The bizarre and crazy details that led to a perfect disaster.
Bob Boze Bell is known as America's Western Storyteller. He is an artist, author, writer and serves as executive editor of True West magazine. Bell is a popular, sought-after figure in television documentaries about the Old West, appearing as an expert in dozens of Wild West history shows. Bell won an Emmy Award as Executive Producer of the PBS special, Outrageous Arizona, a zany look at the state's centennial, that he also wrote and helped direct. As an author, Bell has brought to life Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok in his best-selling Illustrated Life and Times series. His books Classic Gunfights I, II and III are must-reads about the most important Old West gunfights. Bell’s Bad Men is now in its fourth printing, while his illustrated autobiography, The 66 Kid: Raised on the Mother Road, gives personal insight into the passions that have driven him on his lifelong quest to interpret the history of the American West for audiences around the world.
🖥️ Visit our website: truewestmagazine.com/
🛍️ Shop our store: store.truewestmagazine.com/
👍 Like us on Facebook: / truewestmag
📸 Follow us on Instagram: / twmag
I live in Ohio and have visited the battlefield around 15 times. I have read anything about the battle and Custer I can get my hands on. I really enjoyed this video and picked up a few things I had not heard. The clothing issue was one and made so much sense. Thank you, I love your telling of the story!
Didn't make sense. Custer had only been fighting against fellow americans who dressed like Americans during the civil war. So in Little Big Horn, he suddenly got thrown off because he might have been fighting dudes that looked like Americans...? Just another excuse often thrown into the mix to excuse the inexcusable.
@@thomascochrane3100 Obviously we agree to disagree!!
@@mikemiller3553 I'd have to disagree with the whole clothing thing, and I do find it to be nonsensical; at the very least, it is ambiguous. During the battle, some of the Seventh Cavalry troopers may have confused their Indian scouts with Sioux or Cheyenne warriors, and some of the hostiles definitely confused their own tribesmen with the Army scouts, and this makes sense. But Custer's troopers misidentifying warriors as their own men because of their clothing? No, I don't believe that was an issue at all during the battle. Despite the latitude they were given to wear whatever was comfortable for them while on the campaign trail, most of the men in the Seventh Cavalry wore their issued uniforms. If not anything else, most men definitely wore their cavalry-issued trousers and boots. Many of the troopers wore lightweight straw hats, linen shirts, and multi-colored kerchiefs but, beyond that, I don't understand why it would have been difficult to differentiate friend from foe, white man from native. After Custer was wiped out, the men in Reno's command confused some hostiles for soldiers, but these warriors were wearing the uniforms they stripped from Custer's dead. As well, during the fight, it is possible that not a few warriors were wearing garments taken from General Crook's men during the Rosebud battle eight days earlier. Realistically, the above-mentioned instances give the only plausible explanation why any soldier at the Little Bighorn may have mistook a Sioux or Cheyenne for a white man - the warrior was wearing a Bluecoat uniform. or part of a Bluecoat uniform.
@@Eadbhard I, was not there and agreed with what Bob Boze Bell had said!! If you feel he was wrong, let him know!! If you disagree with it, that is your right as an american!! Who knows, BBB might actually like your scenario more than the one he is presently using!!
@@mikemiller3553 Of course you weren't there, either was I; nor was Bob Boze.Bell. I don't doubt Bob's erudition, not at all - the man is well-versed on Little Bighorn lore. For all of that, I cannot agree with his theory that Custer's troopers mistook the Sioux and Cheyenne for their own men because of the way the warriors were dressed. Logically, it just doesn't make much sense. I'll own that during the confusion and chaos of battle there may have been a few instances where misidentification occurred, but I doubt it was a major issue, and it certainly would not qualify as a reason why Custer lost the battle that day. Let Bob Boze Bell know? Really? What, do you have his email? Do you really think an author, writer, producer, and executive editor of 'True West' magazine is going to respond to questions and corrective comments he receives regarding the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Come on, man!
A little known fact about George Armstrong Custer is that he was the United States first military aviator. During the Civil War, Lincoln was approached by an inventor who touted his new product (the hot air balloon) as a technical advantage to observe events on the battle field and communicate with officers regarding enemy positions via notes dropped from the balloon. Custer was the only officer in Washington brave enough to take on the challenge. While he gave the balloon good reviews, he wrote in his journal that he never wanted to do it again. Lincoln was impressed and purchased several of the balloons for Union Service.
you do know the the hot air balloon was used by Napoleon
@@daniellastuart3145 Yes I do ... however I don't recall Napoleon being a US military aviator. I could be mistaken though. I've only been wrong once in my life, but that wasn't my fault.
@@daniellastuart3145 Bonjour from France (I'm a native Texan so don't think "it's a French Thing"). Actually, first Balloon flight was made by a Sheep, Duck and Chicken in front of King Louis XVI in 1783 at Versailles and in front of the Dauphin at Château de La Muette on 21 November, Pilâtre de Rozier became the first man ever to be borne aloft. A new page had been written in the history of mankind. All this well before Napoleon ... just for the record.
@@richardgreen7811 you’re wrong about this as well. He definitely wasn’t the first person to go up in a balloon during the Civil War. The balloons were overseen by experts in the field and Thaddeus Lowe was named Chief Aeronaut of the Union Army. This would make Lowe the first ‘army aviator.’ Before Custer there were countless flights… including one by General Fitz John Porter that almost resulted in his death. McDowell even went up in a balloon to reconnoiter prior to the Battle of 1st Manassas.
So did the Chinese! 😆😂🤣
Thanks Bob, I just love hearing these stories told by you.
Tom Custer was also killed with his brother. Tom was among the few awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery twice during the Civil War.
He had another named Boston. Scalped!
@@bsorryrthatsit7055 And a nephew killed as well.
Brother in law too Lt. Calhoun. 5 family members died there.
three of Tom's troopers ambushed Wild Bill in a saloon and tried to shoot him...Wild Bill killed all three of them.
@@julianmarsh8384 Yes, Wild Bill was fortunate since one of the troopers came up behind him, put the gun to Wild Bill's head, and pulled the trigger, misfiring.
First time I've heard Custer given credit for his actions at Gettysburg. Also you give a lot of good information on the Little Bighorn battle. I really enjoy your content.
I am not sure how far you looked. Even the wikipeadia article talks about his involvement in the battle at length
The only place I hear people claim Custer saved the country at Gettysburg is in circles of people who like American western history. His actions allowed the Army to repulse Stuart, but the battle was already decided at that point anyway. It’s as if him having a larger role makes all the history more relevant.
@@mackenzieblair8135 True. Lee placed too much confidence in the 1 hr Artillery barrage against the Federal position on Cemetery Ridge before Pickett's "March" & of which Longstreet disagreed with & protested against. Nor did Lee know Meade held Reserves behind Cemetery Ridge. I've even read @ least one historian speculate that the Richmond-made Bormann (timed) fuses for (exploding) case shot were defective as explained by carrying beyond the Ridge & only causing light casualties. Without question the Confederate Artillery @ this time was very experienced, had good officers, & it's doubtful they would have performed so poorly otherwise.
I’ve heard of the fuses causing problems for the Confederate Artillery as well. It’s very true, they were overshooting the Federals
My family still has Custer's scalp properly stored for future generations of us to enjoy.
Very interesting episode. The breech loading Remington might range to 600 yds. but only in the hands of a trained marksman who knew his weapon. Most of the 7th Cavalry troopers were not that. The Sioux and Cheyenne warriors were armed with a variety of weapons, 1873 & 66 Winchesters but they also had Sharpes and Spencers with longer ranges. In addition because the warriors fought dismounted the undulating terrain and the tall grass allowed them to get within effective range with their pistol caliber lever guns which could produce a superior volume of fire.
Studies have been done concerning the experience of the men in the 7th cavalry. The results and the facts are that the regiment was very experienced. Less than 20% were green troopers. The 7th at this time was considered the best cavalry regiment in the army. This narrative of inexperience is another myth that has unfortunately persisted for decades.
Custer made mistakes
@@bwdd The 7th of the Little Big Horn/ Greasy Grass had transitioned from repeating rifles (Spencers) they used at the Washita to single shot carbines (Springfields). The training regimen also was in transition from the volley fire era of the Civil War to individual marksmanship. The indigenous warriors on that day were mainly fighting dismounted often from cover or concealment and manoeuvring effectively. I have read anecdotal reports that marksmanship training was infrequent during this era but I don’t have a good source. What I am relatively certain of is that Custer’s immediate command of 210 men were annihilated and around 250 troopers/scouts in total were killed compared to 40-50 indigenous dead. I have read from more reliable sources that the Army increased marksmanship training as a result of the Little Bighorn. While it’s true Custer’s troops were not raw recruits they likely had not mastered their weapon system. That coupled with the larger tactical errors put the poor guys in an untenable situation.
When Custer arrived at the top of the hill and saw the Indian village, he have regretted spliting his force, and realised, his mistake. Both Bentine and Reno were experienced soldiers, will we ever truly know what was going through their minds.
The troopers had the trapdoor Springfields. Single shot, yes, but better range, accuracy and durability than any of the repeating rifles the warriors had. That's why Reno and Benteen with only about 400 troopers held off at least 1200 or more of the warriors for another day and a half once Custer's column had been wiped out. Custer's men were caught out in the open, no rocks or trees for cover. At that part of the battle the repeating rifles became a big factor due to their rate of fire. But it's another myth to say "the Indians were better armed". If that were the case I doubt Reno and Benteen would have held them off until Terry arrived.
The Lakota also had access to the same kind of buffalo rifles that had given the Comanche so much grief at the Second Battle of Adobe Walls a few years prior to the Battle of Little Bighorn (Greasy Grass). Those big bore sharps could more than match the range of the cavalry's Springfield trapdoors, however the reload time was far worse.
Very interesting, Bob. Thanks! I was always under the impression the troopers has single shot rifles because the army didn't want them "wasting ammo" with a repeater. I never realized the Springfields had such a greater "reach out and touch someone" accuracy compared the the Winchesters.
This is one of the myths everyone talks about. Their Springfield rifles were excellent and could keep an enemy at bay, especially indians who did not waste their lives charging and getting slaughtered. The splitting of the companies and the terrain the indians used very effectively were what did Custer's battalion in.
It is my believe that LC Custer troops were armed with the 45/70 Springfield Carbine, not the rifle. The carbine, being a short barreled, has a shorter range than the rifle version!
The "wasting ammunition" concept probably stems from the Civil War, when the War Department chose single-shot rifles over the new, 1860 Henry .44 repeating rifle, for exactly that reason. At least one Union unit bought and carried their own 15-round Henrys, which one Confederate soldier supposedly referred to as, "...that damned Yankee rifle they load on Sunday and shoot all week!"
@@robertszerlong7077 Correct. Also, I only learned a few years ago that although the 1873 Springfield Infantry Rifle was loaded with .45/70, the Carbine cartridge (using the same case), had a slightly reduced charge of .45/55, yet still more potent than the Indians .44/40 weapons.
The same reason WW1 pilots weren't issued parachutes. The brass thought it would lead to pilots bailing out of an expensive airplane.
My interests are in ancient history (the more ancient the better), but this little cut of American history was very interesting and told by somebody with an obvious passion for this particular era and location. KZhead has become treasure trove of high quality history channels over recent years (backed by primary sources of course), and I never tire of finding new ones - long may it continue!
Thanks, Bob, for sharing these great stories with us about Custer and the mistakes made at the Little Bighorn.
Bob is such a great story teller and presents new information every time. I've never heard about the native clothes being a factor. Most people would agree Custer was a very brave man and natural leader. But, his decision making on that day has always been in question. Great stuff as always.
An excellent treatise on the subject. The problem with modern society is that they look through the eyes of the media rather than the work of true historians. I suppose that always has occurred though. Look at the dime novel's role in developing the western mythos. Great job, keep them coming.
I was on the Staff Ride Team at Fort Leavenworth in the '90s. We did an "Indian Wars" staff ride, which included the Fetterman Massacre, the Wagon Box Fight, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. We agreed that Custer made plenty of mistakes, but also that his decisions were reasonable based on what the Army's "template" of the Plains Indians was. Some of our students had read Evan Connell's "Son of the Morning Star," which was very critical of Custer, and we had good discussions back and forth. Custer played favorites, and could be very petty, and his 7th Cavalry was not a happy, well-disciplined unit. Benteen was an example--he felt like he had been punished by having to guard the pack train and was unhappy in his command. As Mr. Bell says here, splitting his command turned out to be the fatal mistake, but Custer just could not believe that the size of the Indian force was as big as it was--possibly the biggest force that the Plains Indians ever mustered. He did not know that Gen. George Crook had been defeated by an unexpectedly large force on the Rosebud a week earlier, and that force was only half the size of the force that Custer faced. I'm not sure about the Sioux and Cheyenne fighting in "American" clothing.
What were the "plenty of mistakes" that "Custer made" that you "agreed" upon? Don't just say say he made "plenty of mistakes", and not list them; and if you list them, fugging explain why they were "mistakes"! Connell's "Son of the Morning Star" is not "very critical of Custer", especially when you compare it to some biographies that are critical. If anything, Connell's sweeping narrative is, for the most part, impartial and factual, albeit sometimes circumstantial. Custer "could be very petty"? How? Don't just say it, give some genuine historical examples. Custer had a good idea how large the "Indian force" was going to be; after all, he was following their trail for three whole days. Following the trail they leave, while their en route to their next camp site, is a pretty good way to measure how big their force is going to be, don't you think? When was Captain Benteen ordered to "guard the pack train"? Around midday on June 25, the pack train was assigned to Captain McDougal and Lieutenant Mathey. Captain Benteen was tasked to take his battalion on a reconnaissance beyond the bluffs to the left, (south) of the column's line of march. You didn't learn much at your "Indian Wars" staff ride, did you?
I am a former military officer. I visited the battlefield in 2023 with a group privileged to ride on private land belonging to the Crow nation in the footsteps of Custer's advance from Weir Ridge all the way to the boundaries of the national monument. After years of hearing about the foolhardy and reckless Custer I was surprised by how technically and tactically sound Custer's plan was. He intended to rest his men and horses, conduct reconnaissance, and then make a night movement into position for a dawn attack. He was forced to act immediately when the regiment was discovered by scouts from the village. With the element of surprise lost time was of the essence. The Army had been searching for the Indians for months and Custer, an experienced Indian fighter, knew the Indians would escape if given the chance. Custer ordered an immediate attack, any other commander would have done the same. His improvised plan was not bad: Send Reno to make a diversionary attack to the south of the village; dispatch Benteen to block avenues of escape; while Custer and the bulk of the regiment moved north via a covered and concealed route to attack the village from the north. It was Custer's terrible misfortune to attack the largest Indian village ever assembled in history where his force was outnumbered and outgunned against Indians who were prepared to stand and fight rather than fleeing. Reno's diversion was repulsed in disorder with heavy losses. Custer's men were caught on open hilltops with no cover and multiple avenues where the Indians could infiltrate behind the cover of creek beds and ravines and surround him. Custer did the best he could against an Indian force of unprecedented size. Nothing like the combined Indian warrors had ever been seen on the Plains before; and it would never be seen again. By the time Reno and Benteen joined up it was too late, even if they could have crossed the open ground swarming with Indians to reach him Custer's troopers were already destroyed. Colossal bad luck for Custer. And give the Indians credit. It's not so much that Custer was wrong, but moreso that the Indians did everything right.
Custer split his command according to order 261 of the 'Cavalry in the Field' a book designed after the successes of Lee at Mechanicsville and Chancellorsville during the civil War.
Custer was ordered to find the Indians and wait for reinforcement. He is a glory seeker who led to his men's death.
@@wmoy8507Agreed , but seems like we’ve got to know other Military Diva’s / Glory hounds in the past Eg. Patton , MacArthur ! As for Custer waiting for reinforcements It seems that once his troops were discovered by the Indians his choices were to attack , waitand be attacked or wait for General Terry to arrive and ask him “ So where’s the Indians ? “ as the the Indians would have fled by then ! 🤷🏽♂️
But Lee had Jackson his right arm at Chancellorsville; Custer had no such person.😀
@@wmoy8507 Since you were there, I guess we need to take your word on this as the absolute authoritarian.
Thanks for defending the action of Custer and the 7th Calvary on that fateful day. I think to much blame is placed on Custer and not enough credit is given to the Native American Leaders who were able to rally together defend their families and form a formidable fighting force in very short order.
Wow. Obviously you never read Sun Tzu the Art of War. Custer never read it either. Thank God you are not an Army Officer.
@@mikeaz1960 I am simply repeating the whole point of the video, that multiple West Point Cadets when faced with the same circumstance would have done the same thing. If you have more insight than those teaching at West Point I encourage you to correct them. "The best time to strike an enemy is when they are involved in preparations. Strike before the enemy is fully mobilized, and they will be unable to fight back. This may prevent a battle" Sun Tzu.
If Custer would have taken his time and waited for the rest of the backup things might have been different
@@ericstevens8744 I agree as soon as Custer decided to march into the valley his fate was sealed; but calvary officers of the Union army became so based on the fearlessness. Custer was faced with an dilemma: neither option was great, sit and wait and hope the enemy does not slip away or attack him in strength or attack a superior force beforehand hoping to catch them off guard, in the end he made the wrong choice but that is beauty of hindsight I just don't think in the moment it was a terrible decision to make. I simply think more credit should be given to the Native Americans who were basically an organized militia who had to, on three separate occasions(Crook, Reno and Custer), come to arms against a regular army force and defend their homes and all three times they were victorious.
the fact that the 7th considerably outnumbered can't be ignored, with Custer's +/- 220 men in open plains and hills against incoming Indians 3 to 4 times their number. In contrast, Reno and Benteen, once they regrouped, were able to set a defense on high ground. I wonder the following quite often - how many men past the 212 or so under Custer's detachment would have been required to have allowed him to withstand the onslaught, fight his way back to join Reno and Benteen. If his command had... 400 men.. would they have been able to provide enough firepower against what i guess was 400-700 group of Indians attacking the Custer-portion of the battlefield (more attacking Ren & Ben)? 212 soldiers were handily overtaken by 3 to 4 times the # of Indians, but would say 600 US soldiers with single-shot Springfield carbines have survived and kept them at bay? This keeps me up at night.
I would LOVE for you to do a series on Custer.
Bob, I have a copy of " I fought with Custer " that I bought at a yard sale 40 years ago. I have read it many times and always enjoy a new take on the battle Watch your channel and love it...can't get enough good history
I found my copy at a yard sale many years ago and also read it often. Thoroughly enjoy it! I agree....just can't get enough good history!
Love these stories! I've heard so many different accounts from so many sources, it's hard to get a picture of what really happened. Thank you for trying to clarify some of the accounts of the battle.
You might want to try the Custer Apollo series of vids, I found them to be excellent.
Bob I love the simplicity in which you speak and spin the stories. I know for sure, I and many others are still intrigued by this battle/war but as for the detailed reasons, I'm not always sure. But please keep them coming!
I have enjoyed coming across your work for years, and this was really interesting. Thank you!
Love your content as well. Seriously in my lonely nights this is what keeps me going. I cannot express enough how much i appreciate every video
Thanks Bob , that was really interesting.🐎
Love you old west stories, thank you , also like you on the radio too you made my morning work better, thank you bob
Thank You
Thank you for this fascinating information! This sheds so much light on the battle and what took place there. Very interesting!
I remember having a conversation with my dad on this subject. He would always say Custer lost because he left his Gatling guns behind. That thinking stuck with me until I read a piece claiming otherwise. The article stated that the Gatling guns, though they could put out a massive amount of lead, were big, cumbersome, required 3-4 soldiers to operate, had limited elevation and traversing capabilities, took awhile to set up, and was very static much like an artillery piece. It worked great on the battlefields of the Civil War with large units marching at each other. However, the Native Americans were very mobile and used a lot of ambush and hit-and-run tactics which would expose all the weaknesses of the Gatling gun. Custer was well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of his Gatling guns and the tactics the Native Americans used and decided that his guns would be too much of a hinderance and opted to leave them behind.
Yes. Custer's main concern was to not let the Indians escape. He needed to hit them by surprise and cut off their avenues of escape. He could have done neither of those things had he been burdened by Gatling guns. He didn't know that the Indians were not going to try to escape, and his dispositions of his regiment were unsuited to the stand-and-fight battle that the Sioux and Cheyenne conducted.
A very interesting explanation of why Custer chose not to bring the Gatling guns ... and one which most other commentators seemed to either ignore or more likely be unaware of !!
but that doesnt explains why he left sabres too ..he sent them boxed by train and then had nothing to fight with in close combat.and sabres are not heavy.
9:44 Hearing about the forest fires in that general region in 1989 brings back memories. While I didn't make it to the Little Bighorn battlefield until many years later, I was at the other end of the Cavalry's historic path at that time. My grandparents had taken some of my cousins and me on a summer camping trip, and we spent several days at Fort Robinson State Park, which had connections to many of those who were involved in the battle. The fires reached that area as well, and at one point were close enough to us that we were getting ashes from the fires on us before a well-timed rainstorm started. It was during that trip that I first heard about the Battle, and I have been fascinated by it ever since. After the rain extinguished the fires, we actually went up to a forest that had been burned. It was damp from the rain, but a few of the trees were still smoldering. After the trip, I remember TV news stations reporting about the archeology at the Little Bighorn battlefield, and read an article about it that was published in National Geographic.
I always learn so much from these videos. You are an amazing man. 👏
Robert Utley was a regular guest on so many TV historical shows about the old west. He was always a welcomed guest. Great to see him here. I've been to Little Big Horn and many other famous battlefields. There always seems to be a respectful silence for the fallen. Custer's brother died there too. At that time, he was the only person to be decorated twice with the Medal of Honor. And also, the Custer's sister's husband died there didn't he? Did you do that video? Well Great one Bob. Thanks. In the Army at Ft. Hood I was in Custers unit 7th Cav/ 2nd Bt/5th Br. (?).
Custer had 2 brothers that died with him that day plus his brother in law Calhoun and his nephew.
Thank you Bob. I so enjoy these stories and I always learn something. I'd never heard or read about the issue of what the Indians were wearing. Loved it all!
Great job Bob. Been studying that battle for a long time but you gave me some new info. Thanks!
Another great video Bob! Reno and Benteen were both lackluster at best as officers,and they both hated Custer. It's somewhat amazing that either one of those guys survived. Once again, great video!
Custer promised Reno he would support him. He did not. Reno freaked out and took most of his casualties in a poorly executed retreat/route. Benteen was an excellent soldier and was regarded by contemporary sources as the man who saved the 7th from annihilation.
I had always thought both Benteen and Reno were decent officers but Reno had lost his nerve and ability to command effectively after his scouts brain matter was splattered all over his face and uniform. In any event I am not sure Benteen and Reno were in any position to assist Custer.
@@jsmith3772 Benteen was an excellent soldier and leader but he was not a fan of Custer and wasn't going to go out of his way to help him. Reno was probably suffering from depression and some PTSD from his years of service and his wife dying. He was no longer combat effective. Benteen, in my opinion could have made it to Custer. He dwaddled slowly and then came upon a whipped Reno and relegated his battalion to a higher officer. If Custer had survived, he would have been furious at Benteen!
Reno was drunk and left his men behind in the trees. Benteen disregarded a direct written order.
@@bwdd excellent soldiers disregard direct written orders? 😆
Nicely done Bob. Having visited the Custer battlefield a few times and having a long time to walk around and look at things I can follow along with what you are saying here quite easily. You are spot on with this . I remember you from your days with the Phoenix New Times Weekly. That was a long time ago.
Wow! The first few minutes really impressed me. History should be about searching for truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Said truth seldom lends itself to a dozen multiple choice questions. There is nuance, context, and deeper understanding. Well done.
Another awesome video! Keep them coming!
The Battle of Rosebud's a good candidate.
My Great great uncle was an infantrymen with General Crook when Custer rode off to the Little Bighorn. My mom (born in 1923) told me some of his stories when she was little and he was in his 70's. Crook's forces got there about 3 days later and he told her stories about burying mutilated bodies for a few days before chasing the Sioux south.
Custer should've taken his sweet time getting there. It would've been a much different story..
Damn I agree with you absolutely!!! Your view is the 💯 BEST AND MOST ACCURATE
Uhhh, you're full of crap. Crook did not arrive at the Little Bighorn "3 days later". After the Battle of the Rosebud on June 18, Crook's column retreated back to Fort Fetterman in Wyoming. Also, General Crook did not live to be "in his 70's"; he died in 1890, at the age of 61.
@@HansScott9228 Yeah, if Custer would've "taken his sweet time", the village would have dispersed, and the entire campaign would have been a failure. That being said, the story would have been different, but not much different.
Hey Ruairc, beg your pardon if I have Crooks arrival at the battlefield wrong. To me, "a few days later" could be anywhere from 3 to 5 days. Second of all I was referring to my ancestor who live into his 80's, not Gen. Crook. Try reading comprehension so you don't look like a dick in a human suit.
Another thought. I have been a student of this battle for decades. It is my sincere feeling that had Benteen gone striaght away to Custer after Renos command was secure, remember the indians broke off their attack almost immediatley after Benteen arrived; I believe Benteens command would have met the same fate as Calhoun, Kehyo, Yates and the rest. There were too many indians and they had 200 or more repeaters not to mention bows and arrows which they rained down on troopers and horses alike from cover. Not only was the grass deep but sage brush was everywhere. Lots of cover. With Benteen wiped out, Reno would have followed the fate of the rest. Custer expected the indians to run away, not fight. Just everything that could go wrong did. Reno and Benteen left Custer out to dry no dought about it. It was the indians last stand really. They were out minding their own business and were attacted. I would have done the same thing the indians did. Too bad for the troopers. It must have been a living hell at the end.
Custer's 5 companies were in 4 different positions. Which should Benteen gone to when he only knew that Custer was on somewhere across the river ?
Great point: Custer did not expect to be outmanned and outgunned.
Always been fascinated with the Custer saga since i was a kid - any new nuggets of info is always welcome!
Great show! Keep them coming!
I have heard that Gen. Custer left Gattling guns behind, so as not to slow his travel.
i live in custers hometown of monroe mi . people are trying to get his statue tore down because they think hes a war criminal and racist its so ridiculous
I had the pleasure of visiting your hometown a few years ago. I was very impressed with the Custer museum and was photographed with the statue. I agree, the recent revisions of history and statue removals are destructive and stifle discussion.
I heard and learned some tidbits I have never heard before. Thank you, like a lot of your viewers, I like history from that not-too-distant past.
What a wonderful summary. I learned several new things and I thought I had read most everything about the battle. Thanks so much
One of the major failures was Reno instead of charging up to and through the Indian encampment was that he stopped to set up a perimeter which gave the Indians time to mass and attack him. I have read accounts from the Indians who said they were totally shocked and surprised by the attack and have been teen had kept coming he could have easily written through the camp and maybe even rounded them which would have provided Custer what he needed and what Custer expected out of him. It was a major failure on Reno's part
I give Reno a pass on halting and forming the skirmish line. Apparently he saw masses of warriors moving out, well armed. So it might have been a reasonable tactic. That said, Reno's decisions after halting were disgraceful. He panicked and was the first one out of the timber. He didn't leave a covering force while retreating and left about 18 men behind in the timber to fend for themselves (luckily a scout led them to safety with the rest of Reno's command on the hill). Add to this the fact that Benteen failed to quickly come to Custer's aid and that explains the massacre. Custer definitely erred in not doing a better job of scouting the size and location of the village. But, it's also true that Custer didn't have that much time and reasonably believed his force had been discovered. The warriors did in fact fight very well that day as an attacking mounted force. Credit where credit is due.
@@TWS-pd5dc of course Reno would say that later on. No way would he ever tell the truth if it would make him look bad. Once again, I would have to go with what several of the Indians said, that if Reno had continued charging through the village that he would have completely surprised them. Unlike Reno, they have no reason to lie.
@@markwarren250 But not many of Reno's officers and men criticized his halting either. It was likely a tactical mistake as cavalry loses a lot of effectiveness when it goes from offense to defense. But Reno was there, we weren't, and as stated I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that. He stated that he feared his small command (barely 150 men, with most of the scouts who were not expected to fight) was in danger of being lured into a trap. Yes, many Indians later said that he had the village at his mercy but I'm not sure that would have happened. That village was much much bigger than Custer had expected.
The problem was they started the attack without knowing the strength of the enemy. No intel and bad intel equals defeat. Go ask General Custer how that worked out for him. General Custer signature move was to capture women and children then use them as hostages to force the enemy to surrender. In combat you have to have more than "Chicken Shit Tactics". So says "me".
@@TWS-pd5dc of course they would say that later at the inquiry it became more of a savior ass than till the truth at that point they did not want to seem like they were criticizing their officers which could have hurt their career I also read there was a lot of pressure put on many of the men about their story
Bob, like you I for a long time thought Custer really let his ego get ahead of his good sense. However, after touring the battlefield several times and doing the additional reading I came to a different conclusion. Custer's primary goal was to capture a significant number of non-combatants and use them as hostages. He was trying to repeat what worked for him at the Washita. When he got to the river on Medicine Trail Coolee. The women and children had already fled the village and moved further. So his movement up to battle ridge was another attempt to get ahead of them. His movement north was really a recon for a future attempt to do so. Leaving the troops at Calhoun hill was in essence a way so that Benteen would see them and join them there. Remember Boston Custer had ridden back to the supply column to change horses so he would have informed Custer where they were and he figured that they were on their way. Two other points to consider, while the 45-70 was a standoff weapon you needed practise in order to use it effectively. Congress in their tightwad ways restricted markmanship to a handfull of bullets per year hence the low casualties amoung the Souix and Cheyenne. Also several troopers commented from Weirs troop that when they got to Weirs Point they could see the battle raging. However the hill was encased with a cloud of gunsmoke and dust. They could see the warriors darting inside and out of it but no troopers. As one warrior commented they could see the flashes of the soldiers guns and when they quit seeing them thats when they closed in and finished the wounded off. In my humble opinion the only two movies that come close to telling the true story were Son of Morning Star and Little Big Man which was not far from the battlefield and got the topography correct.
Custer was still seething that Major Reno had not attacked the encampment he had discovered went sent on his scout by Gen. Terry. Hell, Custer wrote a letter to the New York Herald complaining about Reno. Decidedly uncool. Custer loudly proclaimed to all who would listen how 'Reno could have made a name for himself' if he had shown the initiative to fight and capture the camp, instead of returning empty handed from the scout. But Reno was perhaps spooked when one of his scouts told him that if the Sioux see the 7h cavalry, they will all be killed. Reno withdrew. I believe Reno was cautious, by nature, and Custer reckless. I do agree with you that Custer was trying to use native women and children as hostages, and his plan failed miserably.
Soldiers massacred the people at Washita - The army way was to kill everyone, not take hostages
@@guadalahonky4002 Yeah, if Reno was so "cautious" why then did he disobey General Terry's orders, and continue all the way to the Rosebud in his search for the Indians? If Major Reno went to such lengths as to disobey his orders and proceed on to the Rosebud on his scout for the Indians, he should have just engaged the Indians once he identified their location. Instead, Reno turned around, and headed back toward the Yellowstone. Although he found Sitting Bull's trail, Major Reno could have compromised the entire campaign by disobeying his orders, especially if the Natives had observed his column - which was what General Terry feared, and what he wanted to avoid; hence, his orders to Major Reno not to scout the Rosebud valley. Custer was correct: since Reno so thoroughly disobeyed his orders, and conceivably jeopardized the whole expedition by possibly alerting the Indians of the Bluecoats' presence, the major should have done something to justify his insubordination. An attack on Sitting Bull's camp would have been the appropriate justification.. You believe Major Reno was "cautious by nature"? Really? What do you base that upon? His cowardly actions in the valley of the Little Bighorn? Being "cautious doesn't win battles, honky. What is more, "cautious" is not a favorable word to use when describing a cavalry commander. Custer, on the other hand, has a reputation for being "reckless", but that's only because Custer was an utterly fearless cavalry leader. Without a doubt, George Armstrong Custer was one of the best - if not THE best - cavalry officers in American history. Conversely, Major Marcus Reno...well...he was just a mediocrity.
@@Eadbhard Custer was an asshole and Reno was spooked when told by his scouts they were a scouting party, not a war party, and they would surely die if they attacked.
I enjoyed your video Bob. Looking forward to more of them.
I enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing!!
Custer was brash but not stupid. The thing to keep in mind is that in the Indian Wars out West, the greatest problem the cavalry had was finding the native villages and bringing the warriors to battle. All too often the Indians would simply scatter and fade away. What no one on the American side knew was that Sitting Bull had called a meeting of all the Sioux tribes. Nothing like that had ever happened before. Custer came upon one end of the massive village and mistook that one section for the entire village. His greatest concern was that the Indians would scatter before he could attack. Acting on the info he had at the time and his personal experience, he acted rationally.
100% correct. His splitting his 650 or so men into 3 groups, with a 4th holding the spare ammo, has for years been called "reckless and foolish". Not true. It was correct in all military doctrine at that time. He should have scouted the village better, yes, but he did not think he had the time to do that, he legitimately believed his force had been discovered and the village alerted. So, it was quite correct to send Benteen to the south to make sure no warriors were there, correct to have Reno attack the village head on and correct to take his 200 or so men to hit the village from the side or rear. Nothing reckless or foolish about that.
@@TWS-pd5dc Military Intelligence had estimated 800-1200 warriors, there were more like 3000+. But Custer didn't know that until after he divided his command and then it was too late. Perhaps he should have been more cautious and reconnoitered the camp before attempting aggressive actions, but that wasn't Custer-he wanted to take action before the Indians escaped. Recent history has been unfair to Custer, he was bold and brash but he wasn't a fool. His gambles had always paid off up until LBH, but it was a gamble too many. Incidentally, Custer was being mentioned as a possible Presidential candidate after the Grant Administration-I think by the Democrat Party. That was one reason he wanted to secure a big victory over the Sioux and Cheyenne-to lock in the nomination. Those were different times.
I miss Mr. Utley. He had a passion for history that was irrefutable. Much like you Mr. Bell.
Thanks Bob, as always I loved the information you bring to us, its details that has been unknown by most and can only learn of it on your channel.
Brilliant as always. Beavers always get you!!
Thank you Bob. Love your shows. The best way to describe Custer's failures is the he was simply outmaned and outgunned. The natives had more than just Winchesters there with them.
I think it is fair to say he was out thought as well.
Thank you for a very interesting presentation. I had also thought that Custer was hoping to capture women and children to take hostage to stop the fight.
Enjoyed this video very much. Thank you.
Awesome video. I've been to the battle field several times and have read several books on it. This was the first time I've heard of some of this very interesting information. Thank you.
Custer had more cojones than the average individual Custer was the first person to go up in a spotter balloon 🎈 first test pilot.🤔 Always look forward to seeing your next installment.
He definitely wasn’t the first person to go up in a balloon during the Civil War. A test pilot? The balloons were overseen by experts in the field and Thaddeus Lowe was named Chief Aeronaut of the Union Army. Before Custer there were countless flights… including one by a General that almost resulted in his death.
Good rationalizing- Cajones (SP) all the way to eternity- now that's REAL courage...
Very good information. I would add that Custer placed Reno and Benteen in charge of their elements based on rank and seniority as protocol demanded. As well Gen Crook made no attempt to warn Custer that the natives would not flee from them.
It would have been good for Crook to have informed Gen. Terry, Custer's superior. But Terry was not in Crook's chain of command, so Crook was not under orders to let him know of the defeat on Rosebud Creek.
Great Story and fine Presentation!
Nice one my Friend keep up the Brilliant Work
Custer's mistake wasn't not bringing the Gatling Guns, it was dividing his forces.
It was both. With the Gatling guns he would have at least taken more Native warriors with him.
@@patrickmiano7901 Custer MIGHT have had a point in saying that the Gatling Guns would've slowed him down. They WERE heavy, and with the way the Natives fought, there would've been only a little time to get them set up. Had Custer had those three Gatling Guns set up and ready on Last Stand Hill, he probably would've survived. But losing his mobility would've really hindered that.
I am wondering about a comparison of the Battle of the Rosebud, that occurred on June 17, 1876 to the Little Big Horn Battle on June 25-26, 1876. Crazy Horse was in both fights and had many of the same warriors in both engagements. I feel as though the Lakota experienced a live fire warm-up in this battle and used that experience a week later in the fight 40 miles to the north. George Crook also took a somewhat different approach to engaging the native forces than Custer did. While Crook didn't win his fight (even though his after action report claimed he did), he didn't loose so many men in the battle as Custer did. The two sides disengaged apparently because the Lakota were running low on ammunition at the end of the fight. They didn't have a pack train following them like Crook did. Both sides were exhausted after hours of fighting and both sides fell back. Custer and his forces to the North were totally unaware of this fight and its results.
Since Custer was not at Rosebud, he could not employ usual strategy of leveraging woman and children as hostages or slaughtering them. Next fight the payback would be retribution in full.
Great points! Unfortunately, Custer didn't know about Crook's defeat on the Rosebud, because Crook was commanding the Department of the Platte, while Custer's higher commander was Gen. Alfred Terry, commanding the Military Division of Missouri. Crook did not advise Terry of his defeat. Thus, Terry did not know that the southern prong of the 3-pronged offensive had turned back and that the force of Sioux and Cheyenne at Rosebud was the largest force of Plains Indians encountered by the U.S. Army to that point. Because Terry didn't know, Custer didn't know. The U.S. Army's "template" on the Plains Indians was that they would strike by ambush and then run away, that the difficulty was in keeping them from escaping. Crook found out otherwise. Custer would find out otherwise a week later, fighting a force twice the size of the one that had defeated Terry.
Crazy Horse learned that it was better to have his forces fight together as a group than individually, which made all the difference in both battles.
Loved this Bob! Fascinating stuff, THANKS!
Fascinating.thanks for the info.enjoyed it very much
Many thanks to Bob Boze Bell! Leave it to the True West Magazine to finally get an accurate commentary about the Battle of the Little Bighorn on KZhead, bravo! I only had one issue with Bell's narrative: he mentions how Custer split his regiment before realizing how large the Indian village was, but I cannot fully agree with that. I believe Custer had a good idea how large the village would be based upon the Indian trail he was following. He followed Sitting Bull's trail down the Rosebud until it headed east along Davis Creek, through the Wolf Mountains, and eventually into the Little Bighorn Valley. Somewhere along the way, on the morning of June 24th, the regiment observed another Indian trail, coming in from the east, converging with the trail they had been following. As a result, the trail they followed into the Little Bighorn valley, now beaten down into a wide swath half-a-mile wide by thousands of ponies, lodge poles, and travois, was massive. Sitting Bull's people had about 800 to a 1000 warriors with them, and they were joined by more Sioux who had fled the Reservations for the summer. That being said, I believe Custer had a pretty damn good idea how many Natives were in the Little Bighorn village on June 25th. In fact, Custer initially made the decision to attack the village on June 26th. Upon realizing how large the village actually was, he may have wanted to wait for the Terry/Gibbon column to catch up. The Terry/Gibbon column was purportedly suppose to arrive at the Little Bighorn on the 26th. As fate would have it, Custer received news that the village was, in all likelihood, aware of his presence; such as it were, Custer had no choice but to attack the village as soon as he could - June 25th. Custer's "brashness" had nothing to do with his actions at the Little Bighorn; unless, of course, wanting a victory means to be "brash".
Some of the soldiers under Custer's command were less than adequate. During the battle, two had such poor horsemanship that they lost control of their horses and galloped into the Indian Village to be killed. Thanks for the great video!
I like Libby Custer's answer when asked what the problem was, "to many Indians."
Hundreds of books, thousands of opinions and theories, but the truth is in those three simple words... too many Indians
I doubt Libby said that. Libby blamed Reno and Benteen.
Awesome insights, thank you for sharing!
Honestly the best account I have heard: BRAVO!
Gen. Sheridan's plan: 2400 men in two columns converging to overwhelm and defeat a large roaming band. of natives. Gen. Terry's plan: 1200 men divided into two columns of 600 to do the same thing. Custers plan: 600 men, reduced to a 330 attacking force without adequate ammunition, to do the same thing Sheridan proposed to do with 2400 men. The plan: Reno on the left, Custer on the right... attack. The resulting failure of mutual support ends with a defeat in detail. It is indeed an odd feature of human nature that people can wonder why this battle was lost. The only conundrum is Custer's motivation. His failure at the Washita gave him sufficient information to know he was not capable of defeating a large and determined force of warriors. That the element of surprise alone would result in a fleeing rearguard action was naive.
If he had captured the fleeing women and children, the warriors would have given up. They were not suicidal. Logical but risky thinking and ultimately fate went against him.
Im Brazilian i love the american culture
Your telling of the history is more enjoyable and informative.
Really enjoy your presentations, so informative and yet fun to listen to. Hope to see you in person sometime.
General Custer was a courageous officer of the United States Calvalry, the Commanding Officer of the 7th Calvalry in 1876, when the Big Horn battle was fought. A very distinguished Civil War career and later as a Indian fighter. He was devoted to his wife Elizabeth and she to him. He led his troops from the front into battle and he also was sympathetic to the Indian cause of that time. As the narrator pointed out, Custer's worst mistake was the splitting of his Command into three separate groups right on the eve of combat. Being an armchair general is the easiest command there is. You have all the facts and data at your leisure and you know just "what" to do, and at the "right" time to do it. The armchair general is not under the blazing heat of the June sun in Montana, nor is he/she sitting on a mount trying to figure what move to deploy, you already know what to do. The armchair leader is not in any risk of being shot or taken prisoner by an enemy that is not civilized. No worries about being tortured or having your hair lifted off your head by this same enemy. General Custer was exposed to danger from get-to-go, as was his Command. He suffered from the extreme heat of that fateful June day. He had two "hostile" subordinates for his support, that commanded the other two portions of the 7th Calvalry split up. These two, Benteen and Reno, were unlike Custer in many ways. They resented the General for some slight he had given them earlier on separate occasions. They bad-mouth him between each other, building each others resentment towards the General. This did not seem to effect their bravery at this battle though. At that point when help for Custer was made known, it was already decided. Charging head-long into the Indians to effect a rescue would have been a suicide to what was left of the 7th, and the battle from Custer's involvement was history. The two, though their resentment towards the General, were brave men that did the best they could under conditions current time historians/readers can scarcely imagine. Great video, accurate and informative, not given to Hollywood correctness or woke crap!
He was not a general...
was great to have you in Deadwood at the Adams House! Great presentation. Love this new video
Excellent and enjoyable analysis. All your commentaries reflect thoughtful research.
Thank you Bob, I always enjoyed your illustrations etc in New Times.Good video!
Brash is the perfect word for Custer. There are a couple of times in our Civil War when he barely scraped through with unexpected help. I know he was intensely disliked by many officers but Keogh and Benteen were very capable veterans with high brevets themselves during the war. You also kind of indicated that a lot of bullets even from shorter range weapons will likely hit someone plus procuring the longer range rifles. Finally likely as among African nations they might dress up for a raid as they would want to stand out but for serious 😅all out war battle dress is far simpler and functional. Thanks for your clear, efficient presentation.
Yes, Custer was defeated @ Trevilian Station, Virginia in June 1864, barely escaping being killed or captured. I think the Confederate commander was Wade Hampton & @ least one historian has referred to the battle as "Custer's 1st Last Stand or Little Bighorn", I can't remember which.
A lot missing here. Custer's 7th was full of "Boots" (Rookies). He didn't have the combat hardened veterans like he did before. They were a "Chaser force", chasing Indians up the river while two larger forces flanked. His wagon train lost supplies and when he sent troops back to check, the supplies had been taken by Indians. This indicated that they were compromised and had to expedite the attack. He engaged fully expecting the two larger forces to arrive shortly. They were themselves embattled and didn't show up until well after Custer's demise.
The 7th was less than 20% new recruits and was the best cavalry regiment in the army at that time. Inexperience was not a factor in this battle.
Thank you so much, its aways worth the wait . 🤠
I know a Collector who bought an 1873 from a Sioux in Canada. He traced the serial# that showed it was Issued to the 7th. It had a broken stock that was nailed and duct-taped together. What a great story you told and those darn Beavers.
That's extremely typical of most firearms captured or purchased by the Indians. They worked them hard and used whatever means were available to them to keep them in service.
I hope you're referring to an 1873 Colt SAA (.45 cal) Revolver, because the U.S. Army 7th Cavalry was never issued 1873 Winchester Rifles or Carbines.
Good to hear common sense analysis on this battle instead of so much of the ridiculously emotional bs coming from people that know nothing about the battle. Well done overall.
had the pleasure to finally see the Little Bighorn last summer, and the Badlands and more. my 2 cents as to why Custer failed and why the Sioux won. 1.Custer, the Army, and the government as a whole great underestimated Indian numbers and Indian will to fight. 2. Custer rushed headlong into battle without waiting for Terry/Gibbon to support him. 3. Custer divided his forces and the failures of Reno and Benteen on that day and the lack of support/coordination between the 3 units. the controversial ones. 4. The 7th Cavalry and US Army as a whole in those days was poorly trained, poorly equipped, and poorly led by an Officer Corps that was still thinking in terms of battles like Gettysburg and Petersburg 5. The Indians had more and better guns 6. Sitting Bull and the Chiefs were mentally prepared to stand and fight whereas Custer and the Army was used to Indian skirmishes/them running away after some gunfire, they weren't prepared for a long fight 7. Custer lost because the Indians outfought him but they greatly underestimated American rage over such a victory.
Yes, Custer ran into a buzzsaw. Love that description! I have used that myself!
He just didn't do his homework. He underestimated his opponents. He was well outnumbered. Plain and simple. He was walking into a massacre.
Would love to see more Sir. Thank you. Custer underestimated his opponent. That and he didn't listen to his native American scouts especially bloody knife who told him don't go down there. If you do we will ride a road we have never been on before. Also the other high officers Benteen etc. Hated Custer. With all black powder weapons with all the guns firing visibility was at zero. So the out numbered troopers couldn't see the direction the native Americans were attacking from. Custer other mistake was when he tried to cross river he was trying to capture the old women and children to hold them hostage like he did at the Rose bud battle. But instead of attacking on the back of the native Americans camp he was in the center of the camp. Long story short after they counted coup the native Americans said you didn't bring enough men! The native Americans won the battle but lost the war!
Custer could have used those Gatling guns and a little more common sense.
Hotckiss revolving cannon. 37mm exploding rounds 68 per minute. Just stand off and pump death into the village. They would beg for relief.
You are clueless. Do you not know what Reno ran into when he brought them during his scout on the 10th!
That and not kill unarmed women and children. Custer and his men died because of their treatment of the natives. You don't have somebody stick something in both your ears if they weren't trying to make a point.
@@matthew-jy5jp oh please. They did not murder women and children! They were the ones that mulatied the soldiers whether they were dead or alive!
Uh, Custer and others certainly did kill women and children. Well documented. And so would’ve we, most likely. Natives were not viewed with equal status to whites.
Just an excellent perspective TY
Thanks!! Very informative.
Well, Custer did know that Reno was in the fight of his life. His Crow scouts told him. They were interviewed by a reporter several years after the fight. The 45-70 cases of the Calvery would stick in the breach and need to be pried out after each shot with a knife. This fault has been noted several times. Army supply of old ammunition is at fault here. The 1873 Winchester was way too new for all the Indians. They had older Winchesters as is evident by the double strike on the old 44 shell casings found. The Indians may have done some sneatking, but by all accounts from Two Moon (Cheyenne) and Sitting Bull's (Lakota) they rode horses. Crazy Horse is reputed to have charged through the camp on horse back rousing the other warriors when they saw Custer's troops coming. Custer knew or should have known the size of the camp, as the Crow scouts told him how big it was. Custer had used this tactic before in Cheyenne encounters. He would attack when the warriors were occupied and capture the women and children and make the warriors surrender or they would kill their families. Sitting Bull knew Custer would try that and he led the non-combatants away from the center of the village. Custer was not well liked, by many except his favorite family cadre. I don't care what the armchair generals or cadets said, many were lousy leaders in Viet Nam. There are so many first hand witnesses who have left records of their observations that should have been investigated. Custer did not win the day at Gettysburg and would have been defeated several weeks before if Jeb Stewart had not been killed earlier. History ! Look it up !
The 45-70 ammunition issued at the time was copper case not brass and copper was a soft metal compared to brass so the extractor on the Springfield would cut right through the copper case and the case was stuck in the chamber
"Please Mr. Custer I don't wanna go"
Awesome stuff! Thanks.
Wonderful info and presatation.. Thank you.
1. Got too far ahead of column 2. No hotchkiss revolving cannon OR mountain gun. 3. Broke up the commands he DID have with him. 4. Ignored scouts/hubris/didnt allow for x factor of indian morale/desperation. 5. Generally degraded army. Immigrants. No training/experience.
Custer was showing off for the papers and his brother when making the charge. Custer's momentum halted when he was shot across the river and was taken up the bluff. His commanders did not respect him and let his orders dangle in lieu of their own decisions thereby ensuring Cluster's fate.
Dumb and dumber
He bucked the odds one too many times.
Thank you. Very enlightening indeed.
Very informative, Thank you!
excellent
Excellent job. Thank you very much, sir.
Great story. Thanks so much!
Fantastic shows, watching from Scotland...keep up the good work...:)