Custer's Last Stand

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I have read many books on Custer's last stand and most of the reports from the Indian side are pretty much the same.


Chief Red Fox.jpg


Battle of Little Big Horn, Memoirs of Chief Red Fox (1870-1976) .
"I was six years and fourteen days old at the time of the Custer fight. As it was told to me by my father Chief Black Eagle and my mother White Swan, the sister of Chief Crazy Horseā€¦.We left Pine Ridge [Reservation] the eight day of May 1876. Arrived in Montana about June the fifth. My people expected trouble they divided up into three different villages. In case of attack, they would not be caught in a trap. They knew Custer had left fort Lincoln for the Little Big Horn. Chief Gall and Chief Two-Moons sent word to my uncle Chief Crazy Horse that they were on their way to join him in case of trouble with Custer they hatted him for the killing of the fifty three old women men and children and for burning their village several years before [This is a reference to the battle of Washita River, Nov. 27, 1868] and he Raped Black Kettle fourteen year old daughter she gave berth to a boy who is known as Yellow Hawk that they claim is his son from that attackā€¦.

On Sunday morning June 25th 1876 Custerā€¦divided his forces into four groups send Reno to attack my people from the southwest of the Big Horn River. Benteen from the northeast. Godfry and McDugal with the supply trainā€¦.He told them he wouldā€¦make the attack at four o'clockā€¦.About 2 PMā€¦we heard shots fired later we were told that my father and Chief Standing Bear had blocked Captain Benteen from crossing the river. Ghost Dogs, and Crow King had blocked Reno, and his men Stinking Bear had Blocked Godfre and McDougal.

About 3 o'clock Custer appeared and my uncle Crazy Horse rode out and then retreated like they were afraid. Custer came riding on then. Chief Gall came out to the left side of Custer and Two Moons and his Cheyennes came to the right of Custer. When Custer saw this he started his charge then he dismounted, placed his men on high grounds his horses placed under senteries the Indians made a circle around him then rode their horses across the circle kicking up dirt [to] stampede his horses. Then the Indians made their attack. Custer's bugle sounded for the sentries to bring the horses but they had been killed his bugle sounded for retreat butā€¦most of his men and horses were killed. some said he was the last one to die but that is not true. Captain Kegho was the last man to be killed and his horse Comanche was the only horse aliveā€¦.my people said no one knows who killed [Custer] or when he fell. they say the battle lasted forty minutesā€¦.the Indians had better guns than the soldiers good horsemen and knew the country and planned how to fight the battleā€¦."
 

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I have read many books on Custer's last stand and most of the reports from the Indian side are pretty much the same.


View attachment 2034281

Battle of Little Big Horn, Memoirs of Chief Red Fox (1870-1976) .
"I was six years and fourteen days old at the time of the Custer fight. As it was told to me by my father Chief Black Eagle and my mother White Swan, the sister of Chief Crazy Horseā€¦.We left Pine Ridge [Reservation] the eight day of May 1876. Arrived in Montana about June the fifth. My people expected trouble they divided up into three different villages. In case of attack, they would not be caught in a trap. They knew Custer had left fort Lincoln for the Little Big Horn. Chief Gall and Chief Two-Moons sent word to my uncle Chief Crazy Horse that they were on their way to join him in case of trouble with Custer they hatted him for the killing of the fifty three old women men and children and for burning their village several years before [This is a reference to the battle of Washita River, Nov. 27, 1868] and he Raped Black Kettle fourteen year old daughter she gave berth to a boy who is known as Yellow Hawk that they claim is his son from that attackā€¦.

On Sunday morning June 25th 1876 Custerā€¦divided his forces into four groups send Reno to attack my people from the southwest of the Big Horn River. Benteen from the northeast. Godfry and McDugal with the supply trainā€¦.He told them he wouldā€¦make the attack at four o'clockā€¦.About 2 PMā€¦we heard shots fired later we were told that my father and Chief Standing Bear had blocked Captain Benteen from crossing the river. Ghost Dogs, and Crow King had blocked Reno, and his men Stinking Bear had Blocked Godfre and McDougal.

About 3 o'clock Custer appeared and my uncle Crazy Horse rode out and then retreated like they were afraid. Custer came riding on then. Chief Gall came out to the left side of Custer and Two Moons and his Cheyennes came to the right of Custer. When Custer saw this he started his charge then he dismounted, placed his men on high grounds his horses placed under senteries the Indians made a circle around him then rode their horses across the circle kicking up dirt [to] stampede his horses. Then the Indians made their attack. Custer's bugle sounded for the sentries to bring the horses but they had been killed his bugle sounded for retreat butā€¦most of his men and horses were killed. some said he was the last one to die but that is not true. Captain Kegho was the last man to be killed and his horse Comanche was the only horse aliveā€¦.my people said no one knows who killed [Custer] or when he fell. they say the battle lasted forty minutesā€¦.the Indians had better guns than the soldiers good horsemen and knew the country and planned how to fight the battleā€¦."
Custer was a fool and overly confident. Crazy horse had a great plan and executed it superbly, thus proving Custer the fool and slapping the arrogant bastard in the face with his own scalp!
 

Custer was arrogant and thought the 7th could not be defeated by the Indians, he paid for that arrogance with his life and the lives of his command. Been to the Custer Battlefield 4 times.
 


[during the Civil War, that same, rash George Armstrong Custer had managed to put himself and his entire outfit into exactly the same predicament ā€“ getting his Michigan brigade cut off and surrounded by Confederate cavalry to the point that, had not timely reinforcements broken through to his relief, Custerā€™s entire force might well have been destroyed.]

Time and again during the civil war president Lincoln mentioned he needed leaders that would fight.
Someone promoted would spend more time on the defensive avoiding contact than launching any charge or attack.

I have not followed post civil war writing as to who was recognized for having brashness , or fearlessness or whatever it took to make contact with opposing forces during the war and if the trend resulted in recognition and or advancement.
Likely a lag before those who pursued fights aggressively as the president referred to , but Custer could have been considered such a commodity.
Not that the president wanted needless deaths or a force of his wiped out.

A cavalry charge , then what? Indian fights had evolved.
A far cry from the one brief time /era advantage of repeating arms on horseback getting on natives using bows offsides on the run in a chase.

Going to ground and breastworks against such a force as existed only delayed the end. And it really wasn't long of any delay.
 

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There was a documentary several yrs ago. There had been a wildfire at the battle ground and a team went in with metal detectors and mapped where the items, mostly shell casings, were found. They even matched firing pin marks on casings to a certain gun and could follow the path of whoever was shooting a firearm.
In summation, the Native's had in this battle superior firepower. Thanks for the read. Good luck.
 

While driving to glacier np a few years back we came upon the battlefield. Itā€™s such a beautiful area! What a shame so many died there.
It was strange being at such a beautiful area imagining the events that day.
 

I was on a trout fishing trip to the Bighorn River in 2007 and we stopped at the battlefield on the way back to the airport in Billings. I hadn't realized Custer lost family members in the battle too...

Five of the 7th Cavalry's twelve companies were annihilated and Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law.
custer.JPG
 

Yes it was a family affair.

I have been to the battlefield 4 times, one of the times I got there just as they opened, rangers had just discovered there had been nighthawkers there with metal detectors, and there were small shovel holes all over the last stand hill. It was a shame as they can track the movement of a weapon by the spent shells.
 

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Custer was a fool and overly confident. Crazy horse had a great plan and executed it superbly, thus proving Custer the fool and slapping the arrogant bastard in the face with his own scalp!
Good account from the Indian perspective.You don,t often see that.Thanks TH!
As if they used our calendar to track the days and knew the names of the mounted military men as they attacked? There needs to be SOME common sense applied when reading something that was supposedly passed down from those directly involved.
 

As if they used our calendar to track the days and knew the names of the mounted military men as they attacked? There needs to be SOME common sense applied when reading something that was supposedly passed down from those directly involved.
They knew Custer and His Brother Tom, Cheif Gall and Tom Custer had fought against each other in earlier battles, Gull considered Tom a personal enemy.
 

They knew Custer and His Brother Tom, Cheif Gall and Tom Custer had fought against each other in earlier battles, Gull considered Tom a personal enemy.
I could understand that..but what about Reno, Godfry, McDugal, Benteen, and Kegho?
Were these men well known and readily recognizable?
 

I could understand that..but what about Reno, Godfry, McDugal, Benteen, and Kegho?
Were these men well known and readily recognizable?
Chief Red Fox did not physically write the book, he told the stories told to him by his father and mother who was in the battle, to the author of the book, the author Cash Asher filled in the names based on military records and reports from the survivors, The chief told the stories his father and mother told him of the groups that attacked different areas of the camp and the author filled in the commander's names based on known military reports by the survivors.

Just like if your father was on Iwo Jima and tells you stories about the battle that you then relay to an author who writes a book based on the stories your father told you.
 

Chief Red Fox did not physically write the book, he told the stories told to him by his father and mother who was in the battle, to the author of the book, the author Cash Asher filled in the names based on military records and reports from the survivors, The chief told the stories his father and mother told him of the groups that attacked different areas of the camp and the author filled in the commander's names based on known military reports by the survivors.

Just like if your father was on Iwo Jima and tells you stories about the battle that you then relay to an author who writes a book based on the stories your father told you.
:icon_thumleft:
 

Chief Red Fox did not physically write the book, he told the stories told to him by his father and mother who was in the battle, to the author of the book, the author Cash Asher filled in the names based on military records and reports from the survivors, The chief told the stories his father and mother told him of the groups that attacked different areas of the camp and the author filled in the commander's names based on known military reports by the survivors.

Just like if your father was on Iwo Jima and tells you stories about the battle that you then relay to an author who writes a book based on the stories your father told you.
I see. Thanks.
 

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