It is interesting that we can go to places that once were witness to a past tragedy and feel at peace there today. I have said that many times on the battlefield. "This would have been a bad place to be standing back on June 25, 1876."
Sir, thank you so much for this documentary!! This is the best I've ever seen! The way you actually show the locations and terrain are just awesome!! It's a perspective I've never been able to see before and it certainly clarifies the engagement! Thanks again!!
You are welcome and thanks for watching. If you liked this documentary feel free to watch my 6-part 2013 Little Bighorn Map Battle documentary. It gives an overhead view of the battle and traces the movements across the battlefield.
I was looking at the photo's that were taken in the spring of 1877, one year after the battle...the graves have not been moved..they had come to remove certain individiuals, including Custer for burial at other locations..the one photo of last stand hill with the river in the distance shows very minimal tree growth near the river..not like today. Custer could see the non-combatants in plain sight..across the river.
Yes, you are correct. There were 105 soldiers on the hill at the beginning of the episode, however Company E was deployed off the hill and never returned, and another 30 or so soldiers likewise fled the hill at the end of the episode. In the end you only have 42 dead found on the hill while another sixty or more are found along Battle Ridge and the South Skirmish Line/Deep Ravine sectors.
@commandersheperd1 Based on Indian accounts the episode was over in minutes. The entire Custer fight started at about 4:00 PM and went on until around 6 PM. The Custer Hill episode itself was not long at all.
You are welcome. I suggest that if you get the chace you should go and visit the battlefield. The entire battle area stretches some eight miles on both sides of the river. Seeing it in person is by far the best way to get the true feel of what happened there in 1876.
After two days of watching your documentary, I finally finished it. It was very educational to a Custer buff like me. After studying GAC and the battle for more than four decades, it's nice to no that I still had more to learn. Thank to your great piece of work here. Thanks again, and "onward to Little Bighorn and glory"...........Doc and the Wolf Pack....!
Wow! The entire documentary is over 6 hours long. To here you say you watched the entire thing in two days is impressive to say the least. I am glad you enjoyed it. It is good to have feedback from my viewers. It lets me know I have done an adequate job on presenting the battle. Thanks again.
hi i am from england i love your videos very interesting i have never been to the LBH battlefied i have always wanted to go, your videos give people a chance to get some feeling of this great desperate battle well done , cheers for now dave
I was there in 1980. Soon, when I retire & have time to roam around, I plan to go back. Your video series is great, gives me an understanding of the battle timeline. When do you think Custer realized he & troops would probably be overwhelmed? I was thinking just after the suicide attack scattered horses & other troops appeared dashing to his area. Bill
I respect your honest perspective and narrative of the battle. I also am proud of the fact that you leaned towards honesty and objectiveness. So many of these videos express a canted and political outlook weather it be bashing white privaledge or glorifying the Indians. The Indians in this country did get the shit end of the stick, and mostly because of greedy politicians. The Indians could have coexisted if given a chance! However these men were all very brave and met a terrible fate. Even though I don't care for Custer he was a fine calvary soldier and the kind of leader the military loves. Great job!!!!
Thank you for the comment. I try not to pick sides. My goal is to teach what happened so we can learn the lessons and not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Actually I have sent out many copies of this documentary all over the USA. All of the park rangers at the battlefield has a copy, as well as many historians and authors. The story is so long that it actually comes on three dvds. I do not sell my work or make money off of it though. The only thing I have ever asked anyone that has gotten a copy of my documentary is that they send me back the shipping it costs to send out the documentary.
@rickietube1 I don't think Custer was wounded until Last Stand Hill. I believe he was in good shape up until that point. Yes, it is true that Custer and 9 others were found on top of the knoll and not on the western slope. The men were all buried on the slope as it was easier to dig there. The marble markers were placed in 1890. But then they were moved agin in the early 1900's when the fence was erected. In short, Custer's current marker is 54 feet from where he actually was found.
@TheMichaelJB Benteen hated Custer after the Washita. And I think you are correct about Benteen feeling micromanaged during his scout. This probably more than anything caused his slow movement. Once Martini arrived and suggested the cavalry was winning the fight, Benteen was even more angry. He had lost a chance to participate in the victory. He must have thought Custer had sent him off on a fools mission just to get him out of the way. Upon arriving on Reno Hill he must have been surprised.
@rickietube1 Yes the info I have has Tom and Goerge buried together as well. The stones on last stand hill do not correspond to the original pattern that the men were found in when it comes to Last Stand Hill. The stones have been set once, fairly accurately, and then moved once, so the pattern you see today in no way reflects where actual men fell. In some cases sterile portions of the field have yielded bones, while areas said to have bones have been sterile.
@CusterApollo thank you for your quick response. Undoubtedly you are right, that most arrows were picked up after the battle for re-use. Stone arrowheads would not be detected by metal detectors either. I don't know how much of Last Stand Hill has been actually excavated, but stone points would have to be found visually, as far as I know.
Mitch Bouyer and many others warned Custer of the size of this village and his last message to Benteen show that he saw it and still thought he could have a favorable outcome, your opinion of his trying to capture the non-coms makes perfect military sence. Benteen said the battle was a rout til the last man, was his way of dismissing Custers tactics. Indians tell a much different story. a very hard fight, hand to hand at the last. White Bull killed Custer and said that he "laughed as he died".
Hello. To answer your question, I am confident on the narrative of this event. The research I have done over almost 27 years are solid. No guesswork was applied when filming this documentary. To answer your first question, I believe Reno could have done more had he actually commanded his battalion well that day. Even if pushed into the timber, he could have remained there as long as the ammunition had held out. Reno's losses only occurred when he left the timber without any resistance or order.
Actually I have been to the area over 50 times. I know the distances and terrain involved. But you must remember that Custer would not have been out of supporting distance from Benteen, had the captain followed orders. Don't forget Boston passed Benteen while he was at the Morass in Reno Creek. Boston reached Custer in Medicine Tail Coulee, before the Custer fighting had begun. If Boston can reach Custer before the fighting then there is no reason Benteen could not have done the same.
Thanks. Very interesting. I also wondered why the Sioux & Cheyenne did not attack the Reno/Benteen perimeter more aggressively after the Custer massacre. I concluded that they took into account the need to spend carefully the lives of their men as providers of meat, and not merely warriors. Since the remaining cavalry were not a direct threat to the village, it was not worth the cost to kill them. But perhaps 400 was simply too many to massacre, whereas 210 was not. Would you care to speculate?
Correct. The graves have not been moved. The bodies on top of the hill were moved to the western slope where digging a grave was easier. And the marble markers on the hill were moved when the fence was placed on the hill.
@jeremyorr Yes there were 3 armies, Crook, Terry, and Gibbon. However, Custer was expected to locate the Indians and engage when he found them. Coordinating the two armies was a bonus, but it was not expected to happen at the outset. Each army was really independent. Custer made decisions based on what he knew at the time, and he was permitted to make changes to the original written orders from Terry. Had he waited the Indians would have moved away from him and possibly escaped.
@TheMichaelJB As far as I know, Custer's weapons were never recovered. The weapons could have been passed down. Hundreds of Springfield Carbines were captured and later a small number were recaptured by the military or discovered on the reservations years after the battle.
Your videos are so interesting, Iam binge watching them. Also the comments are the best, most fascinating I have ever seen on youtube. I sure hope to visit there someday, it's on my bucket list. I would rather go there right now than to Hawaii or Paris!
My wife and I were there in September 2016. We drove the tour ourselves. It was very satisfying and moving, but couldn't help to wonder what was going through the minds of the soldiers that fateful day.
@CusterApollo.......I'm enjoying all your vids, thanks very much. Do you think Custer himself was wounded while at ford D? I have read that Roe placed the large obelisk "within 6 feet of where Custer's remains were found" . This would mean that the existing individual Custer stone is somewhat out of place? Also read that Custer and Tom were buried in a single grave and this is not idicated by the existing stones. Your thoughts please?
I must tell you as a fellow student of the battle, I have thoroughly enjoyed you work. I'm a retired police detective and have approached the study of the events as an investigator. Your conclusions as to what occurred are plausible and are notable for their absence of any political or personal commentary. Well done, sir. Well done indeed.
Thanks. That was the best option since I didn't have zoom capability on my camera then. Today we could just use drones to get close to what we are filming.
Have you seen Battlefield detectives ? gives an insight to the type of weapons used by both sides. Liked theirs but loved yours 😀 still think one of the major flaws is splitting your force. I can understand the Reno force, but Benteen & Keogh ? What would have happened if those two forces were still with Custer.
I agree with the first part. Benteen hated Custer and that hatred played a part in Benteen's actions early in the day. I disagree with the second part. Benteen did not wait for the pack train. He actually sped up after receiving the written message from Martini. He left the pack train in the dust arriving on Reno Hill shortly after Reno and his shattered command had reached the bluffs. Benteen moved toward Custer only after Weir disobeyed orders and moved north toward Weir Point..
@jbcowdery I agree. I think Harrington was most likely killed in the Keogh Sector. The chances of him making it to Last Stand Hill is remote to say the least. I think it is safe to say the Harrington marker is spurious.
@commandersheperd1 Well the warriors were all around the hill. In some low lying areas, and in some high spots as well. Most of the soldiers were positioned on the western side of the hill.
@CusterApollo Ah, we are talking iron projectile points....... i see. I was thinking of flint/chert/obsidian type points which would basically last forever. So we would be correct in assuming that the Lakota and Cheyene , by the summer of 1876 were mainly using iron points?
@rickietube1 You know, I am not sure about that one. Never really thought of it before. I am sure most arrows were picked up by the warriors so that could explain the lack of arrow evidence at the battlefield. As for the type of point, I do know very few iron arrowheads have been found. Not sure about other types. I will have to do some searching on this.
I am sure that after the suicide attack, and the collapse of the right wing, Custer was concerned. It probably was not until he reached Last Stand Hill and learned the entire right wing had been wiped out that he knew he was in serious danger. At that point he and every other man with him still alive on the hill could measure their lives to within minutes. Probably only 15-30 at most.
What a brilliant documentary from someone who ACTUALLY knows his stuff. You have debunked so many myths that I had of the battle. While Custer did have issues as a leader, certainly now the popular image of him as a foolish stupid glory hunter must be laid to rest. Custer was a sound commander at the tactical level and I could never understand how someone of his ability (just check out his civil War record) would just charge foolhardily into an Indian encampment, get surrounded and wiped out. When you factor in the intention to capture the women and children it all makes sense and you realise it was a daring but achievable plan. Also I that there were a complex series of moves as well as the tactical maneuvering of the sub units leading to the "last stand". What comes across to me is that command and initiative at all levels seems to be lacking (what we say in the British Army) "Grip" leading to loss of control and to very poor coordination which in particular over the commitment of the reserves. Still hindsight eh??? Just remains for me to say thanks for your excellent work (I found it riveting and so much more exciting than any Hollywood movie) and for the inspiration to put "a visit the battle field" on my before I die list.
+Andy Gass Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this documentary I suggest you watch my other documentary on this battle as well. It is titled "Little Bighorn Map Battle" and can be found in the playlist section of my youtube page.
It seems pretty clear Custer was set up. He was set up on both sides. The Indians were given cases of Henry's to wipe him out and Reno and Benteen were paid off to let him (bane of the US Military) and the rest of his immigrants to go back to Europe where they came from. (I wonder if when you die you go back to the land you lived in before you tried to rape and steal a whole continent from 'savages'?)
Thanks and I agree, which is why I mentioned it, he was a very brave man and deserves to be remember for those instead of being the Brother of George A. Custer.
It is regrettable that Tom Custer is buried in the shadow of "The Boy General" I do not know what drove him to attack the village, but the lack of support caused all of the Custer faction to die on Last Stand Hill as Benteen never moved once he was in a safe position, though he had been ordered to support Custer. I don't buy he couldn't do it as some soldiers made it across the creek and up the bluff for a bit with support from Reno I think it could have been done, with cover fired and a quick movement. This is just a personal opinion, and I think the inquiry was an attempt to bury Custer and clear the surviving officers. Of course any of my ancestors if they fought would have been on the other side of the battle but I don't know of any who left the Indian Territory to answer Sitting Bulls call.
Ihategiggle gigglesucks - that was back in the day when a MoH was akin to the Bronze Star. Everybody in this battle got one and they were all rescinded later on. They were given back in the end though.
Custer's intention was to capture the women and children. He was waiting for the recalled units and remained in an offensive posture for much of the battle. There was no need to rush any warriors at that point. The skirmish line was keeping the warriors away and the situation appeared stable. The only reason Custer took position on the hill was because his command had lost many men by that time. The hill, while weak, was the best position on the field to redeploy and defend to the end.
As a Vietnam Veteran and Recon Marine I submit that There's nothing more admirable, brave, strong, beautiful, dedicated to freedom and peace and justice than our badass military in America. I know the sacrifices they endure every moment. I know the horror they see. I know the trauma they experience. Our soldiers are humans on a higher spiritual platform. Although every person in the Military heroically lays down life and limb for the Godly goals of freedom, liberty, and public safety there are way too many selfish, ignorant Americans whose eyes and hearts are infested with weak life values as well as self serving foreign agendas that lead to corruption of freedom and death to our basic rights as humans who embrace democracy and the choice to free speech and peace. May shame and loathing haunt the fool who has anything derogatory to express towards our precious soldiers. May God bless them forever---as well as our heroic snipers
Great video, thanks. Why weren't the soldiers positioned on the top of the hill (where the monument is located today)? Why wouldn't they take that high ground instead of the sloping back side of the hill. Thanks.
+Todd Berkoff Hello. The hill looked a lot different at the time of the battle than it looks today. It has been graded to make room for the road, the monument and the parking area. Back during the battle the hill was a cone shaped knoll with a flat top of about 30 feet dipping to the west. The top of the hill could only hold about ten men and that is exactly the number of bodies that were found on the flat top. Six were members of Headquarters while four were enlisted. All but one was identified as well. Most men in the left wing were forced to form on the western slope of the hill. The position was weak, but far superior to other sectors in the surrounding area.
I agree. Worse than that though is the false impression Last Stand Hill gives to the visitor. The hill has been graded a couple of times and the terrain no longer appears as it really did in 1876.
@rickietube1 I agree that many cases were picked up over the years, especially at celebrated areas like Last Stand Hill. Unknown areas like Henryville and Greasy Grass Ridge were not looted and many cases were found in those areas. I think the vast majority of the battle had light firing. The warriors claimed the begining of the fight was low key. And when the fighting became furious the collapse happened soon after. I believe there was not a lot of time to fire at the end of the fight.
Question please?? I have read that "thousands of arrors" were launched in arcs upon the soldiers on last stand hill. Does the archaeological record support this ??
Hey, thanks. I've wanted to visit this place for years. I've read about three books about this but it's always strange to actually see the place as opposed to imagining it. It looks so much like where I grew up in western Oklahoma that I no longer feel the need to visit it. Very nice. It's great something like youtube allows people to use their talents and knowledge like you've done here. They should make you an honorary member of the seventh.
@TheMichaelJB While I agree that Benteen's troops might have been a little more tired, the slow pace is still inexcusable. They went up a series of rolling hills to a plateau then had to cross one ridge. The troops and horses rested in Valley #3 while Gibson and the advance detail rode up to a second ridge. The rest of the way was flat down Valley #3 and Reno Creek. I expect the scout to go slower, but after the scout Bentten was moving at glacier pace and this slow movement caused the defeat.
Thank you for watching. Yes the hill is the best location Custer could have picked for a defense, but that by no means says the hill is an excellent position. I myself believe Calhoun Hill to be the best location on the Custer Battlefield. It commands most of the ground around it, and based on Indian testimony we know that jsut one company of 44 men was able to hold back the ever increasing number af warriors arriving on the field for at least 30-40 minutes.
I believe a couple factors played into that. There were more soldiers for one thing. They also had the pack train and all their supplies. Reno Hill itself was a far superior position to defend than Last Stand Hill. The soldiers were dug in and ready to defend. Attacking such a position would have resulted in many lost warriors, and at that point in the battle they had already won a great victory. No need to diminish that with a needless attack on Reno Hill.
Hey CusterApollo, according to a BBC docu I watched a few months ago, it was Benteen's personal hatred of Custer as well as his desire to wait for the pack train as to why he took no action in going to Custer's aid; is that true?
I have been fascinated by Custer and American History since I was in grammer school. I know why now! Sgt. Vickery. I cann't wait to tell my Aunt Helen Vickery of ( Independence ,Mo.) where I found John! Aunt Helen has been working on our family tree for years. Same family tree that traces to Hopkins of the Mayflower. Certainly ,is interesting if so?
HI custerapollo. I was wondering what u knew about LT henry moore harrington.I heard he was a brave fighter and fled last stand hill on horseback after killing an indian warrior.His body was not recovered by the soldiers on the battlefield. Do u know what happen to him.
@TheMichaelJB I think having 330 troops would have been better than the 210 Custer actually had. I do believe Custer would have taken all 8 companies into the valley. There was no need to leave troops on the ridges since the terrain was not suited for the cavalry. Also it must be noted that the Ford B and D treks were recon missions. Once Benteen arrived the actual crossing would probably have occurred in force. Meaning all 8 companies would have gone into the valley.
@TheMichaelJB The point here is Benteen's movement and arrival time. Had he moved at a pace anywhere close to Boston Custer then he would have reached the Custer battalion before the real fighting had begun. Also if he moves quickly, as ordered, he would have passed Reno Hill before Reno is even on the bluffs. No need to stop and render assistance then. It is all about Benteen following orders rather than ignoring them.
@illusiveman09 The problem I have with Benteen is his slow movement after his scout. It took him 2 hours and 10 minutes to go 6 and 1/2 miles. And the terrain was fairly flat. Once Martini arrived with the message for Benteen it was too late. The chance for Benteen to come to Custer's aid had past by that time. But I am of the opinion that had Benteen come to Custer close to the same time that Boston Custer did, then there would have been no battle on the ridges above the LBH.
To answer your second question, I believe Benteen's three companies arriving no later than 4:30 PM would have made a world of difference for the Custer battalion. Custer only fought on the bluffs because he was waiting for Benteen. The terrain was not favorable for the cavalry. Had Benteen arrived at or near 4:30 PM, Custer would have taken all 8 companies into the valley to capture the non-combatants. The fighting then would have happened on more favorable terrain to the cavalry in the valley.
Survival is really based on timing in my eyes. 120 men would have meant the difference had Benteen arrived before the Custer battle had begun. An arrival after that would mean and do nothing for cavalry.
I have seen the Frank Finkel documentary, and find it improbable....what do you make of Thompson from C co's narrative...also I think Weir's account is very telling, from my understanding he disobeyed orders a few times in regard to both Benteen's and Reno's actions that day....and if he had lived, he may have made Reno's Court of Inquiry a little more heated for both Benteen and Reno.
I love watching your videos of little big horn and I enjoy it and I work their almost every summer but anyways keep up the good work :) and a fun fact it is extremely haunted their at night and I got some really creepy and awesome evps their
@Penguin0fDoom6z Yes that is true. Custer and 9 other men actually died on top of the hill, and not where the markers are located today. This hill was different at the time of the battle. The hill has been graded several times to put in the monument and the park road in. Back in 1876 the hill was a conical knoll with a small flat top. Just big enough for the 10 men to hold.
@CusterApollo After traversing up and down over multiple bluffs on his scout to the left, Benteen's troops were not in the condition to travel as fast at Boston, maybe half as fast at best.. They certainly could have moved faster than they did though, as even the pack train was gaining on them. It's all moot though, as Custer's defeat was set after he left Major Elliott to his doom at the Washita. As I said, the rot in the command structure goes back to then. Benteen should have transfered out.
I heard that Tom was one of the last to die and fought bravely, which explains the terrible mutilation inflicted on him. Makes sense, the guy had 2 medals of honor. What do you think?
It is possible. However there are other accounts of soldiers fighting brave and in all of those cases the soldier or officer was not mutilated to the degree that Tom was. Now I am not saying Tom didn't fight bravely. I am guessing he did. Its just the amount of mutilation seems to suggest against it. It could also be that a warrior that lost loved ones due to Reno's attack could have happened upon Tom and took out his frustration on him. Anything is possible.
True. Tom Custer was recognized by his initials tattooed on an arm. I am of the opinion that Boston Custer and Harry Armstrong Reed were probably on the top of the hill, or at least close to their family members during the battle. Their distance from Last Stand Hill suggests that they fled away from, rather than move toward the hill. That is just my opinion though.
I wonder if those 2 civilian young men grabbed rifles and fought with the troops. I would imagine that they certainly had no choice. I just returned from my first visit there.... everyone interested should go. It is great to see. May 2018
@@dks13827 I can't imagine the civilians were not armed and shooting. Even though they were civilians many people knew how to use a gun in those times.
@CusterApollo So much depends on a red wheelbarrow, glazed with rain water, beside the white chickens. In other words, it depends on when Benteen would have "put the spurs to her" and showed up coming over the Nye-Cartwright Ridge, and how many men Custer would have had left by then. He was never going to leave Reno anyway. Reno would have had to stay in the timber, and even then Benteen would have choosen to come to Reno's rescue and not Custers. The rot in the command goes back to the Washita.
Please, do not forget that Benteen was not the ranking officer Reno,out ranked Benteen. Which is something else that was brought up later at the military board of injuiry, into what occurred that day at the LBH. Capt. Benteen died a broken man, and became a sad case of alcoholic ,after .
Would the pack train and the spare ammo arrived at all in time? Could it have gotten from Reno hill to Calhoun hill without some difficulty and certainly under aggressive warrior action?
I don't believe the packs could have arrived quickly. However there is another way to get packs to Custer more quickly. Just do what Lieutenant Hare did when he secured packs for Reno. Cut a few boxes loose and ride them by horse to Custer. It would certainly be faster than bringing a pack mule. Also if the mule gets shot then the ammo grinds to a halt.. Cutting boxes loose and riding them in the column would be faster and more secure than dragging a mule to Custer's position.
Yes Benteen's total lack of support when ordered is to me criminal.., and it seems that Custer waited awhile early on in upper Medicine Tail Coulee, and was a suprise to the village when he did show...I just reread Gray's book about Bouyer and Custer...and Bouyers last words to Curly are very telling...he was very angry and said for Curly to get out if he could and tell what had happened..and then pointing at Custer..said, he is going to attack the village, we have no chance at all..
@rickietube1 From what I know through the archaeology only a dozen or so arrowheads have been found at the LBH. I believe the arrowheads themselves do not last very long in the ground and that is why so few have been found over the years.
@commandersheperd1 As far as I know everyone was accounted for in the Custer battalion, with the possible exception of Private Nathan Short. And even his story lacks real evidence that he escaped the battle.
I wonder if Custer's Remington Rolling Block Sporting Rifle was ever turned in by captured Sioux or Cheyenne? It was a popular buffalo gun at the time, so who knows where it went or if whomever ended up with it knew who it originally belonged to? Maybe it's still hidden among the Sioux or Cheyenne, passed down from generation to generation. Survivor Native American ancestors still have some of the captured 7th Calvary 1873 Trapdoor Springfields that were passed onto succeeding generations.
@norseleague MTC is larger than you give it credit for. It could easily sustain more than just 4 abreast. However it is clear that nobody was killed early in the fighting and there is no way Crazy Horse knew anything of the cavalry MTC maneuver until after the battle was over. He had no idea that soldiers had come down to the river and was not aware that the left wing had moved off to the north and was close to the women and children at Ford D. Had he, his actions would have been different.
You are welcome. The number of dead buried by the survivors is solid. Also we know that Captian Sweet had too many markers for the 212 that actually died on the Custer Battlefield. Sweet placed all the markers on the battlefield. In all there are 252 markers where only 212 should be.
@commandersheperd1 I am not sure if anyone was taken back to the camp alive and tortured, but I do know several individuals were decapitated and the survivors found their heads in the village tied together with wire and burned. Two members from Reno's command were killed in or near the village, and two from Custer's comand were also found on the west bank of the LBH river. The two from Reno were decapitated while the two from Custer were not.
Is there any validity to the story that says when Custers body was found he supposedly had a smile on his face?? I have read this and heard about it for decades but don't know if it is myth or fact. Please reply. Thank you
@CusterApollo I also get the feeling that many cartridge casings were carried away since the battle, but long range firing by soldiers at ellusive targets probably would not result in a huge amount of firing. Also, when Indian charges were made the soldiers probably had no time to reload at all. I appreciate your vids and your thoughts on this fascinating battle.
@TheMichaelJB The true loss of the battle happened after the scout. Benteen was on flat even terrain with orders to quickly rejoin the command and send work of the findings of the scout. Benteen did neither. He moved slow traveling 6 and 1/2 miles in 2 hours and 10 minutes. That is an average speed of 2.8 MPH in combat conditions. Horrible and inexcusable. The standard military walk of 3 MPH was faster. And a standard trot was 6 MPH. Benteen failed his mission is every aspect.
@norseleague There were only two officers that crossed MTC. Both Smith and Sturgis of Company E were in position to do so. But Company F and the HQ staff (containing the other 6 officers) did not go down to Ford B and were not in a position to get hit or killed. The right wing containing the other five officers were to the east on Luce Ridge and out of range of the Indian weapons. Also there is no evidence in the form of bodies or archaeology that suggests a forced retreat by the soldiers.
@CusterApollo Agreed. Benteen had no love for Custer and little respect for him as well after the Washita. Benteen's action at the Little Big Horn were terrible, save for the defense of Reno Hill. And even in that he again had a case of the slows.Maybe he had a further grudge with Custer micromanaging him on the scout to the left, as Custer sent multiple couriers to Benteen which no doubt ruffled his feathers even more. I still think the command was doomed though, too many better armed warriors.
Yes. Four companies moved north from Reno Hill eventually reaching Weir Point. From the high peak the soldiers witnessed the Custer battle three miles away.
Hi CusterApollo, Fantastic documentary! I watch and rewatch the segments on the deployment and battle of Custer's 5 companies. How confident are you in your narrative of those events? Some Questions about the "alternate history" possibilities: 1) Reno lost at least 30% casualties (including 12-18 missing) during his initial battle and retreat. Do you think it is realistic to expect more from him or his unit on June 25? 2) Could adding Benteen's 3 companies really have saved Custer's 5 companies?
The markers have actually been moved twice since their original placement. Apparently there wasn't much of an attempt to recreate the original pattern so the view we get today is somewhat disingenuous.
A lot of the mutilation was in revenge for what Custer previously did to Black Kettle's Southern Cheyenne on the Washita where 7th Cavarly attacked a sleeping village of mostly women & children.
Custer knew the relative size of the village when it came to the warriors. That was the most important number. On June 22, at the officers call he estimated the warrior force to be over 1,000 warriors plus another 500 reinforcements from the reservation. The 1,600 warriors Custer estimated is close to the 2,000 warriors he eventually met on June 25. As for the non-combatants, I can see no reason for Custer to move farther north after Ford B if he is only going after the village or the warriors.
Actually the men that died on top of the hill would be located around the obelisk. From the maps I have seen, none of Custer's men fell where the current road and parking lot are located.
IMHO - Attacking on the 25th instead of the 26th because he thought they'd been spotted (his scouts advice and also due to the lost hardtack from the pack train) and he didn't want the combatants to flee - started a chain of events that ended in disaster for Custer and his men (also factoring in Reno's incompetence and Benteen's history with Custer). If instead, Custer gets to rest the 12 Companies/horses, do a full reconnaissance on the 25th (like he originally planned) and then attack on the 26th (with all 12 Companies and possibly Gibbon's Companies as well) - totally different outcome. Great documentary Bill! to all...some interesting reads - "A Terrible Glory" by James Donovan, "Custer in 76" by Walter Camp, "With Custer on the Little Big Horn" by William Taylor, "I Fought with Custer the story of Sgt Windolph" by Frazier Hunt. And lots more - read as much as you can and come up with your own conclusions. Great to hear/discuss different sides of it.
@commandersheperd1 Yes, at first. Warrior testimony speaks of this action. It was only at the end of the episeode that the warriors charged the position to finish off what little was left.
It is interesting that we can go to places that once were witness to a past tragedy and feel at peace there today. I have said that many times on the battlefield. "This would have been a bad place to be standing back on June 25, 1876."
The pointer is a nice touch.
Sir, thank you so much for this documentary!! This is the best I've ever seen! The way you actually show the locations and terrain are just awesome!! It's a perspective I've never been able to see before and it certainly clarifies the engagement! Thanks again!!
You are welcome and thanks for watching. If you liked this documentary feel free to watch my 6-part 2013 Little Bighorn Map Battle documentary. It gives an overhead view of the battle and traces the movements across the battlefield.
I was looking at the photo's that were taken in the spring of 1877, one year after the battle...the graves have not been moved..they had come to remove certain individiuals, including Custer for burial at other locations..the one photo of last stand hill with the river in the distance shows very minimal tree growth near the river..not like today. Custer could see the non-combatants in plain sight..across the river.
Yes, you are correct. There were 105 soldiers on the hill at the beginning of the episode, however Company E was deployed off the hill and never returned, and another 30 or so soldiers likewise fled the hill at the end of the episode. In the end you only have 42 dead found on the hill while another sixty or more are found along Battle Ridge and the South Skirmish Line/Deep Ravine sectors.
@commandersheperd1 Based on Indian accounts the episode was over in minutes. The entire Custer fight started at about 4:00 PM and went on until around 6 PM. The Custer Hill episode itself was not long at all.
You are welcome. I suggest that if you get the chace you should go and visit the battlefield. The entire battle area stretches some eight miles on both sides of the river. Seeing it in person is by far the best way to get the true feel of what happened there in 1876.
After two days of watching your documentary, I finally finished it. It was very educational to a Custer buff like me. After studying GAC and the battle for more than four decades, it's nice to no that I still had more to learn. Thank to your great piece of work here. Thanks again, and "onward to Little Bighorn and glory"...........Doc and the Wolf Pack....!
Wow! The entire documentary is over 6 hours long. To here you say you watched the entire thing in two days is impressive to say the least. I am glad you enjoyed it. It is good to have feedback from my viewers. It lets me know I have done an adequate job on presenting the battle. Thanks again.
hi i am from england i love your videos very interesting i have never been to the LBH battlefied i have always wanted to go, your videos give people a chance to get some feeling of this great desperate battle well done , cheers for now dave
I was there in 1980. Soon, when I retire & have time to roam around, I plan to go back. Your video series is great, gives me an understanding of the battle timeline. When do you think Custer realized he & troops would probably be overwhelmed? I was thinking just after the suicide attack scattered horses & other troops appeared dashing to his area. Bill
I respect your honest perspective and narrative of the battle. I also am proud of the fact that you leaned towards honesty and objectiveness. So many of these videos express a canted and political outlook weather it be bashing white privaledge or glorifying the Indians. The Indians in this country did get the shit end of the stick, and mostly because of greedy politicians. The Indians could have coexisted if given a chance! However these men were all very brave and met a terrible fate. Even though I don't care for Custer he was a fine calvary soldier and the kind of leader the military loves. Great job!!!!
Thank you for the comment. I try not to pick sides. My goal is to teach what happened so we can learn the lessons and not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Thanks for watching Chuck! Glad you enjoyed the documentary. Now I must ask, are you the real Chuck Norris, or are you a fan of the guy?
Actually I have sent out many copies of this documentary all over the USA. All of the park rangers at the battlefield has a copy, as well as many historians and authors. The story is so long that it actually comes on three dvds. I do not sell my work or make money off of it though. The only thing I have ever asked anyone that has gotten a copy of my documentary is that they send me back the shipping it costs to send out the documentary.
@rickietube1 I don't think Custer was wounded until Last Stand Hill. I believe he was in good shape up until that point. Yes, it is true that Custer and 9 others were found on top of the knoll and not on the western slope. The men were all buried on the slope as it was easier to dig there. The marble markers were placed in 1890. But then they were moved agin in the early 1900's when the fence was erected. In short, Custer's current marker is 54 feet from where he actually was found.
@TheMichaelJB Benteen hated Custer after the Washita. And I think you are correct about Benteen feeling micromanaged during his scout. This probably more than anything caused his slow movement. Once Martini arrived and suggested the cavalry was winning the fight, Benteen was even more angry. He had lost a chance to participate in the victory. He must have thought Custer had sent him off on a fools mission just to get him out of the way. Upon arriving on Reno Hill he must have been surprised.
@rickietube1 Yes the info I have has Tom and Goerge buried together as well. The stones on last stand hill do not correspond to the original pattern that the men were found in when it comes to Last Stand Hill. The stones have been set once, fairly accurately, and then moved once, so the pattern you see today in no way reflects where actual men fell. In some cases sterile portions of the field have yielded bones, while areas said to have bones have been sterile.
@CusterApollo thank you for your quick response. Undoubtedly you are right, that most arrows were picked up after the battle for re-use. Stone arrowheads would not be detected by metal detectors either. I don't know how much of Last Stand Hill has been actually excavated, but stone points would have to be found visually, as far as I know.
Mitch Bouyer and many others warned Custer of the size of this village and his last message to Benteen show that he saw it and still thought he could have a favorable outcome, your opinion of his trying to capture the non-coms makes perfect military sence. Benteen said the battle was a rout til the last man, was his way of dismissing Custers tactics. Indians tell a much different story. a very hard fight, hand to hand at the last. White Bull killed Custer and said that he "laughed as he died".
Hello. To answer your question, I am confident on the narrative of this event. The research I have done over almost 27 years are solid. No guesswork was applied when filming this documentary. To answer your first question, I believe Reno could have done more had he actually commanded his battalion well that day. Even if pushed into the timber, he could have remained there as long as the ammunition had held out. Reno's losses only occurred when he left the timber without any resistance or order.
Actually I have been to the area over 50 times. I know the distances and terrain involved. But you must remember that Custer would not have been out of supporting distance from Benteen, had the captain followed orders. Don't forget Boston passed Benteen while he was at the Morass in Reno Creek. Boston reached Custer in Medicine Tail Coulee, before the Custer fighting had begun. If Boston can reach Custer before the fighting then there is no reason Benteen could not have done the same.
Thanks. Very interesting. I also wondered why the Sioux & Cheyenne did not attack the Reno/Benteen perimeter more aggressively after the Custer massacre. I concluded that they took into account the need to spend carefully the lives of their men as providers of meat, and not merely warriors. Since the remaining cavalry were not a direct threat to the village, it was not worth the cost to kill them. But perhaps 400 was simply too many to massacre, whereas 210 was not. Would you care to speculate?
Correct. The graves have not been moved. The bodies on top of the hill were moved to the western slope where digging a grave was easier. And the marble markers on the hill were moved when the fence was placed on the hill.
@jeremyorr Yes there were 3 armies, Crook, Terry, and Gibbon. However, Custer was expected to locate the Indians and engage when he found them. Coordinating the two armies was a bonus, but it was not expected to happen at the outset. Each army was really independent. Custer made decisions based on what he knew at the time, and he was permitted to make changes to the original written orders from Terry. Had he waited the Indians would have moved away from him and possibly escaped.
@TheMichaelJB As far as I know, Custer's weapons were never recovered. The weapons could have been passed down. Hundreds of Springfield Carbines were captured and later a small number were recaptured by the military or discovered on the reservations years after the battle.
Your videos are so interesting, Iam binge watching them. Also the comments are the best, most fascinating I have ever seen on youtube. I sure hope to visit there someday, it's on my bucket list. I would rather go there right now than to Hawaii or Paris!
Thanks for watching.
My wife and I were there in September 2016. We drove the tour ourselves. It was very satisfying and moving, but couldn't help to wonder what was going through the minds of the soldiers that fateful day.
@CusterApollo.......I'm enjoying all your vids, thanks very much. Do you think Custer himself was wounded while at ford D?
I have read that Roe placed the large obelisk "within 6 feet of where Custer's remains were found" . This would mean that the existing individual Custer stone is somewhat out of place? Also read that Custer and Tom were buried in a single grave and this is not idicated by the existing stones. Your thoughts please?
I must tell you as a fellow student of the battle, I have thoroughly enjoyed you work. I'm a retired police detective and have approached the study of the events as an investigator. Your conclusions as to what occurred are plausible and are notable for their absence of any political or personal commentary. Well done, sir. Well done indeed.
"ALL war is hell." William Tecumseh Sherman
I plan on visiting this spring.... it’s on my bucket list.
I highly recommend visiting the battlefield. Its a cool experience.
Good use of the pointer stick. Excellent idea.
Thanks. That was the best option since I didn't have zoom capability on my camera then. Today we could just use drones to get close to what we are filming.
Have you seen Battlefield detectives ? gives an insight to the type of weapons used by both sides. Liked theirs but loved yours 😀 still think one of the major flaws is splitting your force. I can understand the Reno force, but Benteen & Keogh ? What would have happened if those two forces were still with Custer.
Yes I have seen Battlefield Detectives. And agree, dividing the regiment was a major factor in the disaster. Not the only one, but a big one for sure.
Great video, very informative
I agree with the first part. Benteen hated Custer and that hatred played a part in Benteen's actions early in the day. I disagree with the second part. Benteen did not wait for the pack train. He actually sped up after receiving the written message from Martini. He left the pack train in the dust arriving on Reno Hill shortly after Reno and his shattered command had reached the bluffs. Benteen moved toward Custer only after Weir disobeyed orders and moved north toward Weir Point..
Very well done sir.best wishes too you from Wales
Thank you for watching. Hello from across the pond.
great work!
@jbcowdery I agree. I think Harrington was most likely killed in the Keogh Sector. The chances of him making it to Last Stand Hill is remote to say the least. I think it is safe to say the Harrington marker is spurious.
@commandersheperd1 Well the warriors were all around the hill. In some low lying areas, and in some high spots as well. Most of the soldiers were positioned on the western side of the hill.
Thankyou for these views and commentary. much enjoyed :)
You are welcome. Thanks for watching.
@CusterApollo Ah, we are talking iron projectile points....... i see. I was thinking of flint/chert/obsidian type points which would basically last forever. So we would be correct in assuming that the Lakota and Cheyene , by the summer of 1876 were mainly using iron points?
@rickietube1 You know, I am not sure about that one. Never really thought of it before. I am sure most arrows were picked up by the warriors so that could explain the lack of arrow evidence at the battlefield. As for the type of point, I do know very few iron arrowheads have been found. Not sure about other types. I will have to do some searching on this.
I am sure that after the suicide attack, and the collapse of the right wing, Custer was concerned. It probably was not until he reached Last Stand Hill and learned the entire right wing had been wiped out that he knew he was in serious danger. At that point he and every other man with him still alive on the hill could measure their lives to within minutes. Probably only 15-30 at most.
What a brilliant documentary from someone who ACTUALLY knows his stuff. You have debunked so many myths that I had of the battle. While Custer did have issues as a leader, certainly now the popular image of him as a foolish stupid glory hunter must be laid to rest. Custer was a sound commander at the tactical level and I could never understand how someone of his ability (just check out his civil War record) would just charge foolhardily into an Indian encampment, get surrounded and wiped out. When you factor in the intention to capture the women and children it all makes sense and you realise it was a daring but achievable plan. Also I that there were a complex series of moves as well as the tactical maneuvering of the sub units leading to the "last stand". What comes across to me is that command and initiative at all levels seems to be lacking (what we say in the British Army) "Grip" leading to loss of control and to very poor coordination which in particular over the commitment of the reserves. Still hindsight eh??? Just remains for me to say thanks for your excellent work (I found it riveting and so much more exciting than any Hollywood movie) and for the inspiration to put "a visit the battle field" on my before I die list.
+Andy Gass Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this documentary I suggest you watch my other documentary on this battle as well. It is titled "Little Bighorn Map Battle" and can be found in the playlist section of my youtube page.
It seems pretty clear Custer was set up. He was set up on both sides. The Indians were given cases of Henry's to wipe him out and Reno and Benteen were paid off to let him (bane of the US Military) and the rest of his immigrants to go back to Europe where they came from. (I wonder if when you die you go back to the land you lived in before you tried to rape and steal a whole continent from 'savages'?)
People forget Tom Custer had been awarded 2 Medal of Honor. They all were brave men who fought and died that day.
You are correct. Tom did win two MOH's. Agree, all should be remembered.
Thanks and I agree, which is why I mentioned it, he was a very brave man and deserves to be remember for those instead of being the Brother of George A. Custer.
Ihategiggle gigglesucks I agree.
It is regrettable that Tom Custer is buried in the shadow of "The Boy General" I do not know what drove him to attack the village, but the lack of support caused all of the Custer faction to die on Last Stand Hill as Benteen never moved once he was in a safe position, though he had been ordered to support Custer. I don't buy he couldn't do it as some soldiers made it across the creek and up the bluff for a bit with support from Reno I think it could have been done, with cover fired and a quick movement. This is just a personal opinion, and I think the inquiry was an attempt to bury Custer and clear the surviving officers. Of course any of my ancestors if they fought would have been on the other side of the battle but I don't know of any who left the Indian Territory to answer Sitting Bulls call.
Ihategiggle gigglesucks - that was back in the day when a MoH was akin to the Bronze Star. Everybody in this battle got one and they were all rescinded later on. They were given back in the end though.
Custer's intention was to capture the women and children. He was waiting for the recalled units and remained in an offensive posture for much of the battle. There was no need to rush any warriors at that point. The skirmish line was keeping the warriors away and the situation appeared stable. The only reason Custer took position on the hill was because his command had lost many men by that time. The hill, while weak, was the best position on the field to redeploy and defend to the end.
As a Vietnam Veteran and Recon Marine I submit that There's nothing more admirable, brave, strong, beautiful, dedicated to freedom and peace and justice than our badass military in America. I know the sacrifices they endure every moment. I know the horror they see. I know the trauma they experience. Our soldiers are humans on a higher spiritual platform. Although every person in the Military heroically lays down life and limb for the Godly goals of freedom, liberty, and public safety there are way too many selfish, ignorant Americans whose eyes and hearts are infested with weak life values as well as self serving foreign agendas that lead to corruption of freedom and death to our basic rights as humans who embrace democracy and the choice to free speech and peace. May shame and loathing haunt the fool who has anything derogatory to express towards our precious soldiers. May God bless them forever---as well as our heroic snipers
Thank you for your service sir! It is appreciated,
Block Island, Very well said.Thank you for your service to our country.
I'm son of Vietnam veteran. Thank you
I served during Vietnam also and I thank you for your service!
Great video, thanks. Why weren't the soldiers positioned on the top of the hill (where the monument is located today)? Why wouldn't they take that high ground instead of the sloping back side of the hill. Thanks.
+Todd Berkoff Hello. The hill looked a lot different at the time of the battle than it looks today. It has been graded to make room for the road, the monument and the parking area. Back during the battle the hill was a cone shaped knoll with a flat top of about 30 feet dipping to the west. The top of the hill could only hold about ten men and that is exactly the number of bodies that were found on the flat top. Six were members of Headquarters while four were enlisted. All but one was identified as well. Most men in the left wing were forced to form on the western slope of the hill. The position was weak, but far superior to other sectors in the surrounding area.
They didn't have time! They were strictly on the defensive.
I agree. Worse than that though is the false impression Last Stand Hill gives to the visitor. The hill has been graded a couple of times and the terrain no longer appears as it really did in 1876.
@rickietube1 I agree that many cases were picked up over the years, especially at celebrated areas like Last Stand Hill. Unknown areas like Henryville and Greasy Grass Ridge were not looted and many cases were found in those areas. I think the vast majority of the battle had light firing. The warriors claimed the begining of the fight was low key. And when the fighting became furious the collapse happened soon after. I believe there was not a lot of time to fire at the end of the fight.
Question please?? I have read that "thousands of arrors" were launched in arcs upon the soldiers on last stand hill. Does the archaeological record support this ??
Hey, thanks. I've wanted to visit this place for years. I've read about three books about this but it's always strange to actually see the place as opposed to imagining it. It looks so much like where I grew up in western Oklahoma that I no longer feel the need to visit it. Very nice. It's great something like youtube allows people to use their talents and knowledge like you've done here. They should make you an honorary member of the seventh.
@TheMichaelJB While I agree that Benteen's troops might have been a little more tired, the slow pace is still inexcusable. They went up a series of rolling hills to a plateau then had to cross one ridge. The troops and horses rested in Valley #3 while Gibson and the advance detail rode up to a second ridge. The rest of the way was flat down Valley #3 and Reno Creek. I expect the scout to go slower, but after the scout Bentten was moving at glacier pace and this slow movement caused the defeat.
Thank you for watching. Yes the hill is the best location Custer could have picked for a defense, but that by no means says the hill is an excellent position. I myself believe Calhoun Hill to be the best location on the Custer Battlefield. It commands most of the ground around it, and based on Indian testimony we know that jsut one company of 44 men was able to hold back the ever increasing number af warriors arriving on the field for at least 30-40 minutes.
I believe a couple factors played into that. There were more soldiers for one thing. They also had the pack train and all their supplies. Reno Hill itself was a far superior position to defend than Last Stand Hill. The soldiers were dug in and ready to defend. Attacking such a position would have resulted in many lost warriors, and at that point in the battle they had already won a great victory. No need to diminish that with a needless attack on Reno Hill.
Hey CusterApollo, according to a BBC docu I watched a few months ago, it was Benteen's personal hatred of Custer as well as his desire to wait for the pack train as to why he took no action in going to Custer's aid; is that true?
I have been fascinated by Custer and American History since I was in grammer school.
I know why now! Sgt. Vickery. I cann't wait to tell my Aunt Helen Vickery of ( Independence ,Mo.) where I found John! Aunt Helen has been working on our family tree for years. Same family tree that traces to Hopkins of the Mayflower. Certainly ,is interesting if so?
HI custerapollo. I was wondering what u knew about LT henry moore harrington.I heard he was a brave fighter and fled last stand hill on horseback after killing an indian warrior.His body was not recovered by the soldiers on the battlefield. Do u know what happen to him.
@TheMichaelJB I think having 330 troops would have been better than the 210 Custer actually had. I do believe Custer would have taken all 8 companies into the valley. There was no need to leave troops on the ridges since the terrain was not suited for the cavalry. Also it must be noted that the Ford B and D treks were recon missions. Once Benteen arrived the actual crossing would probably have occurred in force. Meaning all 8 companies would have gone into the valley.
@TheMichaelJB The point here is Benteen's movement and arrival time. Had he moved at a pace anywhere close to Boston Custer then he would have reached the Custer battalion before the real fighting had begun. Also if he moves quickly, as ordered, he would have passed Reno Hill before Reno is even on the bluffs. No need to stop and render assistance then. It is all about Benteen following orders rather than ignoring them.
@illusiveman09 The problem I have with Benteen is his slow movement after his scout. It took him 2 hours and 10 minutes to go 6 and 1/2 miles. And the terrain was fairly flat. Once Martini arrived with the message for Benteen it was too late. The chance for Benteen to come to Custer's aid had past by that time. But I am of the opinion that had Benteen come to Custer close to the same time that Boston Custer did, then there would have been no battle on the ridges above the LBH.
To answer your second question, I believe Benteen's three companies arriving no later than 4:30 PM would have made a world of difference for the Custer battalion. Custer only fought on the bluffs because he was waiting for Benteen. The terrain was not favorable for the cavalry. Had Benteen arrived at or near 4:30 PM, Custer would have taken all 8 companies into the valley to capture the non-combatants. The fighting then would have happened on more favorable terrain to the cavalry in the valley.
Another thing Custerapollo do you think some soldiers that survived the chaos was brought back to the Indian camp and tortured in some kind of dance
Survival is really based on timing in my eyes. 120 men would have meant the difference had Benteen arrived before the Custer battle had begun. An arrival after that would mean and do nothing for cavalry.
I have seen the Frank Finkel documentary, and find it improbable....what do you make of Thompson from C co's narrative...also I think Weir's account is very telling, from my understanding he disobeyed orders a few times in regard to both Benteen's and Reno's actions that day....and if he had lived, he may have made Reno's Court of Inquiry a little more heated for both Benteen and Reno.
I love watching your videos of little big horn and I enjoy it and I work their almost every summer but anyways keep up the good work :) and a fun fact it is extremely haunted their at night and I got some really creepy and awesome evps their
Thanks for watching. I appreciate the feedback.
@Penguin0fDoom6z Yes that is true. Custer and 9 other men actually died on top of the hill, and not where the markers are located today. This hill was different at the time of the battle. The hill has been graded several times to put in the monument and the park road in. Back in 1876 the hill was a conical knoll with a small flat top. Just big enough for the 10 men to hold.
@CusterApollo After traversing up and down over multiple bluffs on his scout to the left, Benteen's troops were not in the condition to travel as fast at Boston, maybe half as fast at best.. They certainly could have moved faster than they did though, as even the pack train was gaining on them. It's all moot though, as Custer's defeat was set after he left Major Elliott to his doom at the Washita. As I said, the rot in the command structure goes back to then. Benteen should have transfered out.
I heard that Tom was one of the last to die and fought bravely, which explains the terrible mutilation inflicted on him. Makes sense, the guy had 2 medals of honor. What do you think?
It is possible. However there are other accounts of soldiers fighting brave and in all of those cases the soldier or officer was not mutilated to the degree that Tom was. Now I am not saying Tom didn't fight bravely. I am guessing he did. Its just the amount of mutilation seems to suggest against it. It could also be that a warrior that lost loved ones due to Reno's attack could have happened upon Tom and took out his frustration on him. Anything is possible.
Mutilation was done by the hos.
@CusterApollo do you think the 7th had any chance of victory that day?
True. Tom Custer was recognized by his initials tattooed on an arm. I am of the opinion that Boston Custer and Harry Armstrong Reed were probably on the top of the hill, or at least close to their family members during the battle. Their distance from Last Stand Hill suggests that they fled away from, rather than move toward the hill. That is just my opinion though.
I wonder if those 2 civilian young men grabbed rifles and fought with the troops. I would imagine that they certainly had no choice. I just returned from my first visit there.... everyone interested should go. It is great to see. May 2018
@@dks13827 I can't imagine the civilians were not armed and shooting. Even though they were civilians many people knew how to use a gun in those times.
@CusterApollo So much depends on a red wheelbarrow, glazed with rain water, beside the white chickens. In other words, it depends on when Benteen would have "put the spurs to her" and showed up coming over the Nye-Cartwright Ridge, and how many men Custer would have had left by then. He was never going to leave Reno anyway. Reno would have had to stay in the timber, and even then Benteen would have choosen to come to Reno's rescue and not Custers. The rot in the command goes back to the Washita.
Please, do not forget that Benteen was not the ranking officer Reno,out ranked Benteen. Which is something else that was brought up later at the military board of injuiry, into what occurred that day at the LBH.
Capt. Benteen died a broken man, and became a sad case of alcoholic ,after .
Would the pack train and the spare ammo arrived at all in time? Could it have gotten from Reno hill to Calhoun hill without some difficulty and certainly under aggressive warrior action?
I don't believe the packs could have arrived quickly. However there is another way to get packs to Custer more quickly. Just do what Lieutenant Hare did when he secured packs for Reno. Cut a few boxes loose and ride them by horse to Custer. It would certainly be faster than bringing a pack mule. Also if the mule gets shot then the ammo grinds to a halt.. Cutting boxes loose and riding them in the column would be faster and more secure than dragging a mule to Custer's position.
Weren't all the horses buried in the pit below where the oblique is?
Close. The Horse Memorial is across the road east of the obelisk on Last Stand Hill.
Yes Benteen's total lack of support when ordered is to me criminal.., and it seems that Custer waited awhile early on in upper Medicine Tail Coulee, and was a suprise to the village when he did show...I just reread Gray's book about Bouyer and Custer...and Bouyers last words to Curly are very telling...he was very angry and said for Curly to get out if he could and tell what had happened..and then pointing at Custer..said, he is going to attack the village, we have no chance at all..
I thought seeing it on this made it much more real. i was struck by how peaceful it seems to have the the sight of something that horrendous.
@rickietube1 From what I know through the archaeology only a dozen or so arrowheads have been found at the LBH. I believe the arrowheads themselves do not last very long in the ground and that is why so few have been found over the years.
@commandersheperd1 As far as I know everyone was accounted for in the Custer battalion, with the possible exception of Private Nathan Short. And even his story lacks real evidence that he escaped the battle.
I wonder if Custer's Remington Rolling Block Sporting Rifle was ever turned in by captured Sioux or Cheyenne? It was a popular buffalo gun at the time, so who knows where it went or if whomever ended up with it knew who it originally belonged to? Maybe it's still hidden among the Sioux or Cheyenne, passed down from generation to generation. Survivor Native American ancestors still have some of the captured 7th Calvary 1873 Trapdoor Springfields that were passed onto succeeding generations.
@norseleague MTC is larger than you give it credit for. It could easily sustain more than just 4 abreast. However it is clear that nobody was killed early in the fighting and there is no way Crazy Horse knew anything of the cavalry MTC maneuver until after the battle was over. He had no idea that soldiers had come down to the river and was not aware that the left wing had moved off to the north and was close to the women and children at Ford D. Had he, his actions would have been different.
You are welcome. The number of dead buried by the survivors is solid. Also we know that Captian Sweet had too many markers for the 212 that actually died on the Custer Battlefield. Sweet placed all the markers on the battlefield. In all there are 252 markers where only 212 should be.
@commandersheperd1 I am not sure if anyone was taken back to the camp alive and tortured, but I do know several individuals were decapitated and the survivors found their heads in the village tied together with wire and burned. Two members from Reno's command were killed in or near the village, and two from Custer's comand were also found on the west bank of the LBH river. The two from Reno were decapitated while the two from Custer were not.
Is there any validity to the story that says when Custers body was found he supposedly had a smile on his face??
I have read this and heard about it for decades but don't know if it is myth or fact. Please reply. Thank you
I have never heard that one before.
@MyPicklepie Yes I have been following that story. If I had my way I would donate the guidon to the LBH.
@CusterApollo I also get the feeling that many cartridge casings were carried away since the battle, but long range firing by soldiers at ellusive targets probably would not result in a huge amount of firing. Also, when Indian charges were made the soldiers probably had no time to reload at all. I appreciate your vids and your thoughts on this fascinating battle.
Thanks for the comment. I am glad you have enjoyed the documentary.
Thanks for the video.
+Frank Mauriello You are welcome. Thanks for watching.
@TheMichaelJB The true loss of the battle happened after the scout. Benteen was on flat even terrain with orders to quickly rejoin the command and send work of the findings of the scout. Benteen did neither. He moved slow traveling 6 and 1/2 miles in 2 hours and 10 minutes. That is an average speed of 2.8 MPH in combat conditions. Horrible and inexcusable. The standard military walk of 3 MPH was faster. And a standard trot was 6 MPH. Benteen failed his mission is every aspect.
CusterApollo thank you your videos are great. You have a real feel for this.
CusterApollo indeed the Courts Martial should have been his.
@norseleague There were only two officers that crossed MTC. Both Smith and Sturgis of Company E were in position to do so. But Company F and the HQ staff (containing the other 6 officers) did not go down to Ford B and were not in a position to get hit or killed. The right wing containing the other five officers were to the east on Luce Ridge and out of range of the Indian weapons. Also there is no evidence in the form of bodies or archaeology that suggests a forced retreat by the soldiers.
So I see here that the warriors were actually on the high cause by the looks of it they are on the side of hill not on top
@CusterApollo Agreed. Benteen had no love for Custer and little respect for him as well after the Washita. Benteen's action at the Little Big Horn were terrible, save for the defense of Reno Hill. And even in that he again had a case of the slows.Maybe he had a further grudge with Custer micromanaging him on the scout to the left, as Custer sent multiple couriers to Benteen which no doubt ruffled his feathers even more. I still think the command was doomed though, too many better armed warriors.
@nemeckathleen1 You are welcome! I am glad that you liked the documentary.
How is it that all the gravestones seem to be officers ? Where are the 'privates' ?
Most of the markers are for the enlisted men. Only a few mark where officers died.
did any of Reno's group witness the fighting?
Yes. Four companies moved north from Reno Hill eventually reaching Weir Point. From the high peak the soldiers witnessed the Custer battle three miles away.
Hi CusterApollo,
Fantastic documentary! I watch and rewatch the segments on the deployment and battle of Custer's 5 companies. How confident are you in your narrative of those events?
Some Questions about the "alternate history" possibilities:
1) Reno lost at least 30% casualties (including 12-18 missing) during his initial battle and retreat. Do you think it is realistic to expect more from him or his unit on June 25?
2) Could adding Benteen's 3 companies really have saved Custer's 5 companies?
Just nuts how they all clustered.
The markers have actually been moved twice since their original placement. Apparently there wasn't much of an attempt to recreate the original pattern so the view we get today is somewhat disingenuous.
@@CusterApollo How interesting!
A lot of the mutilation was in revenge for what Custer previously did to Black Kettle's Southern Cheyenne on the Washita where 7th Cavarly attacked a sleeping village of mostly women & children.
Custer knew the relative size of the village when it came to the warriors. That was the most important number. On June 22, at the officers call he estimated the warrior force to be over 1,000 warriors plus another 500 reinforcements from the reservation. The 1,600 warriors Custer estimated is close to the 2,000 warriors he eventually met on June 25. As for the non-combatants, I can see no reason for Custer to move farther north after Ford B if he is only going after the village or the warriors.
Were some actual locations over the hill where the road / lot are today?
Actually the men that died on top of the hill would be located around the obelisk. From the maps I have seen, none of Custer's men fell where the current road and parking lot are located.
IMHO - Attacking on the 25th instead of the 26th because he thought they'd been spotted (his scouts advice and also due to the lost hardtack from the pack train) and he didn't want the combatants to flee - started a chain of events that ended in disaster for Custer and his men (also factoring in Reno's incompetence and Benteen's history with Custer). If instead, Custer gets to rest the 12 Companies/horses, do a full reconnaissance on the 25th (like he originally planned) and then attack on the 26th (with all 12 Companies and possibly Gibbon's Companies as well) - totally different outcome.
Great documentary Bill!
to all...some interesting reads - "A Terrible Glory" by James Donovan, "Custer in 76" by Walter Camp, "With Custer on the Little Big Horn" by William Taylor, "I Fought with Custer the story of Sgt Windolph" by Frazier Hunt. And lots more - read as much as you can and come up with your own conclusions. Great to hear/discuss different sides of it.
Thanks for watching Don.
@commandersheperd1 Yes, at first. Warrior testimony speaks of this action. It was only at the end of the episeode that the warriors charged the position to finish off what little was left.