The Stage Was Set...For Disaster (Part 8 f 11)

Custer’s battalion had proceeded north along the ridge east of the Little Bighorn.  The landscape between the ridge and the river was cut by deep ravines and gullies filled with shrubs and tall prairie grass.  Indian accounts indicate that a portion of the battalion advanced toward the river through a ravine known as Medicine Tail Coulee, advanced to the riverbank where there was a ford but did not cross.  It is believed that, at the time, most of the warriors’ attention was directed toward Reno at the southern end of the village.  There was only a handful of warriors at the ford.  In their accounts they spoke of great bravery and how they fired upon the soldiers who then turned and retreated up the ravine known as Deep Coulee to reunite with the rest of the battalion at the top of the ridge.  The exchange at Medicine Tail Coulee was when the Indians were first made aware of this second group of soldiers.

Why Custer did not cross and enter the village here is unknown.  It certainly wasn’t because of the few brave warriors who fired at the troopers.  Custer’s men could have easily brushed them aside.  Perhaps he didn’t cross because there was as much village to the north of the crossing as there was to the south.  He may have wanted to attack the village from the end opposite that of Reno’s attack.  Perhaps he believed he would have to attack both to the north and the south from here, and he didn’t want to further divide his battalion.  He may have wanted to wait for Benteen’s battalion to join him with the packs before charging into the camp.  That would have increased his strength to about 350 men, a very sound reason for delay considering the size of village he now may have realized was before him.  He led his battalion north along the ridge until opposite the northern end of the village.

The relief column that arrived a couple of days later reported that they buried the dead where they found them, and that is where first the temporary and finally the permanent grave markers were placed.  The markers tell a much different tale than what has been portrayed by artists and movie directors.  There may have been a “last stand”, but if so, it was made by no more than about fifty or sixty men.  Many others died strung out atop almost a mile of the ridge, with more dying within a couple of the ravines.  A few lone graves were promiscuously scattered somewhere between the ridge and the river.  An archeological study in the nineties contributed additional evidence.

What the clues suggest is that, after reuniting on the ridge following the probe down Medicine Tail Coulee, Custer divided his battalion by company.  They may have remained intact as a battalion while they explored the area at the northern end of the village for a ford, but once the Indians recognized the soldier’s presence and the threat they posed, it must have  become clear that the Indians began rushing in great numbers to the northern end of the village and toward his position, some on horseback, some on foot.  To counter the approaching threat, Custer apparently made what became the final disposition of the five companies of his battalion.

Lieutenant Calhoun’s company, Company K, was positioned on what is now known as Calhoun Hill, about a mile south of what became known as Custer Hill or Last Stand Hill.  Calhoun apparently established a dismounted skirmish line facing south, probably facing approaching hostile horsemen.  Company C, that of Captain Tom Custer, and Company I commanded by Captain Myles Keogh were in reserve a few hundred yards north of Company K.  Company F commanded by Captain Yates and Custer’s headquarters detachment were likely positioned on or near Last Stand Hill.  It isn’t clear whether Company E was positioned with Company F or whether it was positioned downslope closer to the river.  What might have been a formidable force of two hundred was now divided into several smaller, more vulnerable groups, especially vulnerable considering the overwhelming number of hostiles that would soon engage with them.

The stage was set, and it was set for disaster.