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Rich
Commander-in-Chief
USA
Status: offline |
 Posted - September 07 2002 : 12:45:51 PM
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My one and only visit to the Custer Battlefield - in 1987 - was a most awesome experience. No other field is quite like it. Chalk that up to the stone markers dotting the landscape ... they bring the place alive in quiet splendor. Each marker, theoretically, represents the fallen location of one soldier of the U.S. 7th Cavalry.
Strolling along Battle Road, along Custer Ridge, you feel the stand of Calhoun's Company L as they valiantly performed a rear guard action. You can sense the movement of Keogh's Company I - moving down the slope, perhaps, to meet the threat of Crazy Horse's oncoming Oglala & Cheyenne warriors - or, were they pushed off by the crumbling L Company at the hands of Gall's Hunkpapa's?
Down at Deep Ravine, the mystery of E Troop lays before you! What happened there? You look up at Last Stand Hill, where remnants of 5 Companies made their last stand, and you can see their precarious predicament. Did men flee the hill in undisciplined panic? Or push forward, as skirmishers to thwart threats from that direction?
Perhaps, we'll never know for certain ... but a visit to the Battlefield is the best way to wonder ...
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lorendead
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - April 20 2003 : 1:36:03 PM
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| Rich: I agree with your posting about visiting the battlefield being awe inspiring.Having visted the site I came away with many questions answered. However I have a million other questions and hope everyone will put up with me. I am saving a weeks vacation every year in the hope of being invited to a archelogical dig out on the battlefield. Now for question one million. Has anyone or group ever searched the Reno crossing/retreat site waters for artifacts? It just seems to me this area of water would be loaded with them. Another question I wish to post is this. Could Last Stand Hill have been initially a field hospital? Custer must have had wounded,I pose this question after reading the complete transcript of the reno Court of Inquiry. Reno's men stated they set up a hospital area and shot horses to protect the wounded men.Later on Wier Point people state they saw indians shooting people on the ground.I for one do not believe they had acess to field glasses needed for this view. Please everyone give me your opinion on these thoughts. Thank you all. |
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pjsolla
Major
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Posted - April 20 2003 : 3:39:33 PM
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No, it is not even a possibility that Custer Hill was used for a field hospital. This situation disintegrated so rapidly that this could not have taken place. C,I, & L, what was left of them, made their move for Custer Hill from Calhoun Hill thru the Keogh sector. E& F were already making their way to Custer Hill but were still not there in full strength when troopers, approximately 20, from C, I, & L began arriving.
Insofar as eye witnesses seeing Indians firing into the ground from Weir Point. The battle was already over at Custer Hill and Indians were firing into dead and dying troopers on the ground. |
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lorendead
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - June 23 2003 : 6:47:45 PM
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pjsolla RE:Eyewitnesses and what they saw from Weir Point. Once again you came up with some good points. From what I remember reading (do not remember where)Custer borrowed the best pair of field glasses in the unit,(German made) from an officer to go up on the crows nest(?)
Seeing your thoughts on the post jogged this from my memory. After the battle the officer complained "Custer took my field glasses and I never got them back"
As to what you can see from Weir Point its not really clear. A friend and I climbed on it ("I know, I know your're not supposed to")She has perfect vision, I do not, she could not make out anything clearly enough at that distance.
Before you all scold me for being on Weir Point,please understand I have studied this battle for thirty six or so years.It has been a passion and hobby and if I were to stand in front of a judge this would be my pleading. I just had to know. Loren Dead |
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pjsolla
Major
Status: offline |
Posted - June 23 2003 : 10:08:22 PM
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| I don't know of anyone who HASN'T climbed atop Weir Point!!! |
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Anonymous Poster2321
Forum Guest
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Posted - June 24 2003 : 2:24:23 PM
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So have I. Situational ethics, an inheritance from Custer.
Apparently many of the officers had some sort of glass, but they were not of DeRudio's quality. You'd hope it would have been part of their kit in the West.
Of course, Sklenar and Benteen both say they got to Sharpshooter Hill, not Weir Point, and Weir alone made it near his namesake. Even Custer may have looked from Sharpshooter Hill, not Weir Point. This confusion is due to the map of MacGuire's, which didn't have Sharpshooter Hill on it. So officers at the Reno court got confused and pointed to one place rather than two. When they realized they had misstated under oath, rather than try to straighten it out, they clammed up. That's much more realistic than some of the other scenarios trotted out.
So likely the place that Reno's troops viewed Custer's field was a third of a mile further back and to the East. This makes Gray's tortured attempt to time check the movements to Weir Point academic and the actions more understandable. It also coincides with Benteen's letter to his wife a few days later. |
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Anonymous Poster2547
Forum Guest
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Posted - June 24 2003 : 6:47:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lorendead
pjsolla RE:Eyewitnesses and what they saw from Weir Point. Once again you came up with some good points. From what I remember reading (do not remember where)Custer borrowed the best pair of field glasses in the unit,(German made) from an officer to go up on the crows nest(?)
Seeing your thoughts on the post jogged this from my memory. After the battle the officer complained "Custer took my field glasses and I never got them back"
I believe they were Lt. DeRudio's field glasses.
BTW, I am also Anonymous Poster2588...
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El Crab
Brigadier General
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - June 24 2003 : 6:53:13 PM
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And I decided to register. I posted the above and the Anonymous Poster2588 post in the Archaeology section...
I would like to talk to those of you who have walked the battlefield. I am looking for a lot of info and pix as well.
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I came. I saw. I took 300 pictures. |
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joseph wiggs
Brigadier General
Status: offline |
Posted - August 20 2004 : 9:47:26 PM
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| How does one get permission to climb Weir's Point? I would love to take photograps from there towards LSH. Any information would be greatly appreciated. |
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - August 21 2004 : 05:14:37 AM
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| Joseph, no one is allowed to climb the east portion of Weir Point. Last week myself and several friends of mine from this forum climbed the east ridges of WP with permission. A friend of mine from Bozeman said that if you are a member of the Custer Battlefield Preservation you may walk on any of the grounds purchased by that group, which includes the east part of WP and the skirmish line to Reno Crossing. This group, it is my understanding, is led by Jim Court. I can tell you how to reach them if you like. And I guarantee you that if you're standing on the western part of WP, you can see the entire valley from north to south and miles in either direction. If you're standing on the eastern peak, you can clearly see LSH, but not the whole valley, as it is obscured by the eastern peaks of WP. In saying you can clearly see LSH, you can see the memorial, since you know what it is, but you would be hardpressed to make out individuals. |
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - August 21 2004 : 05:17:09 AM
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 Joseph, I misspoke: If you are a member or contribute to the Battlefield Preservation, you may hike up the WESTERN part of WP. I said the eastern part, which is incorrect. Sorry. |
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joseph wiggs
Brigadier General
Status: offline |
Posted - August 21 2004 : 9:52:24 PM
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 Frank, thank you so much for this information. You just don't know how much I appreciate it. How does one contact Mr. Court? Again, thank you so much. It has been a dream of mine for years to take in this view. |
Edited by - joseph wiggs on August 21 2004 9:55:23 PM |
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - August 22 2004 : 11:34:04 AM
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| Joseph, I emailed you the info, but just in case, try custertours@juno.com, P.O. Box 7, hardin, Mt. 59034, (406) 665-1876. Or do an internet search fro Custer Battlefield Preservation Committee. Good luck. |
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joseph wiggs
Brigadier General
Status: offline |
Posted - August 22 2004 : 4:18:17 PM
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| Got it Frank, once again thanks! |
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Walking the Field
