Today in History: General Custer does a dumb thing...

[Mikal]

June 25, 1876

He (and the 208 men of the Seventh cavalry) decide to take on 4000 Sioux and Cheyenne Indians.

"It is the opinion of Army officers in Chicago, Washington, and Philadelphia, including Gens. Sherman and Sheridan, that Gen. Custer was rashly imprudent to attack such a large number of Indians, Sitting Bull's force being 4,000 strong."

- NY Times.

Imprudent indeed!

 

[Mikal]

Edukashun is overated!!!!

 

[Electric Amish]

Not only did he attack them, but they had the high ground and the surprise factor.

amish

 

[Mikal]

He vastly underestimated his foe!

 

[Buddhist]

Custer was an arrogant man who believed his ego and his particular choice of technology (repeating rifle) could defeat easily 10x+ his own forces.
I suppose sitting bull taught him a lesson or two.
He was also ordered to not confront them but disobeyed anyhow.
Pride falleth

 

[ratkil]

Wasn't he the author of "How to win friend and influence people"? ;-)

That battlefield was a very interesting place to walk through. They buried the soldiers where they fell, so you would walk over a little hill and all of the sudden there would be like 6 or 7 gravestones where a small group had broke away and tried to make a run for it. Just very spooky to stand there and imagine what was going on. I suppose all battlefields are like that, but I really noticed it there.

 

[Cyberian]

General Custer's last words -

"Take no prisoners!"


or .....

"Look at all them f%&#ing Indians!"

 

[yakko]

Why was the ground white at Custer's last stand?



























































Because the indians kept coming and coming and coming.......

 

[1967mustangman]

Butit's just a few injuns!

 

[Ryan]

He was a BIG idiot, but they still named a park after him......Custer State Park, SD (been there)

 

[Aenygma]

Famous Last Words "Over those hills, I think there are friendly indians" (Ed Norton)

 

[Brutuskend]

He had political aspirations.
I think everyone with political aspirations should do the EXACT same thing!!
Wouldn't the world be a better place?

 

[Siva]

Custer made a big mistake, but he must have know a little about what he doing cause was the only general who actually beat Jeb Stuart's Cavalry (at Gettysburg). Kinda makes you wonder what drove him to make such a huge mistake.

 

[ElFenix]

from what i read lee was probably cursing stuart during the whole fiasco in pennsylvania. off galavanting or something instead of doing cavalry work.

 

[Ronstang]

The outcome would have probably been totally different if Custer han not decided to leave the Gatling guns behind for fear that they would slow down his progress. The added firepower provided by these weapons would definitely have made the odds a lot better.

 

[dc]

the indians were better armed than his division. they had newer and better repeaters that the government was to cheap to get for it's military.

sorry to those that had the romantic idea of indians with axes and bow's and arrows overwhelming custer.