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Brent
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
 Posted - September 11 2007 : 08:08:10 AM
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I would suspect that most folks, especially the younger ones ,know only about Custer(if they've even heard of him) by what happens to be in a schoolbook (if anything) or what they might read in an encyclopedia (if they read those any more).
Have you all had a chance to look at what online Wikpedia says about the LBH?? That's probably most all of what the average guy would ever know.
Fair, accurate, balanced???
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 12 2007 : 11:08:50 PM
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| Brent, you'd also be surprised to learn, or maybe you already know this, how little the average person knows about GAC and the LBH. I'd bet 95% of Americans think that Last Stand Hill was all there was to the battle. It's good the rangers give their spiel to the tourists and the bus tours; otherwise, the visitors would be none the wiser when they leave as when they arrive. While those of us who know more about the battle don't always agree with the rangers' talks, at least it gives the tourists a better understanding of what happened there. I listened to Mike Donahue give his talk there this summer. He was quite entertaining as well as informative. |
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Sgtmajor109th
Captain
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 17 2007 : 12:57:46 PM
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Brent, you don't know how right are about younger children. Twice a month
I speak at a Middle School here in the city where I lived. Most of my talks
are on the Civil War. I speak to 7th and 8th graders. I was speaking one day
on some of Custer's cavalry battles. I asked if anyone ever heard of General
George A. Custer. One young man in the back of class stood up very excited and
said, he was the hero of the "Battle of The Bulge." Sadly they know very little
about any war, but I do find they are very interested in knowing about then.And
very few ever heard of the Battle of The Little Bighorn.But I was very surprised
at how many knew about "Crazy Horse" |
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 18 2007 : 8:44:34 PM
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And not only Custer, but the battle as well. There was an article in today's paper about Sitting Bull and some of this artifacts being returned to his family from the Smithsonian, and the article said he was best known for having defeated Custer at the LBH.
I thought, yeah, that's partially true. But, then again, and maybe a question under another topic, but was it really Sitting Bull who defeated Custer? I mean, he basically stayed in the village with the women, kids and elders and didn't really lead anybody. So I guess a question is did he really deserve credit for beating Custer??? |
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Sgtmajor109th
Captain
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 18 2007 : 10:07:03 PM
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| If I was to give credit to anyone, it would have to be "Gall" |
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frankboddn
Major
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 19 2007 : 02:02:13 AM
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| Sgt.Mjr., I've read various accounts of Gall's participation versus what he claimed he did. We all know about his lost family members and the rage afterwards, but some say he wasn't the big leader that day that he claimed. If I were to lay the credit on anyone, I'd more likely say it was Crazy Horse or Lame White Man and the Suicide Boys' charge. Sitting Bull just happened to be there and was the spiritual leader. |
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Brent
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 19 2007 : 07:42:40 AM
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I guess it was a group effort, and I've heard that the Indians didn't have "tactical" leaders" in the sense we understand it. I suppose as a strictly battle "leader", Lame White Man probably deserves most of the credit.
Sgtmajor: About Crazy Horse--our government has honored him with a postage stamp-but not Custer. And he's carved on a mountain. For some reason, it's still not politically correct to speak of Custer. For most, all the kids will ever hear is that he was that "stupid guy" who lost all his men. |
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Sgtmajor109th
Captain
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - September 19 2007 : 10:24:12 AM
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Frankboddn, Yes I would have to agree, that day Crazy Horse would win the
prize, and by right should be given the credit. We alway think of Gall, for
he is the one you alway hear about. |
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joseph wiggs
Brigadier General
Status: offline |
Posted - October 12 2007 : 6:13:33 PM
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Guys, I'm going to borrow from all of you and, I think, you have hit the proverbial nail on the head; a combination of several factors. My ranking would be like this:
Lame White Man and Crazy Horse, nearly simultaneously, made tactical movements that effectively blocked Keogh's reserve troops from Calhoun's position which resulted in general panic among the troops. As "L" troop disintegrated and, fled North, Gall took advantage of the retreat and followed them; his men stabbing and slashing the soldiers all the way.
As far as I can ascertain, Sitting Bull took no active part in the battle. A much respected medicine man, I don't think he would have been expected to become involved in the actual battle.
He was respected by the Sioux because of his refusal to enter the reservations and his ability to communicate with the Great Spirit for guidance. Rather than bow down to the demands of the government he invited the young warriors to "come out and have one more fight with the soldiers." He represented the fast fading past wherein the Indian roamed free and uninhibited by the "Whites."
The attributes and expectations of the medicine man and warrior chief,by the Indians,were diametrical in nature I think. |
Edited by - joseph wiggs on October 12 2007 6:25:58 PM |
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Custer for the ordinary guy
