Deep ravine

[quincannon]

41: If you are looking for a specific grid coordinate for the bend in Deep Ravine on Mike's enhanced map those coordinates are 48451035 or that vicinity depending upon exactly in the bend are he says he buried those folks. If you do not have anything but the USGS 1:24,000 the bend is where the O is in National, in the map marking Custer Battlefield National Monument.

If you have a topographic map you will also note that this location is the narrowest point of Cemetery Ravine, where that ravine sort of pinches in between the lip of Deep Ravine and the bottom tip of Cemetery Ridge. Conjecture on my part of course but I believe Cemetery Ridge not Battle Ridge is the ridge that Company E was reported to run off of to the place where they made their last defense. Finally, I get to agree with Camp on something.

[johnson1941]

Got it - thanks, QC!

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[quincannon]

Yes you do. Notice that pinch I mentioned in Cemetery Ravine at that critical point between where the O is and Cemetery Ridge. It is a fairly short distance. Then compare it with that often told fairy tale of Company E coming off of Battle Ridge near the present monument and trying to get to that bend with a bazillion Indians between the monument and that place. Logic and that bazillion Indians both say it was a fairy tale based as far as I can determine on Smith being found on LSH. There could be any number of reasons he was found there and only one of them being he was with his company on LSH.

It is my estimate of the situation that the actual last stand at least in that part of the field took place there and not on Battle Ridge at the monument location. The fighting between the Indians and C, I, and L may have lasted longer or not. There is really no way of telling.

[herosrest]

Evening all. It is of course morning. I was just browsing and hooked into the 'O' in Cemetery... comment related to fighting on that terrain.

Lazy White Bull, the Minnieconjou warrior who Stanley Vestal took interest in, ended up down there wounded during his seven coups fight which spilled over Keogh down to the river, after he rode in from Weir Peak after the retreat from the valley.

Of course no-one ever is going to set into concrete what happened because of course bodies were moved and LWB, for example, did not advise Vapt. Sweet where the soldiers fell and lefthim figure it out when his company from 25th Infantry placed the markets. However, I have the sneaking suspicion that Company E fought at Smith's Hill on Battle Ridge. One of the few things which Godfrey got correct, albeit probably by complete fluke. He shows the deployment on the 1892 map with his 'Last Battle' account. My feeling is that stampeded horses then fled off the 'ridge of hills into DR down Calhoun Coulee.

Still, what do I know🤠🤠

White Bull did some killing down on the river below the monument. He was shot up there also.

Regards.

[johnson1941]

Thanks HR - found this version - White Bull story via Vestal...1957.

www.americanheritage.com/man-who-killed-custer

...
"It was not yet time for the midday watering when White Bull heard a man yelling the alarm. Immediately he jumped on his best running horse..."
...
"“Now I was between the river and the soldiers on the hill. I started up the hill. Suddenly I stumbled and fell. My leg was numb, I saw that my ankle was swollen. The skin was not broken, only bruised. I must have been hit by a spent bullet. I crawled into a ditch and lay there till all the soldiers were killed. At the time I stopped fighting, only ten soldiers were on their feet. They were the last ones alive.”"
...

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[herosrest]

When Walter Campbell (aka Stanley Vestal) took an interest in White Bull, he was certain the Minnie onjou was Custer's killer. There were two or three interviews. Vestal also took up Sitting Bull's history and was an equal of Walter M. Camp for interviewing participants. A lot of his stuff is online at OU in the Campbell Collection but it is overwhelming.
Anysways.... there's a map made by Vestal during one of the interviews. It's quite a mindbend.... or spoon. Or fork....

The map is here www.friendslittlebighorn.com/drawingbattlelines.htm with a few others.

Never before have so many maps left so many lost. An awful lot of green LT's obviously study LBH.

Regards.