

Same thing when I was there in July of 2019, some White people in NP uniforms too.

Crow haven't taken over as far as I know. No doubt the NP makes every effort to hire natives as much as possible. The battlefield has been closed for weeks if not months. Not a day goes by that I don't see a tourist pulled off and stopped at the road black or pulled of a little further east pulles off where you can see Last Stand Hill and a lot of the white markers from the road. Dang sad they have it closed.

I don't really respect Custer but I do respect some of his accomplishments. He was last in his class but he did graduate. He was hell on his men and subordinate officers. He got things done, but he took shortcuts and was self-aggrandizing.

I said before in a post about Custer, that while there were many things about him that I admire, his faults were legion.
His personal bravery, and his record as a cavalry officer can’t be denied, but then neither can his pettiness and blatant self promotion.
As far as The Reno Court of Inquiry, it’s pretty obvious that most of the officers and men called to witness had been coached on their testimony. The Army had already reached their verdict in the fall of 1876! Any censure of Reno or Benteen would’ve made Sheridan and many other high ranking individuals look bad. Better to let the blame rest on a guy who can’t defend himself.
Reno’s drinking and personal weakness caught up with him. He was put out on “conduct unbecoming” and ended up in a paupers grave in Washington DC. In 1967, Army At the request of his family, re-examined the case, restored his rank, and moved his remains to the LBH Cemetery.
Benteen did wonderfully on Reno Hill, but his conduct towards his commanding officer and his delay after he received the “come quick” order deserves censure as well.
“Bos” Custer had time to ride past Benteen to the pack train and return to Last Stand Hill with a fresh mount in time to die with his brothers. This fact and a few others point to Benteen’s wasting time in following his orders.
Benteen blamed Custer for the loss of Lt Joel Elliot at Washita. Right or wrong, this constantly influenced his actions and feelings towards Custer. He carried His hatred of Custer to the grave.
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"Benteen blamed Custer for the loss of Lt Joel Elliot at Washita“

Just finished The Life of George Bent, by Hyde. Bent was married to Black Kettle’s niece. He was wounded in the hip at Sand Creek. ( They lived in Black Kettle’s lodge). And he had just left Black Kettle with his wife to visit family right before the Washita fight.

He stated that he knew both Elliot and Hamilton ( two officers killed at the Washita) very well. He went on to say that they had both visited him and they smoked many times at the Medicine Lodge treaty. Bent was an interpreter at the treaty.

Byw June 27, 1874. Today is Anniversary of second Battle of Adobe Walls.