Battle of Little Bighorn

Lesson 8: The Battle of the Little Bighorn and Beyond

Do Not Be Greedy, Custer

Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer

As Custer’s portion of the 7th Cavalry paraded past General Terry, it was clear it would have the best chance of finding the enemy and tangling with them for one major reason; Custer’s command was entirely cavalry. Gibbon’s command was a mixture of cavalry and infantry. The infantry would slow Gibbon down, plus they would be dragging the cumbersome Gatling guns that Custer had declined. There were some ill feelings over the fact that Custer was the one getting possible first crack at the hostiles. Lieutenant James Bradley, Gibbon’s Chief of Scouts wrote that: “It is understood that if Custer arrives first, he is at liberty to attack at once if he deems prudent. We [those men under Gibbon] have little hope of being in at the death, as Custer will undoubtedly exert himself to the utmost to get there first and win all the laurels for himself and his regiment.”

Bradley was the “first of Terry’s command to discover the Sioux and form some conception of their strength, but when he did, both his subordinate and superiors reacted foolishly. [In other words they more or less ignored Bradley.] Gibbon was informed of the location of the enemy and made plans to attack, an intention that could be carried out only by crossing the cold and swift-flowing Yellowstone.” They tried to cross this river but had to abandon the idea after several horses drowned in the attempt.

General John Gibbon

That Gibbon was not happy that Custer was getting first chance to fight the Indians, is hinted at in a statement he made in a letter to Terry back in April while the Montana Column was waiting for the rest of Terry’s command to catch up to them. Gibbon penned that he was “strong enough to defy the whole Sioux Nation should they feel inclined to come this way.“ Gibbon had a force of 450 men. Fortunately for Gibbon, the Sioux felt only inclined to harass his column, picking off stragglers and—to the intense humiliation of the Crow scouts—stealing their ponies. It seems that Custer wasn’t the only officer who felt his command could handle the hostiles—no mater how many of them there were. But then, none of them had any idea of the extent to which the ranks of hostiles had swollen.

Gibbon gives further proof of his ire when, as Custer is about to ride off into the sunshine, he says to him: “Now Custer, don’t be greedy. Save some Indians for us.” Of course he could have been merely joking, but it’s doubtful. Custer responded to Gibbon’s quip with, “No, I will not.” Whether Custer meant that: “No, I will not be greedy,” or “No, I will not save any Indians for the rest of you,” can only be wondered at.

Lt. Col. Custer

So Custer headed off with the Seventh. If anyone had any foreboding of the venture’s outcome they soon encountered numerous signs to create such a mood.

Internet link(s) for this section are:

Chief Gall http://littlebighorn.bravepages.com/biog...

Crazy Horse http://www.historytelevision.ca/chiefs/h...

The sources for this section are:

Ambrose, Stephen E. Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors. Random House, Inc. New York, 1996.

Barnett, Louise. Touched by Fire: The Life, Death, and Mythic Afterlife of George Armstrong Custer. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1996.

Bradley, James H. The March of the Montana Column: A Prelude to the Custer Disaster. Edited by Edgar I. Stewart. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1961.

LR, RG 393, Department of Dakota, 1868-1911, no. 3953, National Archives, as quoted in: Barnett, Louise. Touched by Fire: The Life, Death, and Mythic Afterlife of George Armstrong Custer. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1996.

McClernand, Edward J. With the Indians and the Buffalo in Montana, 1870-1878: Edward J. McClernand’s Narrative, 1870-1878, and Journal (1876) (Glendale, Calif.: Arthur H. Clark, 1969).

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