Whose trail was Custer following up the Rosbud

[bret]

Hi All....Been catching up on my "finer" reading of this subject and have come up with a query but I'm not sure where to post it so that some of the learned people here can give me some info.

My query: Custer was following a trail up Rosebud Creek (southerly direction), a trail a mile wide in places in the days prior to the battle of LBH. I understand some of this trail was made by those leaving the reservations to go summer hunting. A lot of the reading I've done made me originally think this trail was made by all the Indians at the LBH. However I was then thinking about the battle of Rosebud creek, further south from the LBH. The Indians involved in the battle at Rosebud Creek must have been a different group and not those that made the trail Custer was following. The Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek would have followed a more direct route (northerly direction) to LBH. If this is the case what route did they take to get to the LBH.

Another after-thought is that the Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek rode from their village (I've read 50 miles overnight) to attack CROOK. If this is the case did they come from lower down on the Rosebud and was Custer in fact following their trail??? If this is the case though, when the trail Custer was following, then towards the divide wouldn't a trail be leading off towards where the battle of Rosebud Creek took place??


Any offerings? Thx Bret

[deadwoodgultch]

Apr 30, 2018 11:24:38 GMT bret said:

Hi All....Been catching up on my "finer" reading of this subject and have come up with a query but I'm not sure where to post it so that some of the learned people here can give me some info.

My query: Custer was following a trail up Rosebud Creek (southerly direction), a trail a mile wide in places in the days prior to the battle of LBH. I understand some of this trail was made by those leaving the reservations to go summer hunting. A lot of the reading I've done made me originally think this trail was made by all the Indians at the LBH. However I was then thinking about the battle of Rosebud creek, further south from the LBH. The Indians involved in the battle at Rosebud Creek must have been a different group and not those that made the trail Custer was following. The Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek would have followed a more direct route (northerly direction) to LBH. If this is the case what route did they take to get to the LBH. Bret, initially GAC was following the trail of Major Marcus Reno that had been put down a few days before. Then he cut the trail of the "Free Roamers/non reservation Indians" who were later joined by Reservation Indians. Many of the smaller sub bands of the Roamers began banding together after the St. Patricks Day/ March 17, attack by Col. Reynolds on the Powder River. The NA's involved in the Rosebud battle were the same NA's that kicked GAS's butt. At the time of the Rosebud battle the tribes were camped on what has become known as Reno Creek. They were then camped in the area of the famous "Lone Tepee.

Another after-thought is that the Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek rode from their village (I've read 50 miles overnight) to attack CROOK. If this is the case did they come from lower down on the Rosebud and was Custer in fact following their trail??? If this is the case though, when the trail Custer was following, then towards the divide wouldn't a trail be leading off towards where the battle of Rosebud Creek took place?? Overnight yes, 50 miles not so much. Still a long jaunt.


Any offerings? Thx Bret

Good questions and thoughts, Bret.

Regards,

Tom

[azranger]

Gordon Harper's book The Fights on the Little Horn has an analysis section after the nine chapters. Analysis 2 is called how the Indian Bands Came together at the Little Horn.

Regards

AZ Ranger

[yanmacca]

Bret, good to hear from you.

I have tried to locate Custer's rout and the best I can find is when the column passed the Busby bend;

[bret]

Apr 30, 2018 11:52:19 GMT deadwoodgultch said:

Apr 30, 2018 11:24:38 GMT bret said:

Hi All....Been catching up on my "finer" reading of this subject and have come up with a query but I'm not sure where to post it so that some of the learned people here can give me some info.

My query: Custer was following a trail up Rosebud Creek (southerly direction), a trail a mile wide in places in the days prior to the battle of LBH. I understand some of this trail was made by those leaving the reservations to go summer hunting. A lot of the reading I've done made me originally think this trail was made by all the Indians at the LBH. However I was then thinking about the battle of Rosebud creek, further south from the LBH. The Indians involved in the battle at Rosebud Creek must have been a different group and not those that made the trail Custer was following. The Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek would have followed a more direct route (northerly direction) to LBH. If this is the case what route did they take to get to the LBH. Bret, initially GAC was following the trail of Major Marcus Reno that had been put down a few days before. Then he cut the trail of the "Free Roamers/non reservation Indians" who were later joined by Reservation Indians. Many of the smaller sub bands of the Roamers began banding together after the St. Patricks Day/ March 17, attack by Col. Reynolds on the Powder River. The NA's involved in the Rosebud battle were the same NA's that kicked GAS's butt. At the time of the Rosebud battle the tribes were camped on what has become known as Reno Creek. They were then camped in the area of the famous "Lone Tepee.

Another after-thought is that the Indians at the battle of Rosebud Creek rode from their village (I've read 50 miles overnight) to attack CROOK. If this is the case did they come from lower down on the Rosebud and was Custer in fact following their trail??? If this is the case though, when the trail Custer was following, then towards the divide wouldn't a trail be leading off towards where the battle of Rosebud Creek took place?? Overnight yes, 50 miles not so much. Still a long jaunt.


Any offerings? Thx Bret

Good questions and thoughts, Bret.

Regards,

Tom

[bret]

Hi Tom, I originally thought the NAs in the 2 battles were the same but then started second guessing myself. So GAC was following Reno's trail up (Sth) the Rosebud initially, and then NA's activity became evident eg camps, trails etc. My readings say the trail was getting fresher and fresher the further up the Rosebud GAC went. I guess these fresher tracks were the latecomers from the reservations??? Maybe what my query comes down to what does "fresh" mean. Is it 1 day 2 days etc of could trails made before the battle of the Rosebud still be called "fresh". I'll have to go back and re-read a few things, look at maps a bit closer. Thanks Tom, it's got me thinking!!!

[bret]

Apr 30, 2018 12:36:52 GMT azranger said:

Gordon Harper's book The Fights on the Little Horn has an analysis section after the nine chapters. Analysis 2 is called how the Indian Bands Came together at the Little Horn.

Regards

AZ Ranger

Hi AZ Ranger...Another book to get !! Cheers

[bret]

Apr 30, 2018 14:19:02 GMT yanmacca said:

Bret, good to hear from you.

I have tried to locate Custer's rout and the best I can find is when the column passed the Busby bend;

Hi Yanmacca... I had to catch up on the smaller details of of it all before I could join in. Thanks for the map. I've order a bunch more books and am plowing through them now...Theories all over the shop aren't there?? Just makes one think and think and think what actualy happened.. Cheers Bret

[yanmacca]

Bret try and get a copy of the Donahue book "drawing battle lines" as it not has loads of maps drawn by the people who took part but accounts too.

Ian.

[bret]

May 1, 2018 18:04:46 GMT yanmacca said:

Bret try and get a copy of the Donahue book "drawing battle lines" as it not has loads of maps drawn by the people who took part but accounts too.

Ian.

Another book !!!! But it does sounds like one I need!!! Thx Ian

[Beth]

Apr 30, 2018 22:52:57 GMT bret said:

Apr 30, 2018 12:36:52 GMT azranger said:

Gordon Harper's book The Fights on the Little Horn has an analysis section after the nine chapters. Analysis 2 is called how the Indian Bands Came together at the Little Horn.

Regards

AZ Ranger

Hi AZ Ranger...Another book to get !! Cheers

There is ALWAYS another book to get.

We should put together a list of the most useful BLBH books. 

[yanmacca]

Beth, I don't actually have that many books on Custer, Gray's, Fred's and Donahue's plus some really find articles and some really good maps.

Ian.

[Beth]

There are some books though that are more useful than others and books that some might find useful and others not. If someone was new to the battle with a limited book budget there are books I would steer them away from in order to buy books that may seem more pricey to begin with but are better investments because of the content.