RMGA Membership Meeting Review
George Armstrong Custer
May 13, 2019 RMGA Membership Meeting
Networking, short business meeting led by President, Sherry Moon. Note that Wildlife Sanctuary FAM was cancelled due to weather. Reminder that biennial seminar is Wednesday, May 15th from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Auraria Faculty Staff Club by Vanilla Bean (Auraria Campus on 9th St.) Water provided by RMGA (Lilly Ewing, Hospitality Chair). There were two books offered as door prizes – won by Diane Sanelli and Terence O’Hare.
Larry Foos (Program Committee) introduced our speaker George Koukeas, freelance writer and speaker who presented a slightly different view of George Armstrong Custer. Mr. Koukeas has also researched other historic figures and has other programs to offer.
Mr. Koukeas presented a very positive, well researched and sympathetic overview of Custer’s life and military experience, much more detailed than is usually seen in history books.
George Armstrong Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio in December 1839. One of five children, George lived with his sister Lydia in Michigan as a youth. Custer attended West Point, graduated last in his class of 34 students. Custer amassed many demerits for being unconventional and following his own path while he was at West Point.
In 1853, Custer was granted military leave. He met Elizabeth Bacon (“Libby”), who came from a very wealthy family. He and Libby married in the United Methodist Church on February 7, 1864. They were devoted to each other. Their honeymoon was interrupted by the war. Libby followed George to his assignments and lived in whatever housing was provided to military families.
Custer fought in the Civil War for the north, had many victories and rose quickly through the ranks. He was a natural leader and was attained the rank of General at age 23! Custer was precocious and made many tactical decisions that actually worked. He headed a group called the “Wolverines” and was sent on special missions – such as releasing slaves and then escorting them out of danger. At the end of the Civil War, Custer was a lauded national hero.
Custer then came west with the military and worked with many Native American tribes – that were benevolent as well as malevolent. He served in Colorado in the late 1850s under the command of General Hancock. Custer’s mission was to ask the Indians if they wanted to stay or go to a reservation. Once the Indians got horses, they crossed each other’s territory, creating problems with “ownership”, hunting, water and camping rights. Custer dealt with the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho and the “Dog Soldiers”. The Dog Soldiers were vicious to all – excessively brutal – medical documents show the depredation on pioneers and Europeans caused by the Dog Soldiers’ cruelty. At that time the military was used to protect the pioneers. The military sent troops to get the Dog Soldiers who were killing pioneers in the Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Custer was now a Lt. Colonel in the regular Army. Custer’s superior officer, Phillip Sheridan, sent him to find the Dog Soldiers and destroy them. In general, the Indians did not fight in the winter, but Sheridan sent Custer’s troops out in the winter to take advantage of this. Custer was part of the 7th Cavalry. Custer trailed the Dog Soldiers to the Washita River to Black Kettle’s camp.
There was a battle – the Washita Battle (at Black Kettle’s camp). There were 101 dog soldiers, women and children were also armed – this was not a peaceful village. Custer told his men to sneak up on the village and kill only the dog soldiers, not the women and children. Red Bird said that Custer’s men did spare the women. Captain Albert Burnett told the women and children to get out of the way. About 5% of the women and boys were armed and shot at Custer and his men. Captain Myers told some of his troops to kill the women, Custer stopped Myers’ troops from killing more women. Custer wins the fight with the Dog Soldiers and also recovers many things that had been stolen from the settlers. He then goes to Fort Camp Supply and exchanges his Indian hostages for captive pioneer women.
The military had Native American allies such as the Santee, Crow, Osage, Delaware and the Aricia. Bloody Knife of the Aricia tribe was a friend of Custer’s. They often went hunting when Custer was not on duty. Custer was NOT an Indian hater.
Another of his special assignments was to go to Sweetwater, Texas to rescue two pioneer women hostages from the Kiowa.
The government did not treat the Native Americans fairly. The government sent money and supplies to the reservations for the Native Americans, however, the Indian agents pocketed as much as 90% of the money that was earmarked for food and tools for the reservation. Custer reports these Indian agents and goes to court to give testimony against them. Ulysses S. Grant was President at this time and both the Democrats and Republicans were guilty of using bribery and kickbacks – things haven’t changed much since then.
Negotiations over the Little Big Horn break down. Custer is still a Lt. Colonel, in charge of the 7th Cavalry. He had three columns: Colonel John Gibbon headed one column, General George Crook headed the 2nd, and General Terry headed the 3rd. Custer was part of the 3rd column. Libby Custer stayed at the Fort. General Terry splits his column and tells Custer to make his own decisions on the battlefield. Custer’s decisions and tactics were undermined by two of his staff. Custer divides his troops into three groups with the first group led by Marcus Reno. The first group was to surprise the Indians and make them scatter. The second group, headed by Custer would then catch those running away. The third group, led by Fred Bentene was to bring up extra guns, ammunition and soldiers. Unfortunately, Reno runs away, the Indians have a larger force than expected so the Indians didn’t scatter. The Indians had time to regroup. The Sioux scouts see Custer and his troops ride into the middle of the village and get mowed down. Bentene’s group never arrives and he and Reno both refuse to help Custer. And so Custer and his troops make their last stand. The Indians respected Custer’s bravery and fighting spirit. Custer’s remains were removed from the battle site and reburied in Virginia at the West Point cemetery. One of Custer’s’ subordinates, Captain Ware, survived the battle.
The result was that the Sioux and Cheyenne created a backlash against the Indians. They murdered civilians, robbed other tribes of their land and made unfair peace treaties. The Crow, Osage, and Pawnee all had land stolen. The Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868 was violated by the Sioux and Cheyenne and were ultimately defeated by the US military.
Custer was an expert in combat, dedicated to country and a representative of bravery.
After Custer’s death, Libby spent 53 years defending his actions. There is a statue dedicated to Custer in Michigan.
Mr. Koukeas listed many books for further research. He also has programs prepared on Buffalo Bill and the Wild West, the Summit Springs Battle, the Civil War and Custer as well as Greek presence in the old American West.
Contact information: George Koukeas is Phillip Koukeas at everpresent2000@yahoo.com
Written by Nancy Brueggeman
WHAT: RMGA Membership Meeting -- Lt. Col. George Custer
WHEN: May 13, 2019, 6:00pm – Networking, 6:30pm – Short Meeting, 6:45pm – Lt. Col. George Custer
WHERE: Columbine Library 7706 West Bowles Ave, Littleton, CO 80123
PROGRAM: George Koukeas is a freelance writer and speaker. He will present the history of Lt. Col. George Custer. The presentation will reveal lesser-known facts about Custer - facts that often become obscured by political correctness. He will discuss who Custer really was, his achievements during the Civil War, Indian Wars and his importance to American history.
George Armstrong Custer