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Post by quincannon on Jun 25, 2016 22:52:15 GMT
This will sound morbid to a lot of folks. It probably is, regardless the answers will probably be most interesting.
It was on this day 140 years ago that Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was killed in action. As a matter of fact in the Mountain Time Zone I am writing this fairly near the exact moment it happened all those years ago.
The Question being surveyed is
Did the U S Army miss Custer post demise, or did any person in the Army miss him? Remember if it is a person they must be in the Army.
The answer is a simple Yes or No. In either case if your answer is Yes to either Army or Person in the Army, give your reason or reasoning.
I am not going to answer at this time. I will, but not now. |
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679 
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Post by dave on Jun 25, 2016 23:54:17 GMT
US Army Personnel who DID NOT miss George A Custer after his demise:
General Willam T Sherman
COL Samuel Sturgis
MAJ Marcus Reno
CAPT Fredrick Benteen
I am sure his orderly, who's name escapes me, missed Ole George along with a few other admirers who soon probably transferred their allegiance to a new rising star. His stern disciplinary attitude would have won few admirers from the ranks or officer corps. I imagine the post war army was a small community where everyone knew Custer and his tendencies and were stunned by the results. Would it not have been great to have been around camp fires, officer meetings and post Monday Morning Quarterback sessions to hear the comments by his counterparts and subordinates?
Regards
Dave
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Post by BrevetorCoffin on Jun 25, 2016 23:59:54 GMT
Myles Moylan and Thomas Weir would likely miss him as both were part odf the Custer Clan. Had Weir been sober enough he might have attempted a move on Libbie.
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Post by Beth on Jun 26, 2016 1:18:37 GMT
Most of the military people who were Custer's friends died with him on that day, everyone else in the military would perhaps be like coworkers.
I suspect that the US military is a lot like a business. If an employee dies and it's a small business you might even close for a few hours for the funeral otherwise a large business might just send flowers but the next day or as soon as possible there is going to be a new butt in that empty chair.
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Post by yanmacca on Jun 26, 2016 10:15:42 GMT
Don’t think that the Army missed him because like anything in the army, you are collateral, so once he had gone then it wouldn’t surprise me if they used his memory to their advantage, this could be done in a similar way to the Alamo, did the Texicans use the Alamo as a rallying call? Well the same could have done with Custer and the 7th.
The army needed to defeat the Indians and would have used this massacre to badger Washington for more money, it wouldn’t surprise me if they used his demise in their recruitment drive too.
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Jun 26, 2016 16:34:22 GMT
QC
Since the post war army was small: was there a great deal of jealousy by other officers as to who would advance in rank due the officer losses in the 7th? I have heard Miles name mentioned several times as a competitor of Custer and would he have mourned GAC long?
Regards
Dave
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benteen
First Lieutenant
"Once An Eagle
Posts: 406
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Post by benteen on Jun 27, 2016 20:29:45 GMT
US Army Personnel who DID NOT miss George A Custer after his demise: General Willam T Sherman COL Samuel Sturgis MAJ Marcus Reno CAPT Fredrick Benteen I am sure his orderly, who's name escapes me, missed Ole George along with a few other admirers who soon probably transferred their allegiance to a new rising star. His stern disciplinary attitude would have won few admirers from the ranks or officer corps. I imagine the post war army was a small community where everyone knew Custer and his tendencies and were stunned by the results. Would it not have been great to have been around camp fires, officer meetings and post Monday Morning Quarterback sessions to hear the comments by his counterparts and subordinates? Regards Dave Dave, You are correct. The soldiers name was Pvt John W. Burkman nickname of "Old Neutriment". He was Custers orderly and had a great affection for him. Unfortunatly he committed suicide 30 years later. Be Well Dan |
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Jun 27, 2016 20:40:38 GMT
Dan
Thank you for the bail out. For the life of me I could not remember his name but knew he cared for GAC a long time even unto death.
Good to hear from you.
Regards
Dave
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Post by Beth on Jun 28, 2016 1:27:29 GMT
I had forgotten about Burkman but I had mistakenly thought he was a Custer's employee. I always thought of Burkman as older even then but I realized when I just googled him, he was the same age as Custer.
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Post by quincannon on Jun 28, 2016 4:14:11 GMT
I said I would hold my opinion for later. Later is now.
I do not believe Custer ever had any true friends, with the exception of Thomas Rosser.
He either used or was used by nearly everyone that came within his sphere of existence.
He continued to be used after his death.
A sad commentary, but one brought onto himself, by himself.
So did anyone really miss him. Rosser probably, but not one other earthly soul,in the manner you would normally use the word.
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Post by Beth on Jun 28, 2016 6:09:42 GMT
The funny thing is that I suspect that Custer would be thrilled that he has such an image today. He could probably be considered an industry with the books, re enactors, movies, collectables. I bet if he had an estate like Marilyn Monroe that got money from anyone using his name and image, he would make more in a year now than he made in his entire life
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Post by deadwoodgultch on Jun 29, 2016 18:26:02 GMT
Maybe Sheridan and Terry, they probably wish he was around to take some of the heat that fell to them. He was in fact a tool for Sheridan, but I also think he did genuinely care for him.
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Post by Beth on Jun 29, 2016 18:36:06 GMT
I have always felt that Custer probably ended the Civil War with many friends and admirers in the military but by 1876 he had managed to burn most of his bridges through a number of his own actions. Custer seems to have develop the innate ability to always back the wrong horse. He had very little business acuity and even less political. He also seems to have suffered from a rather large helping of entitleitis which would not make him very endearing.
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Jun 29, 2016 19:12:22 GMT
Beth
Custer was popular with the soldiers who were volunteers and highly motivated during the War. His thirst for popularity played into the eager press members looking to selling papers and magazines. The Northern populace were seeking heroes and the end of the conflict and his flamboyance filled the bill. But his strict disciplinary actions with the post war soldiers did not play as well and his lost their respect.
Custer was a "user" and he had little self control or any when it came to having a good time nor little realization of how his current behavior would affect his future.
To me Custer was the epitome of the famed "Frat Boy" image and he reveled in the role during the War but was unable to adjust to life as a 30 something man or the post war army and society.
Regards
Dave
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