What is your take on George Armstrong Custer?

Rule number 1 for youtube. Never read comments unless you want to feel angry.
 
the ringo kid said:
Oh and,thanks for the revival of this topic.Ive learned more in this topic than the books ive read. I would like to see CMORT and the big Ape--get together and write a book on this battle.

As far as any opinions on Custer I may have, im not qualified to have one as its probably nowhere near accurate to the real Custer. He may have been brash or whatever? but like mentioned be a few--nobody cant say he wasnt brave.
Click to expand...
Download yourself a copy of "Age of Rifles" and play the Little Big Horn scenario(s). You can even bring the Gatling guns that Custer didn't bring.

I played the Indians with the computer as Custer, let Custer have the Gatlings and STILL won. I stopped Custer cold dead at the river and it was all downhill from there for the Army.
 
Well, since the thread has been revived. I am far from an expert on Custer or the LBH. I know someone mentioned the rifles jamming and I didn't read the entire thread so I don't know if anyone mentioned this.

I read the Army at that time was using copper casings instead of brass and copper does not shrink back from the chamber walls like brass does when a round is fired. This caused a tendency for the case to stick in the chamber rather than easy extraction. I don't remember where I read this and it may be horsehocky but I do remember the article said most of the rifles recovered at the battlefield were jammed with the copper cases stuck in the chamber. It went on to state jammed rifles at Little Big Horn was one of the factors in the Army switching to brass instead of copper.

CW
 
Last edited:
Straightshooter2 said:
I read the Army at that time was using copper casings instead of brass and copper does not shrink back from the chamber walls like brass does when a round is fired. This caused a tendency for the case to stick in the chamber rather than easy extraction.
Click to expand...
They're also soft. The extractor chewed through the rim, leaving the case stuck in the chamber.
 
jphendren said:
I found this clip on YouTube:

YouTube - Little Big Horn full version

If you read through the comments under the video, the general feeling of the commenters is that Custer was an idiot, who knowingly went into the battle, knowing full well that he could be slaughtered, for glory. I am not an expert on this battle, nor any other of the "Indian Wars," but some of these comments seem like bullhocky to me.

There is a lot of U.S., and white race hating going on here, which really gets my blood boiling.

Anyways, read this comment:

"custer fought against the south in the civil war which was a whole different story.The rebels were intelligent white men who knew miltary tactics and courage.These indians were just a mob of savages.

How little you know! The "mob of savages" had superior weaponry. Custer's muskets and revolvers were no match for the "savages' repeating rifles."

While I am no historian, I'm pretty sure that the Lakota did not develop those weapons, the origins of the lever rifle are attributed to Benjamin Tyler Henry if I am not mistaken.

What are your thoughts on this battle?

Jared
Click to expand...

I thinks the phases "intelligent white men" and "mob of savages" tells us all we need to know about the poster and his intellectual credibility. Bill S who is both a proud original Texan and part Native American
 
rwsmith said:
He was bold and brave, proven in battle. He was also an effective and charismatic leader.
Click to expand...

I visited the battlefield one day when the winning side was having a family get-to-gether. None of them seemed overly impressed with the legend of Custer.

Archaeologists have studied this site so thoroughly that they can track a given gun across the battlefield by the shell casings. They now how many died where, where they were when the skirmish line fell apart, and where they probably died. The winners had repeating rifles and large caliber buffalo guns. They were able to deploy skilled shooters as snipers and were able to use the terrain effectively. Custer was out numbered, out gunned, out fought, and probably out generalled.
 
cmort666 said:
Download yourself a copy of "Age of Rifles" and play the Little Big Horn scenario(s). You can even bring the Gatling guns that Custer didn't bring.

I played the Indians with the computer as Custer, let Custer have the Gatlings and STILL won. I stopped Custer cold dead at the river and it was all downhill from there for the Army.
Click to expand...

I sure will soon as I get the computer tweaked. This reminds me of Sid Meiers Civil War. It has three battles on it: Gettysburg, Cold Mountain?and somthing else. I played Gettysburg as Lee--and eventually surrounded and annihilated the Yankees making the survivors surrender. As we know--that didnt happen. ;-))
 
Last edited:
the ringo kid said:
I sure will soon as I get the computer tweaked. This reminds me of Sid Meiers Civil War. It has three battles on it: Gettysburg, Cold Mountain?and somthing else. I played Gettysburg as Lee--and eventually surrounded and annihilated the Yankees making the survivors surrender. As we know--that didnt happen. ;-))
Click to expand...
You'll need to install DOSBox to run it, but that's not too much trouble.
 
First, he divided his forces. This is never a good idea against a superior enemy. There were three major units to his command, each miles apart. Second, he sent out scouts, then refused to believe them when they reported the truth. Thirdly, he allowed the force he personally commanded to become strung out and separated. The individual company's were unable to support each other. He had the reputation of being a glory hunter during the civil war and apparently this did not change.
 
borntoraisehogs said:
You saved me some two fingered typing . Custer was a great officer in the war between the states . Grant and Sherman both were very fond of him . Who gets called the greatest cavalryman of the war ? JEB Stuart , Who was most instrumental in turning back Stuart and the Army of Virginia at Gettysburg . Custer . Who got killed at Yellow Tavern ? Stuart . Who went on to be called by Grant and Sherman , the single person without whose individual effort the war may not have been won ? Custer . Who writes revisionist history demonizing American heroes ? Those with an anti white , anti capitalist agenda .
Click to expand...

I think it was General Buford and his cavalry division that was instrumental in delaying the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg on the first day, and Custer was not in his division. Stuart was late in arriving at Gettysburg. He go there the second day. By the time Stuart and Custer's troopers fought, the battle was essentially won by the Union. I wonder how Sherman would know much about Custer. Custer always served in the East and Sherman in the west. It is true that Sherman did not have a high opinion of Cavalrymen. True JEB Stuart died at Yellow Tavern, he was killed by a union Sargent. I doubt Custer had much to do with it.
 
Plain Old Dave said:
My take on Custer:

At best, an average tactician. A world-class publicist, though.

Interesting thought:

What if James Wilson (the only US Cavalryman to defeat Forrest in a fair fight) or Grierson or Phil Sheridan were at the Little Big Horn?
Click to expand...

James Wilson had 13,500 men and much superior weapons
vs.
Nathan Bedford Forrest's 2,500 men.
 
It's 0100 and I really should be in bed

I almost don’t want to write this post because at this point all I’m really doing is repeating what others have already said.

I grew up with the Custer as hero viewpoint, in my late teens and early twenties I fell prey to the revisionist Custer as insane , ego maniac, idiot view point and now I’m middle of the road and have decided it really doesn’t matter at this point.

Two of the best books I have ever read on the subject were “The Custer Reader” and “A Terrible Glory” .

In “The Custer Reader” the author examines the writings of Custer’s contemporaries as well as how the popular view of Custer has changed over the years and examines the theory that Benteen deliberately abandoned Custer to his fate and includes the immediate account of the battle and the account given at the court of inquiry and points out how the number of Indians grew between the two tellings and speculates that it’s possible Benteen was trying to cover up his deliberate abandonment of Custer.

TCR also examines the idea that Custer was trying for one big victory to set up a Presidential run. The author contends that Custer was quite content to be a soldier but found himself stuck in a peace time Army with very little chance for advancement (Example Charles Varnum was a Second Lieutenant at the Battle of Little Bighorn and had only been promoted to Captain by Wounded Knee.) . The Book Speculates that it’s far more likely that Custer was trying to distinguish himself in an effort to gain promotion to Brigadier General.

"A Terrible Glory" points out that (As Semper FI said) prior to LBH the Indians had never stood and fought and that they had routinely been beaten by numerically inferior U.S. forces with superior firepower. It also points out that Custer did not disobey orders but that his orders were very general and left him plenty of room to react to the changing situation.

Donavan also points out that while Custer’s battalion commanders might have been good fighters , they were crappy officers who were trying to advance their careers in the same slow moving peace time Army. It also draws the conclusion that the survivors placed all the blame on Custer who wasn’t around to defend himself in an effort to save their careers.

I think anyone with a serious interest in LBH would benefit from reading either or both of these books.

The Custer Reader by Paul Andrew Hutton ? Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West by James Donovan ? Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists
 
Last edited:
cmort666 said:
You'll need to install DOSBox to run it, but that's not too much trouble.
Click to expand...

Ive heard of that and will do.I have to send it to the repair shop as something wasnt working in it from the get go. I hope that doesnt take too long?Its going to get pretty boring having to rely on garbage TV. ;-))
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top