The Wild West - Plains Indians

This is a slight departure from the new series on Western Gunfighters. This still ends with a high noon shootout, but in this case each of the protagonists is backed by a huge number of mounted horsemen. The time is June of 1876, near the Little Bighorn River in the Montana territory. George Armstrong Custer, who had distinguished himself with daring cavalry charges in the American Civil War, has come west to put an end to the Indian threat. Unfortunately for his later reputation, Custer's early victories included a couple of raids on Indian camps that ended in the massacre of men, women, and children. But now Lt. Col. Custer, Major Marcus Reno, and Captain Frederick Benteen with combined forces of just under 600 men is out to force Sioux and Cheyenne Indians back to their reservations. They encounter Sitting Bull's Indian encampment on the morning of June 25, and Custer, partially through arrogance, partly because he had no idea the Indians outnumbered him three to one, splits his forces and sends Benteen in one direction to block an Indian escape, and Reno in the other to attack and drive the Indians toward Custer's 210 troops in the middle. The rest is history. Reno and his men ran into trouble and had to retreat, pursued by superior forces. Eventually they managed to link up with Benteen and fought their way to safety, leaving Custer exposed in the middle. Under the leadership of Crazy Horse and White Bull, two of Sitting Bull's top lieutenants, some 1800 Lakota and Cheyenne warriors forced Custer back to a high ridge. Custer ordered his men to shoot their mounts and stack them for protection, but the dead horses afford little protection and in the course of a half hour or so, Custer and every one of his 210 soldiers are wiped out. It is a remarkable victory for the Plains Indians, and the most embarrassing defeat ever for the U.S. Cavalry. But it proved to be a shallow victory. Enraged by such an unexpected death for a Civil War hero, the civilian public hardened its views toward the Indians, and Sitting Bull eventually saw his hopes for a free and independent Cheyenne nation shattered. Sitting Bull went on to join Buffalo Bill's Wild West show for a time, where he led re-enactments of the Little Big Horn battle. Music is two renditions of "The Gary Owens," official music of Custer's 7th Cavalry performed first by Bobby Horton, later by The Dubliners, plus "The Battle of the Little Big Horn," performed by Porter Wagner. And yes, I know the brief recorded sound of gunfire is made by the wrong kind of modern guns, but it's hard to find recording of post-Civil War musketry.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• art
• gunfighters
• wild
• west
• civil
• war
• George
• Armstrong
• Custer
• Little
• Big
• Horn

[hangemhigh2000]

You really lost it. lol

Great job bestjonbon.

I think NYC is saying why no images at ARMY? NYC lives 5 minutes, if that. You should have at least a million views.

[bestjonbon]

Thanks for the kind thought!

[talpore]

yes a total faliure but like the Battle of Isandlwana for us .when told of 20,000 Zulus in the area Lord Chelmsford did not belive it and spit his forces taken the main force with him leaving his camp to be overrun, 727 British regulars dead 471 others they was only one outcome after that . another 10.000 British regulars sent from england,and eventuly total defeat for the native to the land.

[bestjonbon]

Total failures are the worst, aren't they?

[NYCity99]

What do you mean you couldn't find any

recordings of post-Civil War musketry?

I don't think you tried hard enough! :) If history was presented to me this way in high school, I would have enjoyed the class.

Another great video. Peace.

[bestjonbon]

For FREE! I meant for freeeeee... :-)

[wotmot223]

@trooper0076 Black Kettle was not the only one killed. I'm sorry this idea that it was mostly one sided, even with Custer is as narrow-viewed as it is when people seem to think that only the Sioux (or any other native group) where recipients of attrocities. John Carrol btw is very one-sided on his naratives, he leaves out most everything from the perspective and acounts of native americans unless they paint a better picture of whites. Most historians of today use a lot more sources.

[trooper0076]

@AziraphaleDB

I'm Custer! I'm not dead!

Not since Anasazi, Maya & Aztecs was such Stone Age cannibalism ever displayed, on both sides of Mississippi, like the Sioux=Snakes, named by the Chippewa, who beat the shit out of them, chased them to Dakota where they robbed the Black Hills from the Crow.

You'll never get back the Black Hills, descendant of 19th c cannibals! Whatta ya say to that!!

[trooper0076]

@wotmot223

Hi. Battle of washita Nov.1868: Custer proved attacks in snow up to horses' bellies was feasible. Indian scouts erased all snow-tracks. travel was slow & at nite. Black Kettle was a double agent: friendly to bluecoats & reporting the troop strength & strategies to his warchief friends in the wild. After many months of wagon train & settlement raids, they captured 50-159 settlers. The starved an 11 month old child to death. Read John Carroll; Stan Hoig; Greg Michno.

[wotmot223]

@trooper0076 It seems I need to learn how to cook crow, in as much as I am now eating it. I have a good friend who is an historian and archvist... And she supports what you say. The closest case of an "attrocity" was the black kettle battle, and there he took hostages ( I had read elsewhere he killed them, no records support that, and the natvive acounts say he set them free after leaving the area). So, it seems I was the one who was wrong...

[trooper0076]

@wotmot223

in 1864, Custer was in Army of Potomac, Brigadier General fiting Civil War. In 1871 Custer was fititin Comanche, Kiowa, & Apache from Rio Grande to Oklahoma. In due respect to you, your dates & places for Custer are wrong.

[wotmot223]

@trooper0076 there is only one response to this. Wrong. No, his raids did not "allways" free white captives, or bury "fresh-tourtured ones. Look up "sand creek" 1864 and "camp grant" 1871. Additionaly Reno was aquited (after his death) by the military. "coward" or "betrayer" being given to a group pinned under fire by twice thier number is ignorance. BTW in Cooks tactics there were multiple tactics to choose from.

[BOBBYthebrainBUNDY]

"OWEN" not Owens... Google is your friend.

Google 7th Cavalry, Check Wikipedia, check 1st Cavalry Division (dot) org or any other US cavalry site, it's OWEN. Better yet google "Jockey at the Fair" same catchy tune.

[trooper0076]

bestjonbon, "pardi pill-grum" is part-1 & "now, sioux" is part-2 of a comment of a Gen. Custer student of 34+ yrs. With all respect: you don't know what your writing is the propaganda 1st promulgated by Pres Grant, Reno & Benteen at Reno Court of Inquiry, & Sherman & his US Army.

Trooper 0076

[trooper0076]

Now, sioux conquered black hills in 1807-1809 from Crow. Due to black hills conference, sept 1875, sittin-stubborn was mad-as-hell. Come april 1876, he invaded Crow land & waited with at least 4,000 bucks, itchin for a fite. When Custer ran, he turned to see Calhoun trapped with no horses. He Charged back, couldn't get to Calhoun, and 226+ troops were mutilated beyond belief, including Gen. Custer. The Chippewa, Crow,Ree, Hidatsa, Mandan & Crow called them snakes, cannibals.

Trooper 0076

[trooper0076]

Pardin me pill-grum! I dont think you know what your talking about, unless your ass is where your head is. 1st, all army officers in the west were under orders to bring hostiles in. 2nd, Custer's raids on villages ALWAYS freed white captives or buried fresh-tortured ones. 3rd, Custer's tactics June 25, followed standard Military Tactics written by Crook in 1867. Reno, in charge, was coward & berayer; Benteen 2nd-in-command was betrayer, Grant & Sherman were arrogant (and angry).

Trooper 0076