GDG- Custer (and Gettysburg) On the Tube Again

[George Connell]

Bruce,

Fundamentally misreading the situation is a euphemism for incompetence. 

In combat there are reasonable errors of assessment and blundering, damn-fool, non-thinking mistakes. Custer's actions belong in the latter category.

Luck Jack would never had made such an egregious error.

George


On Jan 18, 2012, at 19:38, Batrinque at aol.com wrote:

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
> 
> 
> In a message dated 1/18/2012 6:47:55 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
> georgeconnell at mac.com writes:
> 
> If not  incompetent, what would you call his actions at the Little Big 
> Horn--a bad day  at the office?
> 
> 
> No, he fundamentally misread the situation, but he acted in a manner that  
> would have been followed by any number of officers experienced in Indian  
> warfare, wrongly convinced that the foe would always attempt to escape rather  
> than stand and fight.  Sometimes, even quite good officers can make  
> decisions with bad outcomes because they are mistaken about what the real  
> situation is.  I am sure that Lee believed that Pickett and Pettigrew could  
> readily punch through Meade's line on the third day at Gettysburg.  And  Grant 
> thought that Lee's army was on the verge of collapse at Cold Harbor when  he 
> ordered that attack.
> 
> Bruce  Trinque
> Amston, CT
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