The US Cavalry by John Selby

Author:John Selby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The US Cavalry
ISBN: 9781780967745
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2012-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

The 1st Virginia Cavalry, sketched by Alfred R. Waud whilst a prisoner in their lines

On the next morning, Terry gave Custer his orders in writing, saying that he should conform to them unless there was sufficient reason for not doing so. (In the event he did not conform, but whether sufficient reason existed has never been fully decided.) At noon, the 7th U.S. Cavalry with Custer at their head rode past General Terry, and then began their march up the Rosebud. With scouts ahead they advanced steadily and cautiously, and that evening the column went into bivouac by the stream. At 9.00 p.m. the scouts came in and reported that a short distance ahead the Sioux trail discovered by Reno left the Rosebud and led across over the ridge between the stream and the Little Bighorn. Although it was now quite dark Custer ordered an immediate advance, stating that he wanted to reach the summit of the ridge, a distance of ten miles, before daylight. By this action of advancing straight across to the Little Bighorn, and not making a detour to the south as Terry ordered, Custer had now lost all chance of co-operating with Gibbon’s column in the north.

In the inky blackness progress was slow; but at 2.00 a.m. they came to the Crow’s Nest, a high point on the ridge from which there was a good view in every direction. As soon as it was light, some Indian scouts climbed to its summit from where their sharp eyes were able to pick out immense herds fifteen miles ahead, undoubtedly close to the Sioux camp. Custer, who was by now experienced in this sort of fighting, believed the Indians would strike their camp and escape directly they saw his troops approaching, and that the only way to bring them to battle was to surprise them. He therefore decided to lie in concealment all next day, and then make a surprise night attack. Two circumstances, however, made him change his mind. During the march a pack fell off, and when a sergeant was sent back to recover it he found some Indian warriors examining it. On sighting the sergeant, the Indians rode off, but the Americans’ approach had now been revealed. Also, from the top of the Crow’s Nest Sioux scouts were noticed at no great distance moving away quickly towards the Indian camp. Because of these two incidents Custer realized that any attempt at surprise was useless. He therefore decided to attack at once.

Custer divided his command into three. He sent Captain Benteen with 125 men on a detour over the bluffs to the south and told him ‘to pitch into anything’ he might find; he ordered Major Reno to advance with his squadron along the south bank of the tributary running west into Little Bighorn; and he himself advanced at the head of the remainder of the regiment along its north bank. Following opposite banks Custer and Reno advanced cautiously for about nine miles, their lines of march almost parallel, sometimes close together, sometimes as much as 300 yards apart.

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