Battle of Little Bighorn Battle Analysis The subject of this paper is going to cover one of the most controversial battles in history, George Armstrong Custer’s defeat at Little Bighorn on 25 June, 1876. We will examine what could have happened though if Custer would have taken the advice of his scouts and held off on the attack. At the time this was Custer’s best source of intelligence, should he have heeded the advice of his human intelligence (HUMINT) sources? This battle has been well debated for over 100 years and were are still no closer to an answer of exact events. The true events that happened that day will never be known, mainly because everyone that it involved is now dead. The Indians who were involved in the battle refused
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Custer graduated 35th of 35 students from West Point in 1861. “After joining the Army of the Potomac’s cavalry following his graduation, he gained notice for his daring cavalry charges, bold leadership style and tactical brilliance. In June 1863, Custer was promoted to the rank of brigadier general at the age of 23, and he cemented his reputation as the “Boy General” days later at the Battle of Gettysburg when he repelled a pivotal Confederate assault led by J.E.B. Stuart. By the end of the Civil War, Custer had risen to the rank of major general.” (Klein, 2014) We will brush on his actions in 1863 at Gettysburg. It is stated that he openly disobeyed an order not to attack the Confederate right flank artillery. But upon arriving at the scene discovered the Confederate’s were preparing for an attack and there artillery as aimed at the weak point of Union Lines. In defiance and full view of his superiors, Custer led his 800 man cavalry unit through the Confederate positions capturing 22 piece of artillery. When the confederates attacked they were caught in the open without artillery support in what is now known as Pickett’s Charge. His open defiance at the time was dismissed as initiative. So what did Custer learn from this? That initiative no matter what the order will be rewarded, he should have added as long as one is
Custer graduated 35th of 35 students from West Point in 1861. “After joining the Army of the Potomac’s cavalry following his graduation, he gained notice for his daring cavalry charges, bold leadership style and tactical brilliance. In June 1863, Custer was promoted to the rank of brigadier general at the age of 23, and he cemented his reputation as the “Boy General” days later at the Battle of Gettysburg when he repelled a pivotal Confederate assault led by J.E.B. Stuart. By the end of the Civil War, Custer had risen to the rank of major general.” (Klein, 2014) We will brush on his actions in 1863 at Gettysburg. It is stated that he openly disobeyed an order not to attack the Confederate right flank artillery. But upon arriving at the scene discovered the Confederate’s were preparing for an attack and there artillery as aimed at the weak point of Union Lines. In defiance and full view of his superiors, Custer led his 800 man cavalry unit through the Confederate positions capturing 22 piece of artillery. When the confederates attacked they were caught in the open without artillery support in what is now known as Pickett’s Charge. His open defiance at the time was dismissed as initiative. So what did Custer learn from this? That initiative no matter what the order will be rewarded, he should have added as long as one is