Little Bighorn: Custer's Last Stand w/ Jocko & Leif | History Traveler 344
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- čas přidán 21. 04. 2024
- (Part 4 of 4)
In the past 3 episodes of History Traveler, we've been with Jocko & Leif of Echelon Front on the Little Bighorn battlefield looking at the events that led up to Custer's disastrous end in June of 1876. In this episode, we'll be walking the ground and extracting the lessons from the moment that would forever go down in history as "Custer's Last Stand".
Learn more about Echelon Front here: echelonfront.com
And if you liked this episode, check out Leif Babin's breakdown of The Battle of the Little Bighorn here: • Navy SEAL Breaks Down ...
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
Map animations by @SandervkHistory
Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
Set yourself up with a 10% DISCOUNT on all Origin gear and nutritional products by entering the code "history10" at www.originusacom and jockofuel.com!!!
Other episodes that you might enjoy:
- Little Bighorn: The Desperate Defense of Reno Hill (w/Jocko Willink) | History Traveler Episode 343: • Little Bighorn: The De...
- Little Bighorn: Prelude to the Last Stand w/ Jocko & Leif | History Traveler Episode 341: • Little Bighorn: Prelud...
- A German Village DESTROYED By Artillery Fire in WWII (with a WWII Vet!!!)| History Traveler Ep. 338: • A German Village DESTR...
- Heroes of the Ardennes American Cemetery | History Traveler Episode 337: • Heroes of the Ardennes...
- What's Up With That Knocked Out Tank in Bastogne??? | History Traveler Episode 335: • What's Up With That Kn...
I was humbled to be one of the volunteers selected in the early 80s to excavate the area. We were literally finding remnants of the battle everyday we were there. Heard stories about Libby's House, being haunted, and the battlefield as well. I can tell you this, the energy is still very much a part of that region. Thank you!
I worked on the 1989 and 2004 digs.
NPS housed me in the Stone House during the 1989 Reno Dump archaeological survey. Roommates were Mike Moore and Mike Donahue, along with other unnatural beings.
I was also a pit-partner with Brian Pohanka at the Reno-Benteen Dump. Talking about a fantastic experience. Brian and I were eventually pulled out of the pits at Reno-Benteen, and added to a small team to hopefully find the 28 missing troopers of Deep Ravine. We didn't find them, but what a blast we had.
What a life experience to excavate the field along with a bunch of fun/crazy people.
What archaeological surveys did you work on?
@@bobreece5842 Greetings, fantastic story, thanks! When the fire ran through I read about the archeological dig, so I wrote to Dr. Fox, and he said that if I could pay my way, he'd be happy to house me, and away I went. I believe it was 84. I met a lot of very good people. We found things such as spent bullet casings, saddle parts, buttons, leather from boots, arrow heads, etc. One of the items found was a man's finger with what we thought might be a gold ring, turned out to be brass, and probably came from an enlisted man's hands, cut off more than likely. I too was part of a group that went into a valley to search for the lost company, still missing. One of the most interesting finds, and I was digging this when I hit an unusual sounding clump. I was immediately tossed to the wayside, and a young, female archeologist stepped in. Turned out it was a skull, troopers, and his long johns were somewhat intact. I've tried to find out more about this, but haven't been able to. I worked with several that had written books about the battle. I was there in early June of 1984, and there were things, and I never did see or hear anything that made one question what was going on, supernatural items I speak of.
I loved watching some of the forensic CZcams presentations. It's fascinating watching the evidence presented of what actually happened,
I was there about 5 years ago and the energy is definitely thick in the air.
@@bobreece5842 I wrote a summary, but apparently it must have been deleted. OK, I worked there in 1984, after the fire had devastated the area, and turn over many relics. As said, we were finding everything. I wrote to Dr. Fox, and he said if I could find my way there, I'd be more than welcomed. Forget where I stayed, but it was a house, and slept on the floor with other diggers and enthusiasts. I can remember being warned about the snakes, and that was scary, but never saw one. My most vivid memory, I was digging an area, and hit something. Within a minute I was descended upon by a female archeologist. She took over, and unearthed the fragments of a skull, with portions of his clothing intact. I never learned who this was, but we all assumed it was a trooper, since the items around him, including his clothing had US Army branded on them. I asked for further notification, but never received it. Years back I know there was another trooper found, they made a documentary about it, but that was across the river, we found this trooper right at the edge of one of the ravines, on the high side. We too looked for Company G, the Gray Horse Company, but never located them. We had trolls, brushes, and metal detectors. As said, we were finding all sorts of items, some Native-American, but most from the dead calvary unit. Hope that helps, fascinating dig and time. Please note, there were many supernatural reports floating around. The most vivid, Libby House stories. Scared me. We also had a volunteer that one day said, "This is where it happened?" We all said, "What?" He said this is where I was killed that day. Ah, goodbye to that individual, too much for me. Great times though.
Great series..little bighorn helped get my wife interested in history..something about the place..the sights, sounds and mystery still exist. Same with your ww2 work..we really enjoy it. We’re boomers btw!
My wife is the same way , she went with me to Custers battlefield, she became hooked on the story and the time !! We both now follow certain investigators
I'm reminded of what Longstreet said in the Gettysburg movie. "Maybe we shouldn't have fought here?"
This battle has all the elements of a great story woven together. Pride, arrogance, and the sudden realization, just when Custer was certain of victory, that the whole thing was about to fall apart. And fall apart spectacularly. And so many details that remain shrouded in mystery. And more.
It's no wonder this event took hold of the American imagination; and still holds it to this day.
Well said. This battle has always just stood out to me and lived rent free in this history lover’s brain for years. I can’t believe Hollywood hasn’t made a modern epic film about it yet. The script sells itself.
12:55 Beautiful drone shot of the battlefield with that atmospheric music playing. Thinking about the desperate souls that had their last moments on Earth there, fighting for their lives on that nameless hill thousands of miles from home. Chills.
As a European, the Battle of the Little Big Horn is one of the historical events that has fascinated me the most in US history. Some very interesting episodes these, well worth watching getting a very probable course of action from the 7th Cav side. Well done, and may all the fallen regardless of side rest in peace.
Thank you.
Agreed. It is one of these mythical events that is enchanting, like the sinking of the Titanic. If one had a time machine it is a top 5 moment in history I would visit simply owing to the mystery. It was so much more brutal than people realize too, the Sioux were absolutely brutal and hacked the horses and men to pieces. It is now thought that Custer actually committed suicide, as well as many of the other men, rather than end up in Sioux hands. The Sioux pulled the men's eye balls out, cut off their penises, hacked off their arms and legs, even were said to have stuck an arrow up Custer's dick hole 💀
Don't let the modern history books fool you with their fake news take on 'the noble savage' who were living in utopia until the evil white man came along. The Sioux were a horrible, brutal and genocidal people who were on Crow lands and were mercilessly bullying the Crow and smaller tribes for centuries. The Europeans were the only people that offered reservations, resources, casinos, reparations and peace to their defeated enemies. Had the roles been reversed the Sioux would have killed every white man and made every white woman a sex slave. The history books don't tell you that...weird how that works. After world war two everything changed as the Marxists essentially took over the United States, or as General Patton would say "we defeated the wrong enemy".
I've been to Little Bighorn- I drove through Montana in late June and you can see why the Lakota and Cheyenne fought so hard to keep their country. It is a beautiful place.
HELL YEAH. Been waiting for this one to drop. Gonna blow off a work meeting to watch it now! 😀
Good call. 😂
Simply stunning and one of the best detailed accounts of the battle and everything that led to the last stand itself.
Thanks!
Thanks JD. I've never watched anything where the Little Bighorn battle was so precisely broken down and made so much easier to understand. Thank you and God bless ALL those who lost their lives.RIP
Listen to custer apollo. The best breakdown hands down.
This has been a great series, excellent work!
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Absolutely. Thie series has been magnificent. I’m now on my third viewing.
Really loving this series and the way you format your videos. Thanks JD!
Thank you JD for this amazing series. This explained the Battle of Little Big Horn better than anything I have seen to date. I actually got goosebumps watching this as the absolute horror of this situation was unfolding. I absolutely want to see LBH even more now. There is NOTHING like walking a battlefield to get the feel of the place, what took place there. This was just wow.
I literally just finished the last episode and reloaded CZcams and this popped up what a treat!
Nice!
One of many events I’ve neglected. As one who has studied history for half a century, I am continually humbled at the number of important events that deserve more attention. Thank you for this lesson.
Always learning!
Visiting Little Bighorn is my next bucket list item. Thank you for another amazing video JD!
Heck of a place. Thanks!
When I was there in the 1990s the Park service offered a guided tour in a nice passenger van. It took you along the path the 7th used to approach the village and past key points of the battle with a very knowledgeable guide. The whole thing lasted 1-1/2 to 2 hours if I recall (with a stop at the Garryowen convenience store to support the local economy) and was well worth it. Highly recommended.
Another excellent narrated series of episodes JD 👏👏👍keep up the super work that you do, your educating me every time you produce something, my favourite channel
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Excellent series, JD! I loved everything about it, the scenery, pictures, narrative; impressive! Thank you!
Many thanks!
Really enjoyed the video mate can't wait for the next one
I had multiple great uncle with Custer. His name was Mark Bouyer,he was Custers lead scout. He was killed down in the bottom of the hill.
Custer's picture falling was brilliant cinematography
That was an accident. The dang wind was killing me. :)
Exactly. Blew me away. No pun.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Sometimes the wind blows for dramatic purpose JD, and isn't an accident.
@@ToddSauve It was perfect!
As a Britain I see some similarities that happened here and what happened 3 years later in South Africa in a Conflict called The Anglo Zulu War which I think you should look up the first battle happened at a mountain called Isandlwana where the British set up camp there and the Commander splits up his Force and takes Half the army to pursue the enemy and leaving the rest of the camp to be attacked and brutally killed to the last man take a look you’ll find it fascinating
Thanks JD for a great American history series. Adding Jocko’s expertise was icing on the cake. 🇺🇸
These series are a gift!! Thank you!!
Thanks for the hard work. It really makes a difference when you can "see" the battle landscapes. Keep the history coming.
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Thanks JD and to all the others involved in this series. Great work, thank you sir. I really enjoyed it.
This series has been absolutely fantastic JD. I’ve learned a ton. Lots of lessons to learn from this point in history.
Thanks! Appreciate that. And I didn't even scratch the surface.
Another wonderful series JD. Thank you. I am very glad there is memorials to the Native Americans. As an old white man I still am horrified by how we have treated them. Great message in leadership. As a retired airline pilot I teach pilots to fly biz jets. We study accidents/incidents to try and learn how NOT to do those same things that led to disaster. Same in military, biz, etc. Safe travels JD.
👍🏻
Love the WW2 and Civil War episodes.
This is a fascinating story and is often overlooked , great segment
I finally had a chance to watch part four and the whole series was well done. The commentary from Jocko and JD is to be pondered and taken to heart. Thank you to everyone.
Back in Dec ‘84 I stopped by Little Big Horn on my way to visit my brother in Great Falls. I spent about an hour walking around the battlefield. I would’ve stayed longer but the north wind was biting cold that day. The vast Prairie land is beautiful to say the least. Thanks JD for this detailed perspective of Last Stand Hill.
Your series opened my eyes, I really wished I knew what I know now when I visited Little Big Horn 15 years ago. I wish this series was played in school. what a difference it would make!
Thanks! Always learning. :)
This series was fantastic, thanks for taking us all on the battlefield.
I love the inclusion of animation to help conceptualize troop movements and locations. Helps add to my understanding.
This was an awesome series. Please do more about the American West. There is so little told about. John Wayne movies are great but sadly that’s where most Americans get their history about the West from. You make learning history so much fun and interesting so please think about doing more videos about our Western history. Thank you for mentioning the only surviving of the battle too. Not many people realize that a horse was the only surviving witness to the battle. 👍❤️
Thank you once again, JD, for taking us to history I would not have seen let alone learn more of its truths. To be truthful, I do believe that I would not want to watch videos of wars & battles except your showing & telling even tho I love history. You treat each subject with respect, acknowledging even little details that maybe overlooked. I look closer when you get excited or admire. Mostly, thank you for giving faces & insights into the lives from around the world....with dignity & respect; real persons who have affected our lives. Also appreciate the music picked. 🎶🎵😊
Great series - thanks JD. Loved re-visiting my time at the battlefield. The key takeaway from Little Bighorn and Custer, I think, is the old legal adage: "past performance is no indication of future results." IMO Custer doesn't deserve as much disdain that's heaped on him; he acted as he had previously against Indians where it all worked. Yes, that ended up a faulty assumption here, but who hasn't done that in their own lives? Of course we don't get slaughtered as a result. I could talk Little Bighorn for hours.
He put his men in danger and got most of them killed without getting info and scouting his enemies intentions
Up until Rosebud and Little Bighorn the indians had always scattered and ran. Custer followed what was at the time, sound military strategy when facing indians. Even General Miles commented that the more he studied Custer's actions at Little Bighorn, the more he admired him. Arm-chair Generals have the benefit of hindsight. Custer was bold and decisive in his actions, but he was unaware that the indians had changed their strategy. I'm not saying he was perfect but he wasn't the fool that some try to make him out to be...IMO.
Custer just didn't know what he didn't know. There were too many Indians and they won. I've studied the battle for 30 years now and it was a slow motion train wreck that events and terrain dictated and obscured and the result is what we have just gone over in these four videos. It was like a conspiracy of events and no one could have stopped it unless a different policy was adopted by the US federal government. And that would have been to honour the treaties you had signed with the various tribes. The US government refused to do that, and the Lakota bands of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, and their allied Cheyenne bands refused to be bullied and knuckle under.
What is silly is that so many people hate Custer as if he dictated US government policy! Custer was just a soldier issued orders originating with President Ulysses S. Grant and his war cabinet. There is where the guilt and blame rightfully and properly lays. 🤔🤷♂
@@ToddSauve Very well stated.
There were enough people telling Custer not to split his command. Benteen and Bloody Knife both prominent amongst them!
Bit like Liz Truss our mad ex UK Prime Minister ..... Custer learned nothing never listened to advice and never would/will!
Excellent work JD. I’ve seen a lot of videos about what happened in the Little Big Horn battle and this is the best detailed account of the battle and the battlefield with all those observation points. Good instructions from Jocko and the other guy about taking good decisions in our lives. Some Native Americans said that what really happened to Custer is that he was ambushed by Chief Crazy Horse and Chief Two Moons. He relied in his assumption that Natives were going to run like in Washita but it didn’t happened because Natives were waiting the blue coats and Crazy Horse was an expert in ambush if we remember Fetterman battle. You are very humble JD and genuine.
Thank you!
JD as always another great video. Many Thanks to you and your preservation of US history.
Many thanks!
@@TheHistoryUnderground you're most welcome.
You have gone and done it.... This series got me so interested that I read Nathaniel Philbrick's "Last Stand" last week and have watched a few different documentaries from PBS and one other. Super interesting history.
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
Great series JD. Would be really cool to see some of the other larger US/NA battles during that period as well!
Believe it or not, I've actually tried doing more from this era on several occasions but there has been some kind of curse with me tackling Native American history. Something almost always goes sideways. Definitely doing more in the future though.
New video!! Hello from Cebu,Philippines!
Hello! Hope that you enjoyed it.
Kumasta,I’ll be there in July
JD, you and your team do an extraordinary job with your documentaries. Thankyou so much for your efforts.
Great series!!
Incredible series. Thank you so much.
Marker 4:53
I've loved watching this 4-part series on the Battle of the Little Bighorn, as well as the many episodes of WW2 on your channel. The Little Bighorn Battlefield is practically my second home. I interpret the battle story there as a volunteer for the Park Service.
I'd appreciate a moment to correct JD Baker's comments regarding the location of the Indian village where he stood on the banks of the Little Bighorn at Medicine Tail Ford.
Baker states this was the location of the center of the village, and that it continued up river to his right. We used to believe this based on historians from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and into the 80s.
When NPS interpreters told the story at the battlefield in the early '80s, it was explained that the size of the village was as Baker described. While telling the story to the Monument's visitors at the visitor center patio, I would point west across the Custer National Cemetery while explaining to the audience that down in that valley stood the northern portion of this three-mile long village. Oops, not true.
We now know, thanks to the work of historians John Gray, Greg Michno, and others, that the northern end of the village - the Cheyenne camp - was actually located where Baker is standing. Medicine Tail Ford was where the far northern end of the village, not the center, was located. The village grew to 1.5 miles long, not three.
Everything to Baker's right, on the afternoon of June 25, 1876, was not covered with tipis. Instead, it was swarming with noncombatants frantically fleeing from the Reno attack. Picture a small American town suddenly evacuating a wildfire to understand the chaos in 1876.
Additionally, Crazy Horse would move a bit further north from where Baker is standing before he would eventually turn east at the mouth of Deep Ravine, cross the river, and make history.
Thank you for sharing this story and this series. I have learned so much from it and series like this one are why I love this channel. Little Big Horn is a special place and must be visited to be understood. Thank you again for taking us there with you.
Thanks!
Great series, JD. Absolutely fascinating.
Excellent series from start to finish. Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you for this post - I've learned a lot
Thanks for eating that sunburn for us, JD. A great chance to learn some more history. Many thanks!
Thank you for this excellent four part series.
Great show and presentation, best regards from Scandinavia.
Wonderful series, JD! Thanks for the great documentaries!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent four part series! Enjoyed every minute of it! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a great series. Thanks for all the work and information.
Great footage and story telling. Watching from Australia and big fan of your channel! Thank you.
Awesome, thank you!
Really great series JD thanks for putting it together and sharing it with us 👏
My pleasure!
Ive been listening to The Rest Is History Podcast that has done a fantastic retelling of Custers Last stand. This video has made it even more poignant. Great Video!
Pick your fights wisely. Be leary of incompetent leadership. I recommend the book entitled, "I fought with Custer."
I don’t want it to end! Great work as always JD. Thanks.
Outstanding presentation. Thank you.
Fantastic video, incredible depth and well presented. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Another amazing and educational series. Many thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
These videos were amazing... thank you for doing these!!!!
Well done series. Clearly and thoughfully presented.
Awesome series J.W and every video series you no mater what is Top Notch and just full of great Information. Thank you for this fascinating video. PS Hope more is on the way.
This battle was a disaster but I am an enrolled member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and you should look up St Claire's Defeat, Battle of the Wabash or the Battle of a Thousand Slain. The biggest defeat of an American Army by native people.
I’ll do that. Thanks!
Wow, thanks for sharing. Native American history seems to get buried in history. I will look these battles up.
Awesome series. Enjoyed all the episodes 👍
Awesome, thank you, Andrew
Appreciate this series. Wasn't as familiar with this battle. Really does make you wonder.
Glad that you enjoyed it!
There were a few horses that survived for the 7th but many were badly hurt and were shot by the rescue team when they came to look for Custer and barry the dead
Lots I didn’t know about this situation, thanks for the videos on this, great finale!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Custer was acting like an aggressive cavalry officer. Using speed, audacity, and violence of action. Tactics that worked for him.
Reno was a drunk who was drunk when he stopped his attack and then fled from his troops.
Benteen hated Custer and disregarded direct written orders.
Absolutely correct. Benteen and Reno had two years to concoct their alibis. Custer of course couldn’t tell his story of the traitorous pair of cowards.
Very well done! I'm going to make sure to visit Last Stand Hill on my next cross-country road trip. Thanks for the awesome work you do, JD!
Excellent series!
This was a really good series
Thank you for sharing. Wow! was the word that came to mind at the end of this series, even this video.
Nicely done gents. History is our best teacher and you are exceptional liaisons :)
Excellent series! I was there several years ago and it was an eerie place. Great job!
Another great video, thank you J.D. Little side note of interest: Comanche, Keogh's "lone survivor" horse, is on display at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, and has been since it's death in 1891. A taxidermist from KU named Lewis Dyche was given the job of stuffing and mounting Comanche when he died, and he agreed to waive his usual $400 fee for the job if the Army would let KU keep Comanche. And he's still there in the Museum, which is in Dyche Hall on campus. The whole story of Comanche (who was quite a witness to history, having also later been at Wounded Knee in 1890) is quite interesting and worth a Google!
Outstanding job ….again. Great work 🎥 and storytelling.
Amen Brother! Thanks For Sharing!
Great series! Very well done, as always!
Glad you enjoy it!
To go off what jocko said about learning about the big mistakes that Custer made we also need to learn about how great the plains Indians were at fighting. Great serious love every minute of it. Being from wyoming and nebraska I've always been interested in the Indian ways of life. Now go to wounded knee and put that one into words for us please. Keep up the great work my friend
Great series JD I enjoyed very much keep up the great work 😊
Great series. I love the way you showed us the battlefield and the input from EF!
Thanks!
Two of my favorite books on the subject and both great reading esp if you plan on visiting the battlefield: "Son of the Morning Star" by Evan S Connell, and "A Terrible Glory" by James Donovan. Both are meticulously researched and vividly told.
I love this series.
What a stunningly good analysis. Your Little Bighorn battle has so much in common with our Balaclava. Like LBH Balaclava was a mish mash individual actions and unclear and incomprehensible orders.
Major Reno's experience closely resembles that of Gen Scarlett (The Heavy Brigade) and Campbell's 93rd Highlanders (The Thin Red Line) in that they managed to extricate themselves from actions against vastly superior numbers.
You probably could liken Custer's action with that of the Light Brigade (as in the Charge of the Light Brigade commanded by the Earl of Cardigan) who charged into the wrong valley because of an unclear order and history tells the rest. Cardigan survived the charge although he spent much of the rest of his life in disgrace although the mistake wasn't his fault.
On the evidence available it would seem the fault lies with a sickly old General called Raglan who didn't survive the war.
Excellent series!!
Great series JD loved it
I don’t think I’d like to have to confront anyone on that terrain. Deceptively flat with swales everywhere, keeping track of where you and everyone else were and where you were headed to reach some successful conclusion seems like a nightmare endeavor.
I've always believed this terrain was one of many reasons for Custer's defeat.
It always amazes me, when I have gone there, you could walk for a very short time and just disappear in one of those coulees…
I read a book in junior high school about the horse that was the only survivor of the battle. Great short book. Comanche of the Seventh was the title, I think…it was 50+ years ago! 😂
Mike Donahue is a Ranger at Little Big Horn. Custer was waiting for the ammunition packs. He sent Martini the bugler to ‘Hurry bring packs’ he was relying on Reno and Benteen. Reno lost his head whatever way you look at it.
Also Terry ordered Custer to scout to his left that’s why he sent Benteen left they thought the hostile Indians would try to flee in that direction but nevertheless I enjoyed it.
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Yep. The idea was to stampede the village and take children and woman as hostage, which would then take the desire away from the warriors to fight, and then make the Indians more willing to acquiesce to Custer's (USA policy) demands. Custer did not want bloodshed, this tactic of taking prisoners worked before as bargaining chips for a peaceful resolution. People leave this part out, or they say he was trying to bully woman and children. No, he wanted a peaceful and quick resolution with as little bloodshed as possible. You're not going to be able to intimidate the Sioux warriors with your guns or bravado - the only way to bring them to heel was to take their children and wives captive (or kill them all, as they did to Custer). But instead of the woman and children fleeing, they said they came out of their teepees like angry hornets out of a nest.....and obviously there were way more than they anticipated.
Such a fascinating battle, so complex and we will never know what happened. I do feel for Custer tho, he was just a young soldier trying to do well, restore his sullied name after Grant demoted him and do right by his family. Instead he gets the blame for everything, tho it was Terry that was in charge
You should read the accounts of the soldiers with Reno. It will change your mind about Reno.
Learned a lot from this. Thank you
I fought through the CZcams commercials and glad I did. I am 66 years young and I learned something new today. I did not know that Custers brothers and a nephew was also killed there.
🙂
And a brother-in-law, I believe.
I had read in my old college book of American history that the warriors at Little Bighorn were far better armed than Custer had believed they were.
Mark Kellogg, who was listed among the civilians interred on Last Stand Hill, was the editor of the Bismark Tribune and was covering the battle for the Associated Press. He is the first AP reporter to die in the line of duty.
Interesting. Didn’t know that.
That was an excellent video JD Thankyou
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks.