Frederick Benteen - Little Big Horn

Little Big Horn

During the Little Bighorn (“Sioux”) expedition in 1876, under Custer, Captain Benteen again commanded Company H. Approximately 12 miles from the Little Bighorn River, he was assigned command of a battalion comprising Companies H, D, and K. Although Custer was uncertain of the exact location of the Indians, he assigned Benteen the task of defending the left flank. Benteen searched fruitlessly through rough ground for about two hours before returning to the trail of the main column. As he advanced toward the river, he was met by a messenger from Custer, soon followed by another, indicating that a big village had been found and that Benteen should come ahead. A note delivered to him read: "Come on. Big village. Be quick. Bring packs." Custer seemingly meant for Benteen to unite his companies with the slow pack mules (which were bringing up the rear and guarded by Company B) and then ride on to link up with Custer's five companies. These packs contained the regiment's ammunition reserve. Benteen, however was in no apparent hurry and even spent 20 vital minutes watering his horses at a ford.( Re: April 2010 Wild West Magazine: "... as any good cavalry officer would do seeing they had been pushed to exhaustion in the drive to their commanded location ). Hearing gunfire ahead, however, Benteen spurred his command to a gallop.

"Benteen has been criticized by some military analysts because he failed to obey instructions. He received the note, he read it, he thought enough of it to tuck it in a pocket, but he did not get the ammunition packs and rush forward to Custer's aid. Instead, as he approached the battleground after his scouting trip he saw Major Reno's demoralized men attempting to organize a defensive position on the bluff and he chose to join them. This decision assured Custer's death. It would seem, therefore, that Benteen must be condemned; yet if he had tried to carry out the order it is possible his three companies would have been hacked to pieces en route. Then Reno's weakened command surely would have collapsed, and when General Terry arrived he would count every single man of the Seventh Cavalry dead.

Benteen explained to the 1879 Court of Inquiry why he did what he did, and his reasoning is equally clear from subsequent remarks. He thought it impossible to obey; to do so would have been suicide. "We were at their hearths and homes," he said, referring to the Sioux, "their medicine was working well, and they were fighting for all the good God gives anyone to fight for." "

— Evan S. Connell in Son of the Morning Star, pg. 281

A battalion made up of companies M, A and G and led by Major Marcus Reno had attacked the southwest corner of a large Indian village along the Little Bighorn river and had been routed with heavy casualties in its attack on the Sioux village, and the tattered remains of the battalion struggled to cross the river and climb the bluffs. As Reno's units were still under fire and low on ammunition, and since Reno was technically Benteen's superior officer, Reno ordered Benteen to share his battalion's ammunition with him. Reno was visibly shaken, and his ability to effectually command was diminished.

Within a few minutes, loud firing to the north was heard by the men on the bluffs, and the Sioux began to turn away from the Reno/Benteen units and head back into the village and continue towards the firing. These volleys signified that Custer was engaged, but to what extent, Reno and Benteen had no idea. They did not at once advance to find out, which would later create a controversy regarding an alleged abandonment of Custer. (General Nelson A. Miles made an accusation to that effect.)

Captain Thomas Weir, infuriated by the lack of movement to support Custer, rode north about a mile towards the sound of the shots to the present-day Weir Point, eventually followed by men of his company, then Benteen and the three companies under his command and finally Reno and his men, carrying the wounded. At Weir Point the view of Custer's location, some three miles further north, was largely of a cloud of dust and numerous Native American warriors in command of the battlefield.

The Lakota and Cheyenne quickly destroyed Custer’s battalion and then turned their attention to Reno and Benteen, driving them back to their original position now called the "Reno-Benteen defense site". It was a horseshoe-shaped perimeter on the bluffs near where Reno and Benteen had met. During the next 24 hours, Benteen assumed virtual command. He led two charges which drove the Indians back just as it seemed the soldiers would be overrun. Cool and calm, Benteen was seen walking amongst his troops encouraging them and leading by example. He was wounded in the thumb, and the heel was shot off one of his boots.

Benteen was later criticized for his slow travel between the time he was sent to secure the left and the time he reached the bluffs overlooking the river. However, the route he was ordered to scout is much more rugged terrain than the gently descending North Fork of Reno Creek that Custer's command had ridden down at full gallop.

His decision to remain with Reno, rather than continuing on at once to seek Custer, was also questioned by critics.