Post by miker on May 27, 2023 14:01:04 GMT
Because I feel a little contrary about things, I thought I would list the messengers. It is notable in Wagner's Timeline he does not list each messenger and his fate. What we have here is a 60% KIA rate of dispatched messengers. No wonder they were sometimes offered money to go. It's also why you should send at least two out and when possible, they should go by different routes.
Messengers, sort of like the adjutant, speak for the person who sent them and from superior to subordinate, issue lawful orders in his name.
Arguably, Custer should have sent Reno messenger's back with orders such as "Hold what you got. I am going to flank them." Even if he fell back to the woods as he did, he probably would have stayed and the Indians may have been hammered ... or not. More could have come upon Custer from behind.
Note: I left Herrendeen off the list. He should have been sent by Custer to Terry. What's more, at least one other person should have accompanied Herrendeen to tell Custer what his orders were after the results of the scout or at least, to tell him the results of the scout. Given the speed of information in the era, it probably would not have made any difference.
*And should not have; his place is with the commander.
**According to the RCOI, Benteen's orders were:
I was taught, during reconnaissance, it was as important to tell my commander where the enemy was not as well as where he was. However, it is a lot easier with a radio. On the other hand, what would Custer do with the information? If he turned back to support Benteen if he made contact, he would deviate from his intention of attacking the village.
*** There is doubt in some circles he went back on his own. Who sent him? Did George tell Tom to send him? Did Tom just send him? Did he send himself? After the battle, Kanipe is said to be a solid trooper and he married his old 1SG's wife, so we can give him the benefit of the doubt.
****Hare stayed with the group and famously helped Godfrey control the Rear Guard during the fall back to the original position and returned with them. This would leave Reno theoretically without knowledge of what is going on, but he may have been able to see the situation for himself from some vantage point (my conjecture). He probably should have returned with a situation update after talking to Weir/Benteen.
Messengers, sort of like the adjutant, speak for the person who sent them and from superior to subordinate, issue lawful orders in his name.
Arguably, Custer should have sent Reno messenger's back with orders such as "Hold what you got. I am going to flank them." Even if he fell back to the woods as he did, he probably would have stayed and the Indians may have been hammered ... or not. More could have come upon Custer from behind.
Note: I left Herrendeen off the list. He should have been sent by Custer to Terry. What's more, at least one other person should have accompanied Herrendeen to tell Custer what his orders were after the results of the scout or at least, to tell him the results of the scout. Given the speed of information in the era, it probably would not have made any difference.
Messenger | Sent By | TO | Returned | Survived |
Voss | Custer | Benteen | Yes | No |
Sharrow | Custer | Benteen | Yes | No |
Gerard | No One | Cooke | Yes | Yes |
Cooke | No One | Custer | No* | No |
McIlhargey | Reno | Custer | No | No |
Mitchell | Reno | Custer | No | No |
No One | Benteen | No One** | NA | NA |
Kanipe*** | Custer (?) | Mathey/McDougal | No | Yes |
Martini | Custer | Benteen | No | No |
Hare | Reno | Mathey/McDougal | Yes | Yes |
Hare | Reno | Weir | No**** | Yes |
*And should not have; his place is with the commander.
**According to the RCOI, Benteen's orders were:
Q. Describe where it was that you separated from General Custer’s column, what orders, if any, did you receive at the time as to what you were to do, and where you were to go.
A. I have described the country. It was a series of rough bluffs we were halted in.
Q. State with reference to the divide between the Little Big Horn and the Rosebud.
A. I don’t know how that is. My orders were to proceed out into a line of bluffs about 4 or 5 miles away, to pitch into anything I came across, and to send back word to General Custer at once if I came across anything. I had gone about a mile when I received instructions through the chief trumpeter of the regiment; if I found nothing before reaching the first line of bluffs, to go on to the second line with the same instructions. I had gone, I suppose, a mile further when I received orders through the sergeant-major of the regiment that if I saw nothing from the second line of bluffs, to go on into the valley, and if there was nothing in the valley, to go on to the next valley.
Hunt, Brian V.. Reno Court of Inquiry: Conduct at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Expanded, Annotated) (pp. 17-18). BIG BYTE BOOKS. Kindle Edition.
A. I have described the country. It was a series of rough bluffs we were halted in.
Q. State with reference to the divide between the Little Big Horn and the Rosebud.
A. I don’t know how that is. My orders were to proceed out into a line of bluffs about 4 or 5 miles away, to pitch into anything I came across, and to send back word to General Custer at once if I came across anything. I had gone about a mile when I received instructions through the chief trumpeter of the regiment; if I found nothing before reaching the first line of bluffs, to go on to the second line with the same instructions. I had gone, I suppose, a mile further when I received orders through the sergeant-major of the regiment that if I saw nothing from the second line of bluffs, to go on into the valley, and if there was nothing in the valley, to go on to the next valley.
Hunt, Brian V.. Reno Court of Inquiry: Conduct at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Expanded, Annotated) (pp. 17-18). BIG BYTE BOOKS. Kindle Edition.
*** There is doubt in some circles he went back on his own. Who sent him? Did George tell Tom to send him? Did Tom just send him? Did he send himself? After the battle, Kanipe is said to be a solid trooper and he married his old 1SG's wife, so we can give him the benefit of the doubt.
****Hare stayed with the group and famously helped Godfrey control the Rear Guard during the fall back to the original position and returned with them. This would leave Reno theoretically without knowledge of what is going on, but he may have been able to see the situation for himself from some vantage point (my conjecture). He probably should have returned with a situation update after talking to Weir/Benteen.