Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Book: “Custer’s Trials”

Speculation is one of the biggest contributors to the Custer myth.

So much could have or may have happened, but had Custer survived, the reports and conditions as we know it would be completely different. Much of the testimony right after the battle, changed by the time of Reno’s court of inquiry almost 3 years later.

It is also convenient that the court of inquiry was over 2 years later, which is past any deadline for an official “Court Martial.” This certainly was in Reno’s favor as the worst that could happen is the tarnish on his reputation would remain, with no dishonorable end of his career, although he was later dishonorably discharged for practices ”unbecoming.” Reno was not found guilty of any malfeasance, but had Custer survived, that would have changed the outcome of the Court Of Inquiry.

As far as Crooke was concerned, he should have been brought up on charges of insubordination. There has never been any real investigation into his actions on the Rosebud, yet he was a critical part of the plan to contain the Indians in the Little Bighorn vicinity. He fired over 25,000 rounds of ammunition and hit only a handful of Indians and had Crooke not had the 200 Indian scouts with him, he may have suffered the same fate as Custer did.

Had Custer survived, Crooke would have been investigated.

The events have been told and retold since the battle, there is no shortage of different accounts. The testimonies of the soldiers and officers by the time of Reno’s inquiry changed dramatically and Custer became the goat. Everyone from General Terry on down, recanted testimony from what was given just after the battle.

Even Terry tried to convince everyone that Custer disobeyed orders, yet his orders survive today, verbatim. Nowhere in his orders does it show that Custer disobeyed anything Terry wrote, but the survivors are the ones that write history. Had Custer survived, this wouldn’t even be a consideration.

The survivors of the worst American defeat in history, and on the Anniversary of the 100 years since signing the Declaration Of Independence, needed to put blame somewhere else that would exonerate themselves and the image of the United States Army. Had Custer survived, the blame would have been placed where it belonged.

Testimony did change, but what happened only happened once. One of the best accounts of the debacle at the river crossing and route of Reno to the hilltop, was from George Herendeen, who had been hired as a mule skinner, but turned into a scout because of his intimate knowledge of Indians and the Bighorn valley. He was very critical of Reno at the river, and he had taken about 15 troopers into the woods at the river and kept them safe until they later joined Reno at the top of the hill without a single casualty. He knew how to survive and was capable enough to witness Reno for who he really was. Herendeen was still critical of Reno at the Court Of Inquiry.

Speculation is legion in the whole affair of the battle. Studying the accounts from reputable sources help to sort out what did happen. Once a person investigates Custer and the battle, the comments of “dumbass” “Indian Hater” “wanted to be President” and many more labels that are given him, it is certain that Custer would be remembered as a stellar Cavalry Leader with no equal during the Civil War. He was more than capable as an Indian fighter and at his best on the battlefield. Had Custer survived his legacy would be far from what it is today.

Years later an observation by a contemporary Indian fighter General Nelson A. Miles had this observation:

"The more I see of movements here the more admiration I have for Custer," Colonel Nelson Miles wrote from the field to his wife several months after the Battle of the Little Big horn," and I am satisfied his like will not be found very soon again."

What do you think of Benteen? He takes a lot of criticism from some quarters. I read that he advised Custer to keep the whole outfit together as they had enough Indians ahead of them without looking for more. Also he takes criticism for his "slow" response to Custer's order to come on and bring packs. He did come to the battle and did order the ammo packs hurried up if I read correctly.

Do you think he behaved dishonorably? Do you think he went outside his authority and discretion when he stayed with Reno and apparently organized combining the 2 battalions and setting up a defense rather than making a quick run down the river bluffs? I've noticed that Sheridan did not raise any issue about Benteen's actions and Sheridan was always in Custer's corner.

Obviously Benteen wasn't a fan of Custer but I don't believe that would have stopped him from doing his duty as he saw his "duty". He also obviously wasn't a coward.

I'm no authority but my take on the whole affair is that Custers battle was lost from the start. They were so badly outnumbered there was no chance for defeating the indians.

I just started reading Custer’s Trials, written by T J Stiles a few days ago.
I’m really not much for biographies, I’m mostly reading campaign studies or books devoted to a conflict in American history.
But George Custer is one of those interesting characters you meet in history, and he sorta has a way of fascinating you and drawing you in. Much more so than many others.
This book brings Custer to life, warts, as well as the boyish charm that he was famous for.
Stiles uses the context of the time, Civil War, frontier, industrial revolution and sheds further light on his career and his relationship to those around him.
Like most folks my age, I always had a sorta negative opinion of Custer. I had always thought of him as a glory seeker and considered his roll in the Indian Wars, at least controversial if not criminal.
But over the years, I’ve become fascinated by The Little Big Horn Battle, and further study has come to change my opinion of Custer and his roll.
If you’re interested in this, I highly recommend this book.
7mm

Custer was an egotistical dumbass! Just that simple!

Shrapnel: Do you think Custer's worn out and basically wasted horses played a major issue in his ability to maneuver and contributed to his defeat? Do you think what is called Benteen's dawdling could instead be his knowledge that he absolutely had to conserve his horses if he was to be of service in battle?

I believe Benteen's success where Custer failed was that he had a little time to put his best 100 men on the line and a huge supply of ammo. I'm guessing the best men were firing and others were loading and passing rifles to them.

It is somewhat of a miracle that Benteen held his position considering its exposure and is a testament to his and his men's bravery and luckily for them the Indians lack of military tactics.

I find it interesting that people called the Indian contingent with Crook scouts. They were mercenaries all 200 plus of them.
It is said by the people on the Crow/ Cheyenne reservation in Lame Deer that Custer fell in the Bighorn River, not where the the markers place him.
It’s not spoken of often and when it comes up it’s with casual indifference. Maybe because it’s just word of mouth hand me down.
Osky

The soldier in buckskin who was shot at the medicine tail coulée ford was probably Lt. James Sturgis. His head was later found where the village had been, I believe articles of his clothing were also found.

It seems the battle on the Rosebud is all but lost in the Shadow of the LBH. Actually you hear even less about the fight at Wolf Mountain just over east on the Tongue river the following winter which actually was a last gasp event, at least the way I see it.Osky

As to the Rosebud battle, I have wondered why Crook was not taken to task for abandoning his mission. I could understand maybe not going in hot pursuit due to the possibility of being drawn into a prepared trap. But to turn around and quit without sending runners with messages for the other armies in the field seems terribly out of order considering he was part of a 3 pronged attack.

“The Rivers Ran Red” by Michael Donahue could be the best book of late. He is one of the most knowledgeable Custer historians alive today. He worked at the battlefield for many years and he and Steve Adelson have been all over the battlefield and studied the battle extensively.


https://www.indianwarsbooks.com/pag...indian-fights-of-george-armstrong-custer

CUSTER WAS AN EGOTISTICAL A SSHOLE AND A DUMBASS TO BOOT! All the way back through to the War Between the States!!