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7th Cav still under gunfire this morning


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June 26, 1876 The remainder of the 7th Cav at the Little Big Horn River came under heavy fire at the Reno/Benteen defensive position, 4 miles south of Last Stand Hill (LSH) at dawn on this date.  Custer and his 5 companies are dead.  Late that afternoon the Hostiles struck camp and headed south.  It wasn't until the morning of June 27 that the reason for the withdrawal was clear.  The Montana column led by Terry and Gibbon arrived from the north.  On June 28 an effort was made to move the wounded to the steamer Far West which was located at the mouth of LBH River (where the town of Hardin is located today).   The casualty rate for the 7th Cav at LBH was 51%.  Of the 12 companies, Custer lost 5 and Reno/Benteen lost the equivalent of 1 coy.  Once the wounded were on board the Far West headed for Ft Lincoln.

 

There were no human survivors with Custer's column, however, there were a few badly wounded horses that had to be put down due to the severity of the wounds.   On the east slope of Battle Ridge Capt Keogh's horse Comanche, was wounded, but was the only one standing.  The saddle had slipped and was under his belly.  Comanche was sent  on the Far West  to Ft Lincoln along with the wounded. 

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Yeah. I've always thought that although Custer dividing his force into 3 columns was seen as blatantly negligent, it may have been an unplanned life saver for the rest of the 7th Cav (Benteen and Reno). If they had gone in en mass on 6/25, then they very likely would have still been wiped out in a more protracted battle on the valley floor. They were significantly outnumbered. Splitting the force allowed @ 2/3 to eventually reach the high ground and hold out overnight until, like in the movies,.....the cavalry (Gen Terry) arrived. Cue John Ford

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Capt you cite the fallacy that Custer erred in splitting his forces. Actually it was standard military maneuver taught at West Point and standard military tactics of the time.

 When cadets study cavalry tactics of the time, and are given a ghost scenario so as to not know they are emulating Custer almost all split their commands!

 We now call it “ hammer and anvil” maneuver. 
 Had Reno and Benteen moved to Custer who knows what would have happened?!

  

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38 minutes ago, Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 said:

Capt you cite the fallacy that Custer erred in splitting his forces. Actually it was standard military maneuver taught at West Point and standard military tactics of the time.

 When cadets study cavalry tactics of the time, and are given a ghost scenario so as to not know they are emulating Custer almost all split their commands!

 We now call it “ hammer and anvil” maneuver. 
 Had Reno and Benteen moved to Custer who knows what would have happened?!

  

 

 Reno and Benteen attempted to go to Custer but only got as far as Weir Point.  What they witnessed from that point was the dying minutes/seconds of Custer's last stand approx 3 miles distant.   The Hostiles saw them at Weir Point and advanced towards them.  Reno decided to return to his original hilltop position and set up a defensive position.   He lost one man during that Weir Point maneuver.

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2 hours ago, Buffalo Creek Law Dog said:

On the east slope of Battle Ridge Capt Keogh's horse Comanche, was wounded, but was the only one standing.  The saddle had slipped and was under his belly.  Comanche was sent  on the Far West  to Ft Lincoln along with the wounded. 

Commanche now resides at Dyche Hall at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Lindsey Lewis Dyche, "Professor of Anatomy and Physiology, Taxidermist and Curator of Mammals, Birds and Fishes" at KU had a national reputation for taxidermy and was hired by the US Army to stuff Commanche after he died of old age. Dyche did so, but was never paid. He kept the horse.

 

27-Comanche110425jd028-26print8bit-300x2

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Buffalo you are completely wrong!! Reno and Benteen NEVER moved towards Custer!! Lt Weir tried with his single troop, and only made it to the point now called Weir Hill! 
Reno was going to abandon his wounded ( which was allowed  under military practice) but Bemteen stopped him ! At that point Reno put him in command of the hill top defeses. Custer was on his own !

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4 hours ago, Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 said:

Capt you cite the fallacy that Custer erred in splitting his forces. Actually it was standard military maneuver taught at West Point and standard military tactics of the time.

 When cadets study cavalry tactics of the time, and are given a ghost scenario so as to not know they are emulating Custer almost all split their commands!

 We now call it “ hammer and anvil” maneuver. 
 Had Reno and Benteen moved to Custer who knows what would have happened?!

  

Dutch,

 

  I am citing a fallacy about the splitting of forces, not necessarily saying that it was wrong for the times. But, the hammer and anvil tactic works when they are together, both larger than what is to be smashed. In this case..............not so much. 

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1 hour ago, Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 said:

Buffalo you are completely wrong!! Reno and Benteen NEVER moved towards Custer!! Lt Weir tried with his single troop, and only made it to the point now called Weir Hill! 
Reno was going to abandon his wounded ( which was allowed  under military practice) but Bemteen stopped him ! At that point Reno put him in command of the hill top defeses. Custer was on his own !

 

With all due respect, sir.  Weir asked Reno for permission to go to the sound of the guns, Reno denied it.  Weir then went to Benteen who also denied Weirs request.  Weir went anyway and Godfrey assumed that Weir had permission and followed.  Reno and Benteen then decided  that the whole command would go but their pace was slower than Weir and Godfrey as they were taking the wounded.  When the Hostiles left LSH towards Reno's command of which part of it was already at Weir Point, Reno's command did an about turn back towards  Reno Hill.  The withdrawal was slow due to transporting the wounded, Godfrey did a rear guard action. to slow down the Hostiles advance.  They all made it back to Reno's original hill top position, with only one casualty.

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The debate continues.

 

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