General terry and others claimed that custer made strategic errors from the start of the campaign. Custer cartoons and comics funny pictures from cartoonstock. Feb, 2010 pete, rather than a gray wash, go with a redbrown. If the indians were, in fact, better armed at the battle of the little bighorn, custer may have contributed to the situation by declining to include gatling guns in his van. After the original ums was released a number of users created little bighorn scenarios that included custers famous gatling guns. They are a farce to work with, every set we bought were incomplete, missing pages etc. Custer takes his three gatling guns with him instead of leaving them at the. Us government covered up his incompetence claiming he was a war hero. There is no question custer sought glory for himself and his regiment. May 16, 2017 lows unit, however, would be denied a role at the battle of the little big horn, fought that june, when his guns were assigned to col. Gatling guns had several barrels usually 6 or 10 mounted around a central axle and revolved by means of a hand crank.
It may be that the battle of the little bighorn is the most written about subject in american history. The author, a retired marine, came up with a plausible solution of how the heavy machine guns. Never before has a historically accurate novel telling of the daytoday journey to the little big horn featuring interesting characters been written, including the gatling gun battery commander and his men. Gatling guns and cannon used at the time are not really practical in fast moving battles, and only slow down the cavalry on the march. Reno had brought them on his earlier scout to find the hostiles tr. Identification of the indian weapons is more uncertain.
Welcome to the battery gun company, manufacturer and seller of full size gatling guns, parts, kits, and chambers for civil war reenactments, antique gun collectors, and black powder enthusiastics. Custer funny cartoons from cartoonstock directory the worlds largest online collection of cartoons and comics. In 1874, while commanding his military expedition into the black hills, custer wrote highly favorable comments about the gatling guns in his reports. The gatling gun, also known as the battery gun, is a black powder gun that consists of multiple barrels.
While the terrygibbon column was marching toward the mouth of the little bighorn, on the evening of june 24, custer s scouts arrived at an overlook known as the crow s nest, 14 miles. Verdict at the little bighorn the american surveyor. Custer, of course, refused to take the battery either two or three guns because he feared it would slow down his column. Custer, gatling guns, and the lbh little bighorn history. Gatling guns were famously not used at the battle of the little bighorn, also known as custers last stand, when gen. During the latter part of the 19th century, gatling guns became more and more popular, and were used in the many wars that flared during the 1880s and 1890s. Without equal in the era of handoperated machine guns, the gatling gun could fire 3,000 rounds per minute if externally powered. The work of a large group of soldiers is done by just one or a few, or at least has that effect. Participants claimed to have gone into battle with a plethora of armsbows and arrows, ancient muzzleloaders, breechloaders and the latest repeating arms. The photo also shows how hefty the early gatling guns were.
Oct 01, 2017 command post games is raising funds for pub battles. Custers gatling guns posted on november 4, 2016 by admin. Custer had refused additional infantry and two gatling guns, both of which, he thought, would make the seventh cavalry less mobile and less able to take its opponents unaware. Custers 7th cavalry left their two gatling guns behind when they. Gearys machine guns were first fired in actual battle in the shenandoah valley at middleburg, virginia, on march 29. Custer left the gatling guns behind and for good reason.
Custer takes his three gatling guns with him instead of leaving them at the yellowstone river. Custer funny cartoons from cartoonstock directory the world s largest online collection of cartoons and comics. The gatling gun, as well modern machine guns, are what are known in military parlance as force multipliers. Battle of the little bighorn or custers last stand, also known to native. One more episode of the dead out of the starting gate abctv 1967 western series. George armstrong custers life insurance policy is on display at fort abraham lincoln state park. At nashcon we will wheel out our little big horn game with custers gatling guns. The gatling gun is a machine gun that consists of multiple barrels revolving around a central axis and is capable of being fired at a rapid rate. There is some evidence that paget presented custer with a solidframe webley first model royal irish constabulary ric revolver.
Had he waited, the battle of the little big horn might have turned into a massacre of sitting bull and his indian forces. As one source indicates custer traveled without the inconvenience of the two, three, or four the quantity varies by source gatling guns available to him. I was held back at fort hays with party until news from custer was gotten, then i was to take a four gun battery of gatling guns to the regiment, which i did, joining at fort wallace, kans. The 1879 war between england and the african zulu tribes was the first major land action in which the gatling gun proved to be a deciding factor. Most of the improved 1866 gatlings featured six barrels. Jul 12, 2009 taking gatling guns, carried in wagons or on their own caissons, would have slowed him down, which defeats the purpose of cavalry. For instance, he refused to use a battery of gatling guns, and turned down general terrys offer of an additional battalion of the 2nd cavalry. For more information about custers gatling guns click here. However, had they been brought along, they might well have performed admireable service had they been brought along by reno in his jaunt thru the valley. If you have never heard of this name before, general custers war stories are as big of an american folk tale as paul bunyon. George armstrong custer chose not to bring gatlings with his main force. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Guns that won the west sale 146 by kyle holmes issuu.
The gatling gun is one of the bestknown early rapidfire spring loaded, hand cranked weapons. Was there anything custer could have done different to win. The battle of the little big horn, or custers last stand as it used to be called, has. The guns custer left behind would have been a burden historynet.
Fire men, including the gunner, are necessary for the. The 7th cavalry suffered an overwhelming defeat with five of the cavalrys twelve companies being completely decimated. If custer had gatling guns, would his command have. At nashcon we will wheel out our little big horn game with custer s gatling guns. Custer s 7th cavalry left their two gatling guns behind when they. The battle of the little bighorn, known to the lakota and other plains indians as the battle of the. Lessons learned from custers last stand for developing acquisition scouts. Compared with earlier weapons such as the mitrailleuse, which required manual reloading, the gatling gun was more reliable and easier to operate. The author, a retired marine, came up with a plausible solution of how the heavy machine guns could have moved with the 7th cavalry without slowing it down through rough terrain. The animals of little big horn we are all aware of the legendary general custer of the civil war. Because he was setting off on what amounted to a searchanddestroy. B3m4178 m240b medium machine gun 2 basic officer course m240b medium machine gun introduction from the invention of the gatling gun in the 1860s the machine gun has been the device that has broken the back of many attacks or has been the key support asset that has. So to custer, it wouldnt have made sense to wait for the gatling guns. This was a large force, but it might have even been larger.
He also refused the four companies of the 2nd cavalry under brisbin, saying that the 7th cavalry could handle anything it met. Custer was offered gatling guns before the battle of little big horn, but refused saying it would embarrassed him and that his men can whip any indians, no matter how many. Originally published in the june 2014 issue of wild west. Since the battle, there has been a debate over custer s decision to leave behind the artillery attached to him, particularly the gatling guns, of which he had at least two. George armstrong custer and most of his command at the battle of the little bighorn.
One of the 4 gatling guns custer refused to take with him. George armstrong custer december 5, 1839 june 25, 1876 was a united states army officer and cavalry commander in the american civil war and the american indian wars. The only way custer could have stood a chance of winning was if he took a path that would have gone against his character, and that was to be cautious and to wait for the rest of the force to arrive. Custer graduated from west point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, but as the civil war was just starting, trained officers were in immediate demand. While general custer was a real person, his loving wife and friend. This one has guest stars barbara hale,formerly della street. A friend and myself are in the process of building two model of 1876, 4570 gatling guns. The gatling is the most famous of late 19th centurys manual machine guns.
Sarmiento under instructions from president bartolome mitre. General custer declined the offer of gatling guns during the great sioux war of 1876, believing they would slow down his 7th cavalrys pursuit of hostile indians. Online read the gatling gun and download the gatling gun for free. Where benteen talks about custer decamping back to libbie p. Gatling guns at little big horn could custer have won. Custer refused them on the grounds that they would slow him. The gatling is the most famous of late 19th century s manual machine guns. They were heavy and cumbersome, each requiring a team of four horses to haul the guns and caissons. It is wellknown that custers men each brought a trapdoor springfield and a colt. Could custer have won at little big horn if he brought along the 2 gatling guns he was offered. John gibbons less mobile montana column because of a legitimate concern that the gatlings would impede custers pursuit of the indians, as custers orders of june 22 stated. If you will go to the photo of custer s gatling guns i posted in this thread, you will clearly see that it was mounted like an artillery piece.
Hayness fabulous gatling gun photograph has provided historians yet another close look at the troops tied to the famous battle of the little big horn. Lost at least once in the dark, the guns were abandoned until morning. George armstrong custer is one of the most controversial figures in american. Opening narration there were four gatling guns with the infantry column supporting custer s 7th cavalry. Myers book description never before has a historically accurate novel telling of the daytoday journey to the little big horn featuring interesting characters been written, including the gatling gun battery commander and his men. Indian casualties of the little big horn battle pdf. This catalog contains the largest groups of historic custer guns ever offered for sale. General terry offered him a battery of six gatling guns. Custers decision not to use gatlings was based on both terrain and supply situations, and not the dislike of the weapon or the oftquoted rumor that the guns would slow his assault pace. Myers, isbn 1926585011, compare new and used books prices among online bookstores. Traverse was accomplished by a handspike attached to the trail just like a 12 pounder. The experience of the little bighorn campaign confirmed doubts about the mobility and, therefore, effectiveness of the gatling gun in indian warfare. During the course of the meeting, custer declined the offer of the gatling gun battery on the grounds that it could hinder his progress. Custers gatling guns what if he had taken his machine guns to the little big horn.
I cant say i have a good idea as it still would have been appx. What weapon did general custer turn down the use of at the battle of little. Custer believed that the gatling guns would impede his march up the rosebud and hamper his mobility. Hed custer opted against the gatling guns, he explained, so as not to hamper. A case in point is the absence at the little bighorn of the 19thcentury rapidfire forerunner of the modern machine gun, the gatling gun see guns of the west, april. Wash the figs in dishwashing detergent warm water, not hot first and work em a bit with an old toothbrush. Despite these problems, however, edward godfrey s century article remains a major piece in the eyewitness puzzle of what happened on june 25, 1876 on the banks of the little bighorn and the bluffs above. Taking gatling guns, carried in wagons or on their own caissons, would have slowed him down, which defeats the purpose of cavalry. Custer s failure was more based on ego and hubris he was attacking a much larger force some say 9 times larger with inferior weapons. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The british revolver in custer s gun rack follows the lines of the ric much more closely than those of the galand, which has a rather involved underbarrel extraction mechanism and a slightly stubbier grip than the. He was also hampered by the usual antiindian prejudice of the time i. Players fight for survival in this desperate game, where the enemys strength is unknown.
What weapon did general custer turn down the use of at the. In april 1867, a gatling gun was purchased for the argentine army by minister domingo f. Many have argued that had custer brought the gatling s with him when he was engaged by the sioux forces, the us could have won the battle. Custer needed a quick and popular military victory, and the gatling guns would have slowed him down, which is why he left them behind.
For more than 120 years, people have speculated about how lieutenant colonel george a. In 1871 the gatling underwent some development and further improvements. That regular field artillery pieces rodman guns would replace the expeditions gatling guns after the little bighorn is a testimony to the conclusion of godfrey, reilly and others. Command post games is raising funds for pub battles. Why didnt custer take sabres, bayonets, cannons and. If custer brought those gatling guns to the little bighorn. What if he had taken his machine guns to the little big horn.
It possesses neither the ability to move rapidly nor the power and range of artillery. Custer had been offered the use of gatling guns but declined, believing they would slow his command. In practical terms, custer had a point when he declined to take the guns along. Guns that won the west sale 146 published on mar 14, 2009 custer and the indian wars 18671880. Custer and the gatling guns little bighorn history. We have spent a small fortune on supposely original prints for gatling guns. The battle of little bighorn, more commonly known as custers last stand, was fought june 2526, 1876 between the u.
The gatling guns were pulled by condemned horses and would more than likely be back with the pack train when the battle commenced. Would custers last stand have turned out different if he. Custer and five companies of the 7th cavalry were overwhelmed in southeastern montana territory by a combined force of lakota and cheyenne indians on june 25, 1876. James ezekiel porter february 2, 1847 june 25, 1876 was one of general custers eleven officers killed at the battle of little bighorn, also known as custers last stand, and porter was among the first verified casualties of the historic battle alerting the world to the demise of custers group. Both were mounted on modified cw artillery carriages with elevation only. Having lived in that part of montana broadus and later custer the gatling guns would have hard to move as there were not much in the way roads, etc. The battle of the little big horn, or custers last stand as it used to be called, has generated so much speculation and mythology over the years that new myths keep cropping up, for example. Aug 9, 2017 one of the 4 gatling guns custer refused to take with him. In all likelyhood, there wouldnt have been a battle at little bighorn. The life and legend of wyatt earp the gatling gun tv. Gatling guns were famously not used at the battle of the little bighorn, also known as custer s last stand, when gen. Gatling guns were used by the army during the red river war in texas in 1874, and again in indian territory oklahoma the following year. If you want to understand what happened that day, you still need to read edward godfrey s century article.