General Sheridan's Role In The Civil War

General (Gen.) Sheridan was the commander assigned to the Northwest Region of the United States. His military supervisor at the time was Gen. Ulysses S. Grant who was the overall commander of the Union Forces during the Civil War. Gen. Grant gave Gen. Sheridan the tactics, techniques and procedures to devise a plan to execute the mission accordingly. For example, “General Terry was strike west from Fort Abraham Lincoln. General Crook was to push north from Fort Fetterman, Wyoming. General Gibbon was to move southeast from Fort Ellis in Montana. All resistance on the part of the Indians was to be crushed.” But, who was going to execute this plan that General Sheridan had devised? That’s right, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) George Armstrong Custer.
“George Armstrong Custer was born on December 5, 1839, New Rumley, Ohio – died June 25, 1876, Little Bighorn River, Montana Territory.
After graduating from McNeely Normal School (later Hopedale Normal College) in Ohio in 1856, he taught school before matriculating at the U.S. Military Academy, from which he graduated last in class in June 1861. Custer saw action at the First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) catching the eye of Major General George B. McClellan. Custer joined that important officer’s staff and developed contacts with many senior commanders. In 1863, at age 23, he became a brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers, leading the Michigan Cavalry Brigade.” The Civil War was beginning to diminish in the mid 1860’s and it was hard for Brigadier General (BG) Custer to continue his passion in coaching, teaching and mentoring his subordinates in future battles. On a personal note, BG Custer was married and kept closed contact with his wife through the many complexities of war by writing letters or visiting her in person. Elizabeth (Libbie) Bacon Custer was the fire that kept BG Custer going from one battle to the next. In some cases, this would hurt BG Custer and there would be repercussions to pay for. When the Michigan Cavalry Brigade had their colors cased and no longer had any missions to execute. BG Custer was reduced to the rank of Captain (CPT) because his Brigade was no longer participating in any missions from Gen. Grant. With time by his side, CPT Custer
would get another shot at being a commander. “Though he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became acting commander of the newly formed 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, Custer began acting erratically. He ordered deserters shot without trial, he abandoned his regiment and went to Fort Riley to visit his wife. A court-martial at Fort Leavenworth found Custer guilty of misconduct in 1867 and suspended him from rank and pay for one year.” When things began to settle down, LTC Custer was assigned a different mission, in hope of not conducting anymore bad decisions on his part. His new mission from Gen. Terry was to explore the Black Hills territory which, lead to the Sioux Reservation. At the time, there was not that many Army Engineers and generals were tasked to send their own men out to get an eyes on view of the enemy and more importantly provide an accurate map for future use. It was rumored that the men who accompanied LTC Custer, found gold deposits in the Black Hills territory, which lead to a massive invasion of civilians to that region. Little did they know that moving to that area would be in violation of the treaty of 1968, signed at Fort Laramie. The U.S. Army would later offer to buy the Blacks Hills but, the Lakota Indians would decline the offer. In the winter of January 31, 1876, there was an order by John Q. Smith (Commissioner of Indian Affairs) for all Sioux Indians to return to the reservation, but no action was taken. Gen. Terry would go ahead and give the order to LTC Custer to take the land occupied by the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians because gold was discovered and both tribes did not respond to Mr. Smith request. “Grant, Sherman and Sheridan were not only intimate friends and admirers of General Custer, but that they placed unlimited confidence in his fighting abilities and military skill.” LTC Custer had many options to consider of who he wanted his company commanders to be.
Some officers wanted to volunteer for this important mission but, knew what kind of person LTC Custer was and volunteered not to participate. Some officers weighed the options because if they execute their portion of the mission correctly maybe the outcome of this event would promote them to the next rank, who knows. Regardless, after several conservations with other officers in the region, LTC Custer selected Captain Frank Benteen, Major Marcus Reno and himself to lead the rest of the men into the Battle of Little Big Horn. “Captain Frederick W. Benteen led his battalion of three troops (or companies) off to the left of the column. Major Marcus A. Reno and his battalion of three troops were ordered across the head of a small stream known to the Crows as Upper Ash Creek (Reno Creek). The other five troops remained on the right back bank under Custer’s personal command.” Within LTC Custer’s formation he had Crow and Arikara scouts who were sent out to collect information on the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. Not much analysis could be gathered up at the time since they figured they were being spotted by the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. They figured the Indians were on their way to rage war with the 7th Cavalry. Little did anyone know, at one time, LTC Custer had a female Indian scout by the name of Calamity Jane. “Two years before she guided Custer’s Black Hills Gold Discovery Expedition,
which had opened up western Dakota to prospecting and settlement. On the morning of June 25, Calamity Jane lay in Deadwood bagnio, recovering from illness brought on by exposure during one of her wild rides.”