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I tend to think not. Too many enemies to kill, too large a camp to just blaze through one end and out the other. The further Reno's troops penetrated into the camp, the more scattered they would have become engaging individual resisters. The more scattered they became, the less effective their shock tactics would have been. I figure that Reno evaluated the situation properly and his retreat to the defensive is what saved him from Custer's fate.
Plus, Reno only had 120 or so men in his detachment, so the above is very true. Another poster also mentioned the horse holders, that also was true. Cavalry tactics also dictated dismounting when an objective was reached and forming a skirmish line.
Given the number of warriars in the camp, the terrain, and the division of the 7th I think its likely had Reno pressed on he would have been destroyed with custer.
If, as some recent accounts suggest, Custer was aware of Reno's problems before he pressed on, the question is not why reno did not go to custer's help. Its why custer did not go to his.
I think it was prophesied in Revelation that Custer would die and Reno and Benteen would avoid disaster. At least that's how I interpret it. I expect that this will be accepted as a legitimate historical argument, of course.
A sign that your about to have a really bad day....
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The plan quickly fell apart when Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Native American warriors, rather than fleeing as the cavalrymen expected, poured out of the village to meet Reno's attack.
oops....
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Reno ordered his troops to dismount and form a skirmish line, but that was quickly outflanked by hundreds of Indians, and Reno fell back into the timber along the river.
I am reminded the classic scene is Zulu Dawn when Burt Lancaster (playing Col Dunsford I think) orders his men to dismount when they encounter thousands of zulus and his men look at him like he is crazy 13 of Reno's command won the Medal of Honor....
My question about the Flynn movie is if there is anything historically accurate in the entire movie. Well I guess he fought in the Union army. Its amazing how badly they get the facts wrong (they even have him meet his wife in the wrong place and have the bizare scene where he takes command of a brigade by mistake) but then Hollywood was not interested in realism in the thirties.
My Dad was from Harrison County, Ohio, and my grandmother was born in New Rumley in 1902 and would talk about Custer's "kin" so I've been studying Custer for many years now.
Anyone from that area knows they are some of the hardest-headed people God ever put on the Earth. Something my Dad would freely admit to and laugh about. Grandma had other ideas. Which I always felt just proved my point.
Custer, in my very humble opinion, simply could not believe and refused to believe that there were that many Indians out there.
Fascinating to read through your posts!
The city hall in Cadiz, OH has two portraits in the lobby. One is Custer. The second is the other famous "local boy" Clark Gable. Just thought I'd throw that in there.
I see so many do not know the history of what happened.
Oh I know the story, I have a full shelf of Custer books. Don't assume that because someone has a different view than you that they don't know the story.
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13 of Reno's command won the Medal of Honor....
