I have enjoyed reading this discussion
Custer was lucky most of his career. He was bottom of his class at WP and only got an active field commission because of the war, otherwise he would have some dull frontier post. He got respect from his men by leading from the front and being an energetic and enthusiastic leader.
For me the LBH disaster was a combination of happenings.
It seems he/they knew they would be up against vastly superior numbers, hence the offer of Gatling's and extra companies. Also at this point the arrogance of the Army expected Indians to run rather than fight when against an organized force, so doubtless this was the mindset. Also not forgetting, unlike infantry, cavalry can get out of trouble as quick as they got into it, all things equal. An important thing here,I think, is that a week before LBH General Crook had engaged the Indians that defeated Custer and the result some would say was a draw. Crook was stunned at how large, how fierce and cunning the Indian attacks were. Also he was amazed that the Indians were willing to take heavy casualties.
A few historians say that if it was not for the Indians being tired from riding all night and the early fierce engagement by Indian allies that Crook would have been defeated. This attack lasted 6 hours or so and Crook expended 25,000 rounds of ammunition. Now here is the thing. Crook withdraw back to camp for reinforcements so wouldn't be meeting Terry, Custer etc as planned. However, he never told ANY of them about his engagement. Terry and more importantly Custer, with his little command, had no idea what they were getting into. Crook had an army of 1,300 cavalry, mule mounted infantry and scouts and in 6 hours couldn't defeat the Indians, from what was really a defensive position (although it was a very poor one).
It is certainly possible that Custer intended a personal triumph given his character. He is reputed to have said back at the Fort that he was going to break loose first chance he got. Custer needed this feather in his cap. He had fallen out with President Grant who only let him on the campaign after Custer cried and pleaded with his seniors. Until he resumed command Reno was the man for the job, so despite peoples criticisms the Army must have thought him capable of the job. Custer's career depended on a successful campaign. Grant and others had had enough of the guy. People talk of Benteen ignoring orders....well Custer was arrested for disobeying AND had gone AWOL, while on duty, just to see his wife!! I think it is obvious that the Army back then was not the disciplined tight bunch of guys Hollywood have us believe.
Custer, ignored his scouts, did not know the terrain well enough..he underestimated hostile forces possibly by 60% plus (although if Crook had passed the information on..who knows?) ....and set a battle plan on ground the enemy knew. Not only did he underestimate the numbers but also the will to fight.
So he splits his forces as we all know. I read an account where a Sergeant said that as Reno set up the skirmish the Indians rode in a circle laying on the other side of their horses, so they could not be directly shot at. This maneuver was gradually encircling the lines at about the time the Indians started to break a flank (left?) . At this point they made a withdrawal/run. I think Reno saw 500 plus Indians coming at him, some with repeaters and was genuinely shocked. Reno was engaging with just three companies, Custer had five and asked for reinforcements!!
People say Benteen dawdled towards Custer after he received the "bring packs" note from Martini. Custer was already heavily engaged with the Indians as Martinis' (the messenger) horse had got shot on the way to find Benteen. As I see it, first he had to find Benteen, then Benteen had to find the pack train. Then it is a slow ride with all those mules anywhere. Regarding joining Reno instead of Custer, I think there was a choice, leave Reno (survivors do say that they were saved by Benteen and the pack train turing up) or ride a slow moving pack train through the Indian positions under constant attack. If you look at the LBH maps and see the supposed positions you can see that Benteen would have had an almost impossible task of getting slow moving pack animals to Custer. Whether by accident or design, I think he made the right choice. If Reno stayed his ground he would have been wiped out, followed by Custer.
A lot is said about the weapons. The Indians did have a mixture of repeaters and other arms. The 7th did have the Spencer a few months before LBH but it holds 7 rounds, has less range and accuracy and of course takes longer to reload...while you have your head down putting in seven more rounds, what would the enemy be doing? The Springfield carbine had better range and (provided it was operating OK) could put out more sustained fire...that is it is continually shooting. The problem with the Springfield I gather was the cheap ammunition it was using, causing blockages. Also it had no rod for barrel cleaning, like the Springfield rifle variant...and also...no bayonet!!!! So if it jammed or was up close it was only a club!!
Also there were stories of troopers emptying their pistols and throwing them away because they had no time to re-holster or reload them (this was at the Reno fight). What I had never thought of before was that the Colt the guys were carrying is a gated loader, meaning that you have to open the gate and take out each round individually and put them in individually, not easy on a horse!! I have read that often officers would purchase better weapons than issued and that Custer had several guns. It is possible that he was carrying his Webley RIC at LBH, this weapon breaks to load and is much quicker to do so.
Also I think that the marksmanship of the troops was not good. It is OK having a rifle that can shoot hundreds of yards but the trooper has to be able to use it. After LBH troops had to practice twice a week, I think that says all that is needed lol In defense though it would be hard to judge range in that terrain on a static target let alone moving ones!!!
It is possible weapon failure, tactics, no saber, no bayonet, no Benteen and whatever contributed to Custers' defeat but for me it was splitting his forces that done for him. His brigades were to far from one another to support each other. Sending Benteen off as he did was crazy, I believe he should have been on the other side of the hill in reserve...what commander commits all forces on an unknown number of mobile enemy? But it is all conjecture, the only people who knew what happened to Custer are the Indians and they mostly stayed quiet about the events that day...and what has been said is contradictory. No for me, Custer had enough men to defeat the Indians head on even but splitting his force lost mutual support.
I shudder when I think of Benteen trying to ride his three companies and slow moving pack mules through 1,500 Indians, I have little doubt he would have been lost and the pack train. That would have left the Indians with tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and all of Benteens carbines, Custer would still have died, but quicker maybe...and Reno Hill would be Reno Cemetery today...
Many thanks.......