The Battle of Little Bighorn
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| The Last Command - Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Kirk Stirnweis) |
When I was a small child I would spend weekends with my Aunt Abba (Alma) and Uncle Frank Bossmeyer. During my visits, I would sometimes stretch out on the living room sofa while Abba read to me from a favorite book. One of the books I really enjoyed (and had memorized word for word) was about the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Back then, I saw General George Armstrong Custer as a hero; now I view him as an arrogant fool, who sacrificed himself and the men of his command in a vainglorious attack that need never have been launched.
In June of 1971 I was an officer of the Rogue battalion stationed in (then) West Germany. One of the units stationed with us was the 3rd Squadron of the Seven Cavalry, Custer's command. As I entered the Officers' Club on 25th June that year, a large banner was hanging from the balcony in the dining room that read:
95 Years Ago Today Sitting Bull Did His Thing to Custer and the 7th Cavalry
On this 136th anniversary of Custer's folly, I am reading a more realist history of the event at the Little Big Horn and reflecting on the oppression of Native American peoples by those of my own European ancestry.
1831 - 1890
Crazy Horse (?),
1849 - 1877
Gary Owen, 7th Cavalry Regimental March
Very interesting post, Nick. Thank you for teaching me something new.
ReplyDeleteCuster was an ass. I did not know that song was the song of the 7 cavalry,
ReplyDeleteGood post. I appreciate the links and the books.
ReplyDelete