Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer; side note

Just for anyone who happens to be new to the study of this, the disdain apparent in the two preceding posts is based on a couple of things. This guy divided his force twice before knowing what he was facing -- or the terrain in which he was operating.

And while Marie Sandoz may go too far, Custer did have visions of being nominated by acclamation after wiring news of his glorious victory to his political backers at the Democratic Convention in St. Louis.

Custer's complete tactical failure in a situation an experienced company grade officer could have been expected to handle competently is apparent from reading the published histories, but to really get a feel for it you need to walk the land.

Happy Interlude

When contemplating the folly of which famous military heros are capable sickens you, it's therapeutic to find some nice horses to whisper to.

(Private range abutting Custer battle field, September 2009)

Custer's Genius

Just beyond the river, in the dusty flat to the right of the cottonwoods, Major Reno's command started dying. He had been ordered there to guard against Lt. Col. Custer's supreme fear that the raggedy-ass Indians would escape to the Big Horn Mountains.

Reno and other survivors of the Indian counter attack west of the Little Big Horn retreated up this ravine and occupied a shallow depression, the position of the camera in this photo. Later that day he was reinforced by Major Benteen who, himself, had been ordered on a vainglorious escape-prevention mission.

Custer Battlefield September 2009

Fun Show

We're pointing ourselves northeast, about 100 miles this morning, hoping the Mankato show will draw some dealers and hobbyists from further Up North, guys we don't see often.

We're in quest of Something Different. At an extended board of directors meeting last evening, we decided we're getting sick and tired of 200-table shows with 150 of them groaning under tons of EBRs and plastic 9mm hi-caps. Nothing particularly against them, but our souls depend on milled steel, deep rust blue, and walnut.

I'll be allowing myself absolutely frivolous spending up to $250 -- the amount the new Nobel Laureate, His Obamaness, has promised to send me. Anything over that will require thought in view of a letter from my bank, telling me one of my CDs will renew at .04 per cent next week. Yeah, four-tenths of one per cent. Must be that the new Nobel Laureate, His Obamaness, is giving the banks some free money too. Maybe even more than $250?

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