Part 29: Keogh Sector, Southern Segment

[@wizzardofpaws2420]

I've watched every single one of these videos I come back and watch a video here and there every once in awhile this is such a brilliant series you've created very very very good and I want to thank you for making this

[@Robbie7441]

Respect to captain Myles Walter keogh who fell in battle RIP

[@janetpalin5406]

We visited the Battlefield in mid-September - a moving experience. I am so pleased to have found your wonderful documentary with our visit still fresh in our minds. Thank you for sharing!

[@matthewbaca3900]

Great video series. It appears that for all the mistakes by the cavalry, great credit is due the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne for their swift and decisive attacks back and forth in the multiple engagements with Custer and Benteen/Reno.

[@CusterApollo]

It certainly could have to do with the mounts. The cavalry horses by the time of the battle were tired in my opinion. More so than the Indian ponies. I have no doubt Custer was expecting the recalled units, in particular, Captain Benteen's battalion. The pack train had likewise been called up, but I can't imagine Custer could expect the mules to make an appearance anytime in the near future. The mules were just too slow and the terrain was just to rough to allow such a thing.

[@dannygreenii2680]

I personally believe they were. Keogh was enough of a charismatic leader to inspire that type of loyalty.

[@CusterApollo]

@katiejdr567 Thanks for the comment. I guess Company I did not want to run from the field and leave others behind. The situation happened very quickly and the soldiers were reacting to the attack. Based on training they tried to deploy and defend rather than run. This suggests that despite the situation the cavalry found themselves in, they thought they could reverse the situation. Had they felt there was no hope I would expect flight to occur immediately with no deployment.

[@colindominy]

Awesome doco you've made here. Makes you feel like you're there. I'm fascinated by the battle, even tho I'm in Oz, half a world away. Got many books on the matter. Cheers.

[@CusterApollo]

Thanks for watching.

[@CusterApollo]

@commandersheperd1 I can't imagine something was wrong with Kellogg's horse since he not only made it to the Custer Battlefield with the command, but he also was with HQ until Ford D. That is a lot of riding. Also GAC lost two brothers, a nephew, and a brother in law. In all, 5 members of the Custer family died in the battle.

[@CusterApollo]

You are welcome. I agree with you. Custer's forced night march from Busby on the Rosebud to the Halt #1 camp on Davis Creek, in my eyes, was a terrible mistake that really did not accomplish any positive results. The command lost a box of hardtack on the march. The men were tired and the command was marching slowly through the pitch darkness. Moving the pack train across the badlands at night was a nightmare for Company I. It would have been better to rest at Busby for the night in my opinion.

[@CusterApollo]

@katiejdr567 Yes, the 7th was surrounded on Last Stand Hill. Only an area to the south along Battle Ridge was not occupied by the warriors. And yes Custer did have a trumpeter. The Chief Trumpeter of the 7th riding with Headquarters was Henry Dose. And Company F also had a trumpeter, Thomas N. Way. Both trumpeters will killed with Custer on Last Stand Hill. Also warriors did mention hearing a trumpet call before Company E deployed off the hill.

[@rebeccachapman4364]

I plan on returning in the near future. I don’t know why I’m drawn to this location. Thank you so much for narrating.

[@CusterApollo]

Thanks for watching.

[@chriscoco547]

Just visited the battlefield and found your videos very helpful. Thank you so much!

[@CusterApollo]

Thanks for watching.

[@tvcat1]

Thanks for the tour. Very interesting.

[@CusterApollo]

@45Jwalsh Interseting question. I have never heard that one before. Based on his wounds I would say Keogh was not dispatched by his own men. They did appear to surround him as their bodies were found around his. Looks like they just attempted to protect him and in the process all of them were killed. The change based on Indian testimony happened so quickly that the cavalry had no real chance to mobilize and properly deploy against it.

[@CusterApollo]

@commandersheperd1 I believe they wanted to cut down on the noise factor so they left their sabres at the Powder River camp. Two officers elected to keep their swords with them, but there is no mention of them ever pulling them out and using them.

[@CusterApollo]

I believe there were no troops on Last Stand Hill during most of the Keogh Episode. The right wing was on the east side of Battle Ridge and could not see the left wing which was positioned on the western side of the ridge. All that right wing soldiers knew was that the left wing had moved north earlier. I think the right wing was fleeing away from the Indian attacks mainly coming from the south, as well as moving towards the perceived safety of the left wing which was somewhere to the north.

[@johnmacfarlane4126]

Saw the Disney movie "Tonka" when I was a boy of 9 or 10. Been fascinated ever since and been to LBH four times. Read a lot of books and until these Bill Smith videos I could never grasp what may have happened that day. I appreciate your insight and candid admission that your battle description is the best you could produce given the information you have. Wonderful job. Can you explain what "in reserve" meant in 1876. Was it similar to the German cavalry approach with three waves of attack? I also don't understand how the large volume of rifle fire would not have alerted the left wing immediately and thus immediate reaction to it. Did the wind from the normally southern or western direction have a bearing on the noise level.Wish you would do Gettysburg.

[@CusterApollo]

@commandersheperd1 Actually Custer was early and Terry and Gibbon ended up being late. Terry and Gibbon had mostly infantry so their Pace was slower than Custer's. And the terrain down the Bighorn River and Tullock's Creek forced the troops to go even slower.

[@CusterApollo]

@commandersheperd1 Yes, basically. Companies E and F were on the hill relatively intact. The wing numbered around 82 men at first, however at least six men had been killed on Cemetery Ridge and we all know Mark Kellogg died near Ford D. So the real number was probably closer to 75 men left. Only about 20 or so men from the right wing survived to make it to Last Stand Hill. This increased the total number to 95-100 men on the hill beofre th Last Stand took place.

[@CusterApollo]

Its quite possible. Trumpeter Patton, along with Cpl. Wild as well as 1st Sgt. Bobo of Company C were located near Keogh.

[@CusterApollo]

@tvcat1 You are welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@Lockbar]

Were there any other troops already at last stand hill at this time, or were Keogh's men just heading north to a unknown rally point?

[@dannygreenii2680]

I have read that Trumpeter John Patton was found laying across Keough.

[@5stars6rings]

They say something was wrong with mark kellogs horse and that Custer also lost a nephew and 2 brothers at the battle

[@michaelbannister744]

The Keough sector looks like an actual organized defense from your pictures.

[@CusterApollo]

While the picture may give the impression of a defensive line, the Indian testimony and the archaeology of the sector clearly show a different story. Far from organized, the Keogh Sector was a complete rout of the soldiers followed by a disorganized flight toward Last Stand Hill.

[@45Jwalsh]

Do you think Keogh's sergeants killed him after his knee was shattered so he wouldn't be captured alive and than killed themselves?

[@DaytonaStation]

Its a possibility but no eveidence so speculation

[@DaytonaStation]

this is a topic for a good debate

[@2snowgirl520]

I noticed the flowers by Keoghs marker. Are people allowed to put flowers by the markers?

[@CusterApollo]

I have seen many items left at markers over the years. As far as I know you can leave things at markers if you wish. But I would probably ask the rangers at the battlefield before doing so.

[@rebeccachapman4364]

CusterApollo I was informed while at this sight that snakes abound. Is that true or is that just to keep people off this sacred cemetery?

[@CusterApollo]

@@rebeccachapman4364 It's true. It is snake country. Western diamondbacks are poisonous. I almost stepped on one once. Blue racers also can be found, however they are harmless.

[@stevenrussell8369]

any ceremonies this year since 140 anniversary

[@CusterApollo]

+Steven Russell Yes the battlefield always has different ceremonies planned during the anniversary of the battle. The LBH Battlefield website should have information about what they have planned.

[@5stars6rings]

Do you think that they were only 2 companies on last stand hill

[@dannygreenii2680]

Not to mention Crook and his fight on the Rosebud on the 17th. Crook left the field and Campaign and went back to lick his wounds.

[@JK1211a]

Can you explain to me what the headquarters staff in the field means??

[@CusterApollo]

Yes, the staff was the group of officers, soldiers and men attached to and riding with Custer personally. It was small and comprised General Custer, in command, Captain Tom Custer, Aide de Camp, 1st Lt. William W. Cooke, Regimental Adjutant, Sgt. William H. Sharrow, Regimental Sergeant Major, Trumpeter Henry Voss, Regimental Chief Trumpeter, 1st Lt. George E. Lord, Regimental Surgeon, Cpl. John J. Callahan, Hospital Orderly, Sgt. Robert H. Hughes, Carrying Custer's personal guidon, Sgt. John Vickory, Regimental guidon bearer, Trumpeter Henry C. Dose, orderly, Civilian Mitch Bouyer, Crow Scout Interpreter, Civilian Marcus H. Kellogg, Newspaper correspondent for the Bismark Tribune, Civilian Boston Custer and Civilian Harry A. Reed. The staff rode as a separate unit although it was attached to Company F all day and died with that company on Last Stand Hill.

[@mr.j1400]

Great job it would be great to stand there where there is some of the best Indian history in this nation

[@garrylycos4795]

Did you have to have special permission to walk down that trail. I read they are very strict on staying on the trails. That was more of a path.

[@CusterApollo]

The Keogh trail is open to visitors. Just watch out for snakes.

[@5stars6rings]

@custerapollo 5? Damnnnn well that explains all the Indian acounts saying that they killed Custer

[@gerthie]

hi must you have a car to visit the site

[@CusterApollo]

No you do not need a car to visit the site. Some people ride their bike around the battlefield. I have also walked a good portion of the battlefield road. The entire walk from the Custer battlefield to the Reno battlefield and back again would be something like 9-10 miles total. Just walking the road would probably take 3 hours, but stopping to look at everything means you are in for a longer day. Probably around 6-8 hours total.

[@gerthie]

thanks bro

[@EasternElectric2012]

It’s a shame that those men were so horribly mutilated by the Indian women and children. Keep in mind that surviving soldiers watched it from a distance. It’s helps you to understand why those same soldiers of the 7th killed the women and children at Wounded Knee. They were not seen as innocent. The women and children were capable of unconscionable barbaric acts. And don’t for a second buy into the ridiculous claim that these mutilations had some type of religious connotation.

[@Adrian-ju7cm]

did Reno witness the killing of Custer's men from a distance?

[@CusterApollo]

Reno did not witness the Custer battle. He remained on the hill during the Weir Point maneuver.

[@jimd2463]

I believe that ALL markets have been spuriously placed.

[@DaytonaStation]

They were ver carefully placed in reverence as best as possibly

[@CusterApollo]

The parties that placed the markers did the best they could under the circumstances. They did pretty good. The archaeological surveys of the 1980's recovered battle and human remains at almost every marker they dug at.

[@5stars6rings]

@custerapollo ALL 5? That explains why they were alot of reports from Indians saying that they killed Custer cause they were mutile blonde hair soldiers

[@jamesotto478]

I wonder if these clusters of death are nothing more then NO MORE AMMO!!!!! did the cavalry horses that are lost became horses of the Indians? Indians had limited bullets, but did they gain bye capturing union horses fleeing with bullets

[@5stars6rings]

Why did they store there swords? They could have easily won the battle with their swords all it takes is a all out charge to the camp

[@captaintyrrell6428]

Old maxim- 'Don't bring a knife to a gun fight'.