Reorganization of the 7th

[crowsnest]

Following the battle, what was the immediate reorganization of the unit?  With so many leadership positions gone, and companies virtually non-existent.  What was the organization of the force the remainder of '76?

[deadwoodgultch]

First backfilling was from the Officers and NCO's on detached service as well as some privates. Some promotions were effective immediately. Consolidations were done to enable cavalry troops to meet company strength needs for the remainder of the campaign. Hugh Scott was already slated to join the 7th, W.P. class of "76" and more members of his class were diverted. Recruiting was an ongoing program and the 7th became priority. As I am sure you are aware many units were under strength ongoing. The 7th was under strength prior to the battle. They were up to a norm well before the Nez Perce war the following year. Col Sturgis, Custer's boss was back in the field immediately for the first time in years,

[herosrest]

At Fort Pease by July 4th, Reno reorganised as eight (8) companies in the field awaiting resupply, mounts and replacements. I believe that around a company in strength of recruits were at Powder River without horses. Josephine and Far West were active and many more boats hired in to transport 5th & 22nd Infantry with 5th Cavalry moving to join Crook. July 5th the news of the defeat broke on a broad audience and the rest is history. 

[crowsnest]

Who gained a Co command position?

[herosrest]

Officer's returns for July 1876 are on Billy Markland's website. That details who was doing what with which.

[quincannon]

I have a copy of the officer assignments and strength returns for 30 June 76.

Most of the officers are either dead or on detached service, but I think what you want to know is who moved in to back fill the casualties, and the answer is none, although there were one or two officers who did participate in the battle that took on different jobs on a temporary basis post battle.

That's not a satisfactory answer for your question but you must also understand that in those days and officer's rank, was both a rank and TO&E position assignment. Those were the result of DA orders, and while the officer commanding the regiment could make temporary assignments to fill command slots, and other duties, he was not empowered to make permanent assignments. For instance Godfrey was the First Lieutenant in Company K. On the day of battle he was physically in command of that company. While a regimental commander could have told Godfrey to turn Company K over to so and so and assume command of Company E, that same regimental commander had no authority to make that move permanent or to promote Godfrey to Captain.

The five companies that were wiped out each had an average of twenty or so soldiers who were living on 30 June. Some were present with the regiment, others were at Lincoln, and presumably others were at the Powder River Depot. Don't know what the quality of these soldiers was, and I am going to assume that most were untrained recruits.

Congress authorized an immediate raising of authorized strength shortly after this battle, and you can assume that these new people were recruited as fast as possible and sent to Dakota. Again all these new people do not speak well for overall readiness for battle.

HR is correct. Billy Markland is the go to guy for questions of this nature.

[crowsnest]

Link to Markalnd site?

[yanmacca]

I always wanted to know if the short fall of officers and EMs could be made up with the ones on detached service, at FAL and PRD.
Now off the top of my head I think that on the 25th June, the 7th could field 650 all ranks.

274 died with another 49 wounded which totals 323, but they left 207 officers and EMs at FAL and PRD, which makes up the short fall and takes the regiment to 116 less then at the battle.

I don’t know just how many were on detached leave and how many of the wounded were long term casualties, but I would guess that the regiment would be up to the strength after it left PRD.

Can anyone please help me with the amount of men on detached service?

[crowsnest]

I guess I’m curious if the survivors of the 5 companies were blended into other companies. Or remained in Co C, I, L etc and has new recruits added. If so what officers were promoted to head these companies etc.

[deadwoodgultch]

Godfrey was promoted to Captain after Weir drank himself to death in November ,76.

This may help you on your quest posted by Markland www.friendslittlebighorn.com/officers-headstones.htm

*Sorry I went back and it seems that the Friends site has changed some content since I last visited.

His name may in fact be Bill Blake.

Regards,
Tom

[quincannon]

The shortfall of officers assigned to the regiment could not be made up by officers on detached service, even if all of them were ordered to report to the regiment. There were just not enough of them.

I doubt if any companies were consolidated after the battle. There needed to be a basis upon which to rebuild those destroyed companies.

What would have been wise in my opinion is to have consolidated those companies before the battle, in essence make six, one hundred man companies, rather than twelve, half strength or lower companies. Something like that would have also eliminated the pre-battle officer shortfall as well. Problem is that the army did not think that way at the time, and a company was looked upon, with some sanctity, as a home, not to be disturbed, rather than view that company in terms of being able to function properly.

[herosrest]

Mar 27, 2019 17:58:44 GMT crowsnest said:

Link to Markalnd site?

freepages.rootsweb.com/~familyinformation/history/

[herosrest]

From what I understand, during the post battle phase and the means to reconstitute the regiment to full strength, the remaining seven companies were augmented by an eighth which was formed from those remaining from CEFIL. Strength and detail of that adhoc unit is one for the true analysts and might make an interesting footnote to battle literature but 5 companies X 7 man average with the packs at the time of the massacre gives 35 men besides the four from Company C, and Korn. So 40ish. The amalgamated eighth company is what Reno did at Ft. Pease and was in place and operated for some time and probably until the return to FAL, which was September I think. CO - don't know. Lieutrenants - don't know. The July returns do not show this but that means little.

[yanmacca]

Hi HR, I get the battle survivors and the men left at FAL and PDR from C-E-F-I-L to 141 EMs, which would be enough to make two 70 man companies, which was full strength until they raised the level to 100 for a full strength company.

[herosrest]

Powder River was evacuated and I assume 7th Cavalry there redeployed into Fort Pease. I know that the base camp was abandoned and assume that manpower went to the regiment at the mouth of the Bighorn. Something like 70 tons of forage was left behind and a mission sent by river boat , to recover the oats got into a firefight with hostiles who had emptied the sacks and taken them away leaving the contents. A scout named Brockmeyer was killed during the exchanges which closed with the use of artillery.

I doubt that anyone or anything moved into the field in July or later from FAL (Fort Lincoln) which was left only with its garrison and 7th Cavalry's administative duty. The major constraint upon the regiment was its loss of horses which was crippling and I believe the first request was for them and fifty were organised and shipped. 7h Cavalry went back to barracks in the October, and the companies were then reconstituted.

Late July through to return to DT was a series of marches up, down, and along the rivers in search of the scattered hostiles without any contact. Terry and Crook met on 10th August and 7t Cavalry were then eight effective companies in the field and that remained so until return to FAL. Reno and Benteen were then to St. Paul and  senior Majors and Sturgis returned to the saddle. There were missions to disarm and dismount the rerservation Sioux and the companies distributed to Lincoln, Totten, and Abercrombie, where Reno's problems with Emily Bell boiled over. James M. Bell did not march with the regiment in May by being left behind to recruit. He was promoted Captain, ex Yates, of Company F. 

July '76 Officer's  - Return's 7th Cavalry - Prepared by:
Billy Markland , MARKLAND and ALLIED FAMILIES RESOURCES