Vain Glory Part III
Terry’s orders to Custer were clear. Link-up with Crook and coordinate the attack. Custer interpreted the assignment as a hunting license. He pushed south by forced march, exhausting his men and their mounts, obsessed by the belief the Indians would run if they learned of their advance. Late on the 24th Custer’s scouts reported sighting a big village.
On the morning of the 25th scouts led Custer to the Crow’s Nest, a rocky summit from which the village could be partially seen some fifteen miles up-river. The scouts pointed out pony herds grazing on the heights above the village. The size of the herds indicated a very large village. Custer saw his prize. He self-justified his next course of action with the imagined belief the tribes were preparing to run.
The Seventh Cavalry comprised eleven companies, approximately 650 men. Custer faced a village of undetermined size, defended by an undetermined force of warriors, later determined to number between 2,500 and 4,000. Custer never wavered from his decision to attack. The column advanced to a position near the river whereupon Custer divided his command. He detached three companies under Captain Benteen to probe territory west of the village. Major Reno was given three companies and ordered to cross the river and initiate an attack on the village from the south. Custer would lead four companies north along a ridge line above the river east of the village in position to support Reno with a second assault. He left one company in the rear to protect the pack train.
Reno commenced his attack at midday. He met strong resistance from Hunkpapa Sioux under the War Chief Gall. Reno ordered his men to dismount. He deployed them in a grove of trees where they fought with some success until overwhelming numbers forced them to withdraw to high ground across the river. They saw no sign of Custer’s promised support throughout the battle and bloody retreat.
Further north, Custer must have observed Reno’s plight; but took no immediate action. He led his command north along the bluffs, intending to cross the river and charge the village. Here he must have better seen the size of the village. He may have scaled back his plan to a smaller sortie with the objective of taking hostages to blunt the threat of Indian attack.
Blue coats descending from the heights mimed Sitting Bull’s vision of pony soldiers falling from the sky. Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors rallied to the fight under Crazy Horse. Custer’s assault was thrown back by a massive counter attack. The blue coats were forced into a labored withdrawal, climbing the bluffs to high ground. Caught in open country, Crazy Horse and his warriors enveloped Custer’s command with overwhelming force and slaughtered them.
Benteen’s command joined Reno the night of the 25th on a bluff south of the village. They defended high ground now known as Reno Hill on the 26th until the Indians withdrew in advance of the Terry and Gibbon column.
Next week: Vain Glory at Little Big Horn
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
On the morning of the 25th scouts led Custer to the Crow’s Nest, a rocky summit from which the village could be partially seen some fifteen miles up-river. The scouts pointed out pony herds grazing on the heights above the village. The size of the herds indicated a very large village. Custer saw his prize. He self-justified his next course of action with the imagined belief the tribes were preparing to run.
The Seventh Cavalry comprised eleven companies, approximately 650 men. Custer faced a village of undetermined size, defended by an undetermined force of warriors, later determined to number between 2,500 and 4,000. Custer never wavered from his decision to attack. The column advanced to a position near the river whereupon Custer divided his command. He detached three companies under Captain Benteen to probe territory west of the village. Major Reno was given three companies and ordered to cross the river and initiate an attack on the village from the south. Custer would lead four companies north along a ridge line above the river east of the village in position to support Reno with a second assault. He left one company in the rear to protect the pack train.
Reno commenced his attack at midday. He met strong resistance from Hunkpapa Sioux under the War Chief Gall. Reno ordered his men to dismount. He deployed them in a grove of trees where they fought with some success until overwhelming numbers forced them to withdraw to high ground across the river. They saw no sign of Custer’s promised support throughout the battle and bloody retreat.
Further north, Custer must have observed Reno’s plight; but took no immediate action. He led his command north along the bluffs, intending to cross the river and charge the village. Here he must have better seen the size of the village. He may have scaled back his plan to a smaller sortie with the objective of taking hostages to blunt the threat of Indian attack.
Blue coats descending from the heights mimed Sitting Bull’s vision of pony soldiers falling from the sky. Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors rallied to the fight under Crazy Horse. Custer’s assault was thrown back by a massive counter attack. The blue coats were forced into a labored withdrawal, climbing the bluffs to high ground. Caught in open country, Crazy Horse and his warriors enveloped Custer’s command with overwhelming force and slaughtered them.
Benteen’s command joined Reno the night of the 25th on a bluff south of the village. They defended high ground now known as Reno Hill on the 26th until the Indians withdrew in advance of the Terry and Gibbon column.
Next week: Vain Glory at Little Big Horn
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
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