B.J.
Re: Re: “AWOL, floggings, and shooting deserters”.....
Sun Jul 11, 2021 16:58

Custer won a lot of battles while personally not catching a Rebel bullet.

However a great commander is also evaluated on winning battles while minimizing casualties ( deaths + injuries knocking solders out of action)

Custer had many casualties among his troops, many more than other winning commanders.

Custer’ superiors were very aware of the high number of casualties but Custer was making headlines and he was addicted to public accolades.

The union needed hero’s so Custer was never censored or held accountable.

Custer went into battle wearing bright colors and looking like a peacock. Custer wanted everybody to recognize him on the battlefield He always had his hand picked journalists with him to document his successes.




  • Re: “AWOL, floggings, and shooting deserters”..... — Dan Brown, Sat Jul 10 2021 5:41
    Custer was certainly a mixed bag. The Stile biography is revelatory as it focuses on the non-glorious aspects of the boy general's life, which included awol, get rich schemes, pandering to the affluent,... more
    • Re: Re: “AWOL, floggings, and shooting deserters”..... — B.J., Sun Jul 11 2021 16:58
      • Well... — Dan Brown, Mon Jul 12 2021 16:40
        When it comes to casualties, it's unlikely that Custer had the most. Both sides produced heavy casualties. In terms of leadership and sound judgement on the battlefield, there were worse generals than... more
        • "his troops liked him" — B.J., Tue Jul 13 2021 13:16
          When you say Custer's "troops liked him" I assume you're referring to the troops whom were not dead or otherwise knocked out of action? and I assume you were not referring Custer's troops whom went... more
          • The Michigan Brigade — Dan Brown, Wed Jul 14 2021 13:07
            I was referring to the Wolverines. They knew the boy general who, despite his grades and demerits, had sound tactical judgement and who personally led him into battle. Custer was guilty of the... more
            • The morale of the Wolverines — Dan Brown, Wed Jul 14 2021 17:14
              After the battles of the third day at Gettysburg the enlisted men of the Michigan Brigade took to wearing red scarves of of endearment for their commander and so that he would be so easily identified by... more
    • Fame and Glory — Dan Brown, Sat Jul 10 2021 13:09
      Considering the hundreds of books on Custer and the Little Big Horn, the movies, the revisionist histories, and the millions of opinions, the irony is that he really had little effect, if any, on history.... more
      • Lieutenant Colonel Custer ..... — B.J., Thu Jul 15 2021 15:41
        My very first history project per Custer in 1973 was not directly focused on the LBH. My project was researching why 11 years post op Civil War why Custer only had a permanent rank of Lieutenant Colonel?... more
        • History is not static — Dan Brown, Fri Jul 16 2021 7:21
          History is not governed by a specific course, it does not obey academic rules. It is an entity unto itself, independent from consensus, or fashion. The only historical moments people agree upon are perhaps... more
          • Re: History is not static — B.J., Fri Jul 16 2021 13:36
            Evidence based research is the mechanism which defines history. It is not defined by one's opinion nor is it defined by philosophy. Yes Custer was correctly defined by Styles with the good and the bad,... more
          • Let's Face It — Gary Roberts, Fri Jul 16 2021 11:10
            One of my favorite analyses of Custer is the last chapter of Robert M. Utley's CAVALIER IN BUCKSKIN (1988). Utley, who has devoted more time to the plains Indian wars of the than probably any other historian,... more
            • Re: Let's Face It — B.J., Fri Jul 16 2021 14:18
              All of the above appears to give a balanced view of Custer. However Custer's AWOL misconduct and later presidential suspension are the only variables which really matters. This was the summation of... more