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Battle Analysis of the Battle of Little Bighorn
Introduction:
Battle of Little Bighorn was a battle between the combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and the Arapaho tribes, against 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, which took place on June 25-26, 1876 at the River Little Bighorn, Montana. Seventh Cavalry Army was based on 647 troopers, including, 31 officers, 566 personnels, and 35 Indian scouts. Number of soldiers killed in this Battled are counted as 268, including 16 officers and 242 troopers. Approximately 100, Indians were killed in the War, this number is conflicting in historical account, but most of the authors quotes 36 to 130. It is recorded in history that around 55 troopers of Seventh Cavalry Army were wounded in the Battle. General Custer's violation of the following characteristics of the offense: surprise, concentration, audacity, and tempo ended with the destruction of five companies of the American Regiment and the death of his famous commander George Custer that was a great defeat in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Background:
After the end of the Civil War, settlers were pulled to the west of the continent, sparking war with the resident tribes of the Sioux War. The war with the South, American troops were defeated in 1868 a contract was signed, according to which closed the road passing through Indian lands, and destroyed it lined up along the forts. When you are ready for a new war, in February 1876 troops Generals Terry and Crook again invaded Indian lands. The Sioux War had removed from the field and retreat tribal groups. In June, the column of General Terry, advancing along the southern shore of Yellowstone, came across recently abandoned pastures. Gathering advice, Terry decided to attack to the south, where the Indians were gone, infantry and artillery, at the same time sending the cavalry to the headwaters of the Little Bighorn River, so she locked the way to the retreat of the Sioux War. June 22 all the 12 companies of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, a detachment of Indian Scouts and 175 mules with a supply of food for 15 days under the direction of Custer made. June 24 Custer found traces of a huge camp and decided to make a night march, to prevent the Indians to escape. The regiment arrived at the scene at 2 am on June 25, and then set up camp.
The Battle:
At 15:00 on June 25, Reno stopped his column a few hundred meters from the camp, and ordered to dismount and open fire. The appearance of the enemy caused consternation in the camp of Sitting Bull: the woman grabbed the children and ran to the north; the men dropped their case, weapons seized and rushed to the side of the enemy. Faced with vastly superior forces, Reno ordered to move to the grove to the river.
Crazy Horse led the Indians to attack; they are also logged in from the flanks to the rear of the Americans. Reno decided to break up the hill on the opposite side of the river (today called Reno Hill), during the retreat of his company suffered heavy losses: 46 people were killed and about two dozen more were unable to break up the hill, hiding in the bush. Company took up defensive positions on the hill, and the bulk of the Indians went to the north, where also heard the sounds of battle. Since the beginning of the battle took about forty-five minutes. Custer, going north, climbed on top of Reno Hill, Reno when the squad is already dismounted attack. Seeing the true size of the Indian camp, he sent a courier to MacDougal indicating likely to deliver ammunition. Squad continued to move along the river, reaching the hill opposite the camp (later known as Calhoun Hill), where Custer decided to go to ford. However, across the river had to move a dozen Indians, who opened gunfire. Custer, perhaps fearing a large ambush, ordered a retreat. He sent a bugler (they played in the army functions messengers) Martin to the south, so he sought out and brought company Benteen. Martin was the last American soldiers who saw the live columns Custer. Benteen not found in the hills of the Indians, and united with the wagon train, headed north, when he received the reports of the first carrier and Martin. Accelerating the pace and leaving behind the convoy, part crossed Little Bighorn, and saw up the hill soldiers Reno pursued nearly a thousand Indians. Joining on Reno Hill, Reno because of losses incurred asked Benteen stay, to which he agreed, expanding their company. The Indians took the hill in a loose ring and sent the main forces of the north, from where the besieged were heard the sounds of battle.
At 16:50 not lost his nerve at other Custer, Captain Company ‘D’ Weir, who voluntarily withdrew from the positions and broke down the stream. After 20 minutes, the convoy got to the hill. It received ammunition Benteen led after Weir Company "H", "K”, and "M". Reaching the top Weir Point, the troops saw on Calhoun Hill veil of powder smoke, where they have directed hundreds of Indians. Benteen to fight retreated to Reno Hill. It is believed that Custer divided his forces again: leaving Calhoun Hill 2 line of defense, he went to scout a couple of miles to the north. There he opened a view of the thousands of refugee Indians, and Custer, who wanted first to capture them to put pressure on the enemies, decided to wait for Benteen. Battle of Calhoun Hill, up to this time was characterized by a shootout and fruitless attempts to attack from both sides, has received a new charge: detachment arrived Cheyenne bombers. They attacked the chain of Americans and, although all were killed, were given the opportunity to break into the second wave of his comrades at the position has no time to reload Americans. Captain Calhoun pulled in critical areas of the troops from other positions, which allowed the Indians, inspired by the example of suicide, to break into the depleted ranks of his company. The numerical superiority of the enemy in melee resulted in the destruction of compounds Calhoun. The few survivors climbed to the top of the hill, where the last line of defense held company ‘I’ Captain Keogh, whose soldiers a few minutes melee retreated north to Custer Hill.
The Analysis:
Surprise
Early in the morning June 25, 1876 Custer scouts watching the neighborhood from the height of Mount Wolf, noticed an Indian village. In turn, the finding was being followed, the Indians fell upon them in the attack - and the scouts had to retreat. Caster immediately divided his regiment into battalions. Under his command took five companies: ‘C’, ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘I’, and ‘I’, Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen received three companies each. It is believed that Reno so it turned out 140 people from 125 Benteen, but Custer - Reno 215 still possessed with a detachment of Indian Scouts Crow numbering 35 people.
Clash has presented a number of surprises for both parties. The Indians did not expect that after the Battle of the Rosebud, "white man" would attack them so fast, but Custer could not imagine that he would have to come face to face with such forces. Only men in the camp of Indians were about 4 thousand people, and in fact, almost every man of the Indians was a warrior. Nevertheless, squad Reno bravely went on the attack on the Indian camp and at first was a success, as the Indians did not expect such a strong attack. However, after a few minutes he had to fend off several hundred Indians from the "great camps", headed by a horse raced himself Sitting Bull. Renault began to retreat to the river and tried to gain a foothold in the thickets along its banks, but the Indians and put him there. Losing more than 40 people, Reno moved across the river and climbed a small hill, where his soldiers dismounted and dug after some time here as people come and Captain Benteen already together, they fought here until the next day, when they were released from the ring of enemy’s troops of General Terry. White helped also that such a battle as entrenched enemy attack the Indians was not very interesting and incomprehensible in its very essence. In their view to wage war as did entrenched on a hill "white man", could only cowards unworthy of the name of a warrior. Indian proud of the ability to attack the enemy ambush, but to dig a hole to hide it from the enemy, and sitting in it, shoot him, it seemed they just disgusting. Therefore, to besiege the hill remained a relatively small part of the Indians, and the bulk of them concentrated north of the camp, where at that time there were soldiers George Custer.
Tempo:
Many people believe that if Custer bit hurried, he would have had a chance to break into the Indian camp and call it a panic among them, especially since many of the Indians at that time reflected the attack forces Reno. However, it is believed that the general still managed to enter the camp, but was expelled from it in 2000 by the Cheyenne and Sioux warriors. As it was in fact - now never know, because no witnesses left. The last of the order Custer rode with a report by Giovanni Martini, trumpeter, ironically almost did not understand English. It is clear that Custer intended to develop the emerging success and wanted him brought more ammunition. However, to implement his plan to take the Indians to clamp failed. First, he was not notified that Reno at that time already retreated from the position it occupies and thereby allowed a significant part of the Indians to be on the opposite bank of the river and go to him in the rear. Benteen same, that the message was sent, at that time was far to the rear and, apparently, did not hurry to the place of battle.
Concentration:
We have not so much information about what kind of person was General George Custer, who fought at Little Bighorn in the position of lieutenant colonel and commander of the regiment. Apparently, he had high self-esteem, at least liked to have him pay attention. Therefore, being a Union Army general, Custer sported picturesque costumes, far surpassing their clothes officers of equal rank to him. His army Dragoon form was not sewn in blue cloth, and black suede with gold braid "on the southern manners", moreover, he wore another shirt and sea. At this time, going to the next campaign against the Indians, he also did not want to wear the uniform of the charter of the sample, and dressed in a suede suit trimmed with fringe along the Indian custom. His straw-colored hair, because of which the Indians gave him the name "yellow-haired", he often wore so long that they curled ringlets down his shoulders, but this time their vows is pretty short. Instead of authorized weapons J Custer in this campaign had with him two relatively small but heavy revolvers "Webley-Bulldog", produced by Americans for the British license (caliber 11, 4 mm), sporting carbine "Remington”, and a hunting knife in a sheath embroidered. That civilization is a voracious monster, but as against it, nothing can be done, the Indians - should not resist, as this is tantamount to an attempt to stop the hands of one-man locomotive! “ Logically, that is what they ought to do, and, but the Indians did not want to give up. Reaching the trails Sioux at least 80 kilometers from the place where the battle took place in Rosebud, Custer first thing sent reconnaissance scout-Indians. While his infantry he left far behind, and move forward with only the seventh Cavalry Regiment.
Audacity:
Having dealt with Custer, the main forces of the Indians went to the south to Reno Hill. Reno and Benteen company not sitting idle - bowls and knives they dug trenches. Lack of suicide did not give Indians opportunity to spend a decisive attack, and they were limited to the firing of guns and bows, which were more effective due to the parabolic trajectory of flight of arrows. Seven mouths kept a perimeter defense, suffering from thirst - outing to the river were unsuccessful. Lack of information about the force Custer gave food versions of his fate, the officers believed that he retreated north to Terry. They came to the memory of the Battle of the Washita when Custer "forgotten" group of Major Elliot completely cut Cheyenne. Soldiers also felt abandoned.
Night on the hill penetrated 17 people who failed to day retreat from the bush. On the morning of June 26, Indian attacks continued. Benteen led company ‘H’ made a sortie against the south too close entrenched Indians. Thirst besieged only intensified, and finally, 17 volunteers volunteered to get water that they had successfully: four rifles (all - Germans) covered the rest, filled the pots with river water. Upon learning of the approach from the north infantry Terry at sunset Sitting Bull ordered a retreat. During the fighting on Reno Hill, regiment lost another six people killed and 48 wounded.
Consequences
June 27 at the site of the battle arrived infantry Terry, proceed with caution after warnings surviving scouts. The news of the defeat of Custer quickly spread across the plains, some Indian tribes left the reservation to join the army of Sitting Bull. Balance in 1876 and the entire 1877 passed in the pursuit of American Indians, most of which were eventually captured. The war ended with the victory of the United States, all the Indians were placed in reserve. The defeat of Custer in the United States has caused a huge stir, incomprehensible to Europeans because of the local-scale battle. Society demanded to punish the guilty. Many hypotheses have been, most of which can; for example, Custer was accused of dividing forces, however, he successfully applied it before. Relying on the inability to defend the Indians, Custer impute vain refusal of the river crossing at Calhoun Hill, after which he was able to cut the settlement of the Indians. There is also forgotten that at some point two hundred soldiers would still meet the head of the bulk of the Indians, who were at Reno Hill.
Fans aggressive style Custer accused Reno and Benteen in procrastination, and even cowardice. But when Benteen reached the Weir Point, the remains of five companies have already finished off, and before the arrival of the convoy attack, that is, without ammunition, could lead to even more disastrous battle total. Irrefutable is the mere fact that Custer did not obey the order "cut off the retreat”, and decided, without waiting for the main body to attack thousands of Indians. At the site of the battle today is divided memorial (English). The dead soldier’s column Custer considered in the United States as heroes. About the battle written many books, and delivered performances filmed.
Footnotes
- Buchholtz, Debra. “Cultural Politics or Critical Public History?: Battling on the Little Bighorn.” Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 2005.
- Buchholtz, Debra. “Telling Stories Making History, Place, and Identity on the Little Bighorn.” Journal of Anthropological Research 67 (2011): 421–445.
- Buchholtz, Debra. “Telling Stories Making History, Place, and Identity on the Little Bighorn.” Journal of Anthropological Research 67 (2011): 421–445.
- Eckert, W G. “Comparison of the Battles at the Little Bighorn and at Isandhlwana. Medicolegal and Forensic Aspects.” The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology : official publication of the National Association of Medical Examiners 13 (1992): 56–68.
- Glenner, R A, P Willey, and D D Scott. “Back to the Little Bighorn.” Journal of the American Dental Association (1939) 125 (1994): 835–843.
- Hofling, Charles K. Custer and the Little Big Horn: A Psychobiographical Inquiry. Wayne State University Press, 1989. Accessed October 23, 2014. http://books.google.com/books?id=354YOkSKZXcC&pgis=1.
- Merry, Carl A. “They Died with Custer: Soldiers’ Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn.” Plains Anthropologist 45, no. 171 (February 1, 2000): 119. Accessed October 23, 2014. https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-51127514/they-died-with-custer-soldiers-bones-from-the-battle.
- Spencer, J D. “George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn: Homicide or Mass Suicide?” Journal of forensic sciences 28 (1983): 756–761.
- Tallbull, Bill, Sherri Deaver, and Halcyon La Point. “A New Way to Study Cultural Landscapes: The Blue Earth Hills Assessment.” Landscape and Urban Planning 36 (1996): 125–133.
- Willey, P, and Douglas D Scott. “{‘The} Bullets Buzzed like Bees’: Gunshot Wounds in Skeletons from the Battle of the Little Bighorn.” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 6 (1996): 15–27. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1212(199601)6:1<15::AID-OA258>3.0.CO;2-J/abstract.
