The Spencer Repeaters combined with excellent field artillery to let Custer basically invent and perfect the Greater tactic of Combined Arms.. The Rebs under threatened attack from a demonstrated cavalry charge had to closely pack their troops into squares.. The squares made excellent - can't miss targets for the artillery. When engaged against dismounted troopers with Spencers the Rebs mostly still having muzzle loaders had to stand to reload their weapons, but became excellent targets for massed repeater fire. Custer was the first Cavalry commander to perfect the timing of combining artillery, mounted charges, and dismounted repeater fire- hence the term combined arms. best Bruce Peek
To my understanding, the Spencers used were the full rifle model. The carbines werent available for issue until October 1863. I'll have to dig out my copy of Marcot to verify...
What's your source for this? According to everything I've ever read or heard, it was a brevet. I just looked in Custer Victorious, which many consider to be a great source for Custer's Civil War career, and it says he was breveted.
@@addressinggettysburg Ha this is not some obscure fact buried in some book. His promotion to full brigadier general in the USV in June 1863 was a big deal, along with the promotions of Merritt and Farnsworth to the same grade. Go read Ezra Warner's Generals in Blue-only full promotions are included in this book. Go read Cullum's official West Point biographies of service and promotions, available online. This is why Roger Hunt published Brevet Generals in Blue. This book includes the thousands of brevet promotions to BG that came mostly in the March 1865 omnibus bill and went to nearly every competent regimental commander. Custer was also promoted to full major general in the USV in April 1865, and also earned the brevets through major general in the USV. This made Custer the youngest major general in the Union army at age 25. Galusha Pennypacker ended up being the youngest brigadier general at age 20 by 1865.
Everything I have read is that after the war, he resumed his rank of captain in the regular army. So possibly not a brevet promotion in the USV, but not a permanent promotion to General for his lifetime. At least not in his career after the Civil War
@@peterbon717 I think people are confusing US Volunteer ranks and US Army ranks. One could hold full and brevet ranks in both services, for a total of potentionally four different ranks. Custer ended the war as a full captain in the US Army and was quickly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, at the same time he held the rank of major general in the USV (which disbanded in 1866).
Second lieutenant, 2nd Cavalry: June 24, 1861 First lieutenant, 5th Cavalry: July 17, 1862 Captain staff, additional aide-de-camp: June 5, 1862 Brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers: June 29, 1863 Brevet major, July 3, 1863 (Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) Captain, 5th Cavalry: May 8, 1864 Brevet lieutenant colonel: May 11, 1864 (Battle of Yellow Tavern - Combat at Meadow) Brevet colonel: September 19, 1864 (Battle of Winchester, Virginia) Brevet major general, U.S. Volunteers: October 19, 1864 (Battle of Winchester and Fisher's Hill, Virginia) Brevet brigadier general, U.S. Army, March 13, 1865 (Battle of Five Forks, Virginia) Brevet major general, U.S. Army: March 13, 1865 (The campaign ending in the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia) Major General, U.S. Volunteers: April 15, 1865 Mustered out of Volunteer Service: February 1, 1866 Lieutenant colonel, 7th Cavalry: July 28, 1866 (killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, June 25, 1876) Source: penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/1966*.html
Man I'm glad I found this!!!!
Thank you, Huge Custer fan here!!!
Likewise! You’re welcome
Love Hessler's incites
👍
excellent episode!!! McIntosh (apple) fan here
The Spencer Repeaters combined with excellent field artillery to let Custer basically invent and perfect the Greater tactic of Combined Arms.. The Rebs under threatened attack from a demonstrated cavalry charge had to closely pack their troops into squares.. The squares made excellent - can't miss targets for the artillery. When engaged against dismounted troopers with Spencers the Rebs mostly still having muzzle loaders had to stand to reload their weapons, but became excellent targets for massed repeater fire. Custer was the first Cavalry commander to perfect the timing of combining artillery, mounted charges, and dismounted repeater fire- hence the term combined arms.
best
Bruce Peek
👍
To my understanding, the Spencers used were the full rifle model. The carbines werent available for issue until October 1863. I'll have to dig out my copy of Marcot to verify...
HESS!!!
Yep, Ohio and Michigan goes back that far! Lol
Lol
Jeb Stuart tried his best and couldn't wip that man but he got his at little big horn
Every dog shall have his day.
Hey Jim, Custer was promoted to a full brigadier general in the USV in June 1863, not brevet brigadier general. Big difference.
What's your source for this? According to everything I've ever read or heard, it was a brevet. I just looked in Custer Victorious, which many consider to be a great source for Custer's Civil War career, and it says he was breveted.
@@addressinggettysburg Ha this is not some obscure fact buried in some book. His promotion to full brigadier general in the USV in June 1863 was a big deal, along with the promotions of Merritt and Farnsworth to the same grade. Go read Ezra Warner's Generals in Blue-only full promotions are included in this book. Go read Cullum's official West Point biographies of service and promotions, available online. This is why Roger Hunt published Brevet Generals in Blue. This book includes the thousands of brevet promotions to BG that came mostly in the March 1865 omnibus bill and went to nearly every competent regimental commander. Custer was also promoted to full major general in the USV in April 1865, and also earned the brevets through major general in the USV. This made Custer the youngest major general in the Union army at age 25. Galusha Pennypacker ended up being the youngest brigadier general at age 20 by 1865.
Everything I have read is that after the war, he resumed his rank of captain in the regular army. So possibly not a brevet promotion in the USV, but not a permanent promotion to General for his lifetime. At least not in his career after the Civil War
@@peterbon717 I think people are confusing US Volunteer ranks and US Army ranks. One could hold full and brevet ranks in both services, for a total of potentionally four different ranks. Custer ended the war as a full captain in the US Army and was quickly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, at the same time he held the rank of major general in the USV (which disbanded in 1866).
Second lieutenant, 2nd Cavalry: June 24, 1861
First lieutenant, 5th Cavalry: July 17, 1862
Captain staff, additional aide-de-camp: June 5, 1862
Brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers: June 29, 1863
Brevet major, July 3, 1863 (Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
Captain, 5th Cavalry: May 8, 1864
Brevet lieutenant colonel: May 11, 1864 (Battle of Yellow Tavern - Combat at Meadow)
Brevet colonel: September 19, 1864 (Battle of Winchester, Virginia)
Brevet major general, U.S. Volunteers: October 19, 1864 (Battle of Winchester and Fisher's Hill, Virginia)
Brevet brigadier general, U.S. Army, March 13, 1865 (Battle of Five Forks, Virginia)
Brevet major general, U.S. Army: March 13, 1865 (The campaign ending in the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia)
Major General, U.S. Volunteers: April 15, 1865
Mustered out of Volunteer Service: February 1, 1866
Lieutenant colonel, 7th Cavalry: July 28, 1866 (killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, June 25, 1876) Source: penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/1966*.html
A strange combo. A brave man and heroic but also a murderer.
A murderer, you say? Hard to decipher murder I’m a war which is all murder, but I know what you mean.
@Addressing Gettysburg well I will try again....
Ask the Cheyenne about Custer. He wasnt very nice to them. Not a hero at the Washita.
@@lusolad Colonel John Chivington was a murderer, Custer wasn't. You're an idiot.
"There's something about the guy..." Hahaha, damn straight!
Lol