Captain Benteen: Custer & the Black Hills III. Lives of the Little Bighorn 

I could sit here all day and listen to you. Wait a minute did I say could? I DO sit here all day and listen to you. Thank you so much. Keep them coming.😀

Still watching you. Keep the sound effects as they add something special. Keep up the amazing work 😊

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. Lots of history that most aren't even aware of. Thank you Siobhan for all the hard work you and your team have done on this series!

Greetings from Austria! After watching all three parts of your excellent series in a row in one afternoon, I'm really glad I found this channel. What a fantastic job! I really love how you go into so much detail and give us a clear insight into the characters of Benteen and his colleagues. For me, the most fascinating thing about military history is not the weaponry and high strategy, but learning about people's lives and personalities, and that's why I could watch documentaries like yours for hours. Benteen was certainly a bitter and cantankerous character with many severe flaws, but strangely I find him much more likeable than many of his contemporaries, especially Custer and Reno. Also, I love these rare pictures, I didn't know there were so many photos taken of Benteen. I really can't wait for the next part of this series!

ITWAS SO SAD TO HEAR THAT KATE LOST 4 CHILDREN. MAKES ONE APPRECIATE HOW THE WOMEN BACK THEN SACRIFICED ALL THEY HAD TO MAKE THIS NATION. SOMETHING YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY CAN'T APPRECIATE SINCE NOTHING LIKE THIS IS TAUGHT IN ANY SCHOOLS!!!!

Fascinating! Well done

Yeah!! I got to be "thumbs up" #400!! Not only that, BUT, when I realized that I had met you, a few years ago, on Last Stand Hill, (2022?) I was even more THRILLED to watch your videos! I still have your business card you gave me out there (that's how I confirmed that you were the same person)! And, when I told you I was writing a "fact meets fiction" account of the story concerning the events durning and after the battle, you were very supportive! So thank you! Anyway.... Not sure where this particular video falls (chronologically) in all of the videos you've created (I've watched at least 10 of them at this point), but I wanted to tell you that you've done an OUTSTANDING JOB on ALL OF THESE!! No one else is doing anything like this!! It's SO REFRESHING to see and hear something other than the "normal" coverage and conjecture surrounding Custer and the battle! You are actually giving "life," and character, and nuance, to these people who have long since passed, and can no longer speak for themselves... THANK YOU for your cheery delivery, relatable writing, in-depth insight, sound effects and songs, and your bouncing graphics! (Love the arrows SHOWING who is who in the old photos- NICE TOUCH!) And, THANKS for all the painstaking work that you've done to produce these!! HATERS be damned!!! "You be you!!" Personally, I like the longer format of these videos!! I say, take as long as you want to take, to tell the story you want to tell!! "Keep on keepin' on!" Siobhan, YOU ROCK!!

You are doing a wonderful job! What a wonderfully clear voice and energy you have! I am a historian and pray you continue to do so much more. Subscribed and sharing for sure. Much love and good thoughts to you!

Love your documentaries Siobhan, appreciate the work that goes into them. I believe Fred Benteen was unfairly vilified after the battle, NOT recklessly charging to Custers aid saved the lives of himself and many under him. By the time they realized Custer was in trouble it was far too late to make a difference and he knew that. His performance commanding the defense of Reno hill following the battle was exemplary and this was never truly appreciated.

Siobahn, I am really enjoying your presentations. In 1997, I had the opportunity to go on a 10 day tour with Terry Johnston, an historical fiction author, through Wyoming and Montana. I had lunch with Gilbert Bird in Ground, a descendant of White Swan, one of Custer’s scouts, ON THE BANK OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN, just below Reno and Benteen’s Hill. We had private tours of Dull Knife’s battle site, the ranch where Sitting Bull had his sun dance and saw the sandstone carvings of soldiers falling into the Indian camp. We walked the Rosebud, Fetterman’s Fight and Wolf Mountain. An incredible experience. Anyway, this a long way of saying that I enjoy your presentations. You bring keen insights into this time period that I have not heard before. Thank you very much and keep them coming please.

Gurrl, just keep spilling that history tea! You’re a great storyteller. Kate Benteen and all the other wives are truly heroes.

Siobhan, great content and even better presentation.

Thanks Siobhan. You make these both extremely interesting and fun at the same time. Your personality shines through.

Very good presentation. Let me know when your book comes out.

Just when you think these presentations can't get any better...they're so well done. Katharine and Fred's "Little Kate" died in December of 1868, is buried at Fort Leavenworth Nation Cemetery. In reference to an alleged conversation between Benteen and Custer at Monument Rocks, outside of Fort Wallace, would like to know the whereabouts of Thomas Weir just prior to Custer's AWOL episode and journey back East in search of Libby. Ornery Ole Fred had a mean streak, and may have been partially culpable for Custer's court-martial. Still feel that Benteen was the finest cavalry officer in the seventh (other than his conduct unbecoming stunt at Fort Duchesne in front of a superior office and his wife.)

As always very informative and balanced with the imput from human beings involved in the army and their loved ones on the frontier at this time in history.Well done Siobhan.

Thank you for your video and continuing saga of Fred Benteen and family. Looks like your subscriber number jumped over 500. It's easy for me to say, but I hope you don't worry or stress over views and such. It's a niche topic and you're just getting started! Keep up the good work and God bless you and your family.

I hope that someone chonicles my period of service in the US cavalry as passionate as you in 150 years. My indians wars were with the tribes of Arabs in Iraq and the wild frontier of the pastun tribes and the Taliban. You posts are wonderful thank you for the content.

These 3 Benteen videos are first class, (as always). I bought the Harvest of Barren Regrets some years ago and really enjoyed it. Perhaps for me the most interesting character in Custers 7th. I'm not sure I would have got on with him,. In his letters he comes across as sarcastic, opinionated, sometimes petty, self centred and one who doesn't suffer fools gladly . All these characteristics just makes him very human. He and Kate obviously had a very loving (and physical) relationship, The loss of his children is heart-breaking. Wondering if Joel Elliott is worth looking into - can't find it listed in your vids. Thank you for these entertaining and informative vids.

Approximately one-third of Sioux left their reservation in 1875. Why not all? Why only a third? Because that third acquired its water from the rivers that transited the Black Hills, those waters now being polluted by runoff from gold mining. Another question: Why not move away from those polluted waters to clean waters north of the Black Hills, but still on the expansive reservation,* and avoid a war with the United States? The move was understandable, but not understandable was leaving the reservation, placing women and children in danger of war with the United States. In fact, the fleeing Sioux invaded the Crow reservation (Little Big Horn is on the Crow reservation), and its leaders were in a planning session to raid the Crows for supplies when the Seventh Cavalry stumbled upon the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho encampment. ----------------------- * The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty gave the various Sioux tribes the western half of today's South Dakota, all territory west of the Missouri River!

Excellent presentation.Very informative.I learned a lot about the expedition that I had not read.I'm looking forward to following the rest of the series.Well done!

Started my interest in this adventure with Son of the Morning Star Book, then ventured into Harvest of Barren Regrets... Benteen is a very interesting fellow ... a salty mixture of bravery, intelligence, humor, and gold plated sarcasm towards his non friends ! I get the impression he was vastly misunderstood in the big dramas of his army career. Nevertheless I consider him a commander I would happily serve under.

Always happy to give you a thumbs up. You know, the more I learn about the 7th through you channel, the more I realize that the view of Custer and the 7th in the times that followed, up to the present day, have more to do with the political winds of the given day rather than with the time and place of the Little Big Horn battle itself. In particular, I'm thinking of the movie "Little Big Man." That film was really a criticism of the Vietnam War. History is often a weapon of the political parties of the day rather that anything that can truly be said about what actually happened. That said, your briefing on the Battle of the Washita River tells me that Custer never learned anything from it. It was conducted almost in the same manner as Little Bighorn. At Washita, he was able to slip away before the other Indian force could surround and overwhelm him. I'm guessing his impetuousness had to do with the Indian's facility for striking where the army was not and slipping away on horseback once they were discovered. He had to balance doing a thorough reconnaissance against the fact that they would slip away as soon as they were discovered. I don't think he ever had an idea of how big a force he was attacking until he attacked.

Excellent presentation,,enjoyed much! :)

Excellent work. Thank you very much!

Another great video! Love the history.

Benteen sure had some slick hand writing. I heard they are no longer even teaching cursive in elementary school.

Tact when dealing with superiors seems the better part of valor

After all the years and traveling and reading and studying official records , non official records, hearsay, multitudes of books on the Custers fight at the Little Bighorn, I could never come to terms with Benteens actions at the Battle. Till Now! First and foremost both Custer and Benteen were fearless in battle and didn't scare a lick, so that's never been on the table for me. But what you brought out in your videos is the underbelly of just how smart and mulipitive Benteen was and proved it time and time again and he might have been the smartess guy in the room. I believe Benteen was totally jealous of Custer and felt he should have been Breveted higher then a Captain and he wanted that higher rank and everything that went with it. I believe he looked at Custer, Reno and others and said to himself I'm smarter then them and it should be me in charge. All the reasons about Lt. Elliot, Horses, Duties, Custers relatives, higher officer's influence was nothing but a smoke screen to discredit Custer. But his big chance came at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. He comes upon Reno who has lost it and asks him for help, what could he do, Reno is a Major so that's what he does, the perfect alibi who could fault him Right? He knows that if Custer is successful his butt is covered by Reno and if Custer isn't? Oh well there's going to be alot of possible promotions and Custer and his relatives will be gone. The Perfect Crime! Oh there will be a board of inquiry but he has Reno to cover his actions that day. Benteen without any doubt at all anymore in my mind was guilty of dereliction of duty that resulted in the totally annihilation of Custers command. There is a very old saying in the Army Infantry, A SLOW WALK WILL DO IT! Benteen did his slow walk, he was the smartest guy in the room and most clever!

It's good to see that Benteen's reputation has been dusted off over the past two decades. When I was a kid he and Reno were the two absolute villains in American history, lower even than Benedict Arnold (no relation to Tom), who was merely a traitor, not a sniveling coward. No one can deny that Fred was his own worst enemy, yet nor can they deny his defense of Reno Hill. He was a brave, capable warrior if not always loyal to his friends either living or dead. In the early 70s I saw a husband wife folk group in Chicago. They had written a song called "It's quite a lovely painting Mrs Custer" with a line that went: "Benteen and Major Reno, They weren't so very keen-o, To go poking where the Indians would be It's such a lo Ely painting Mrs Custer Like Washita. Bull Run or Valley Forge, But the kind of odds they gave him, Only Hollywood could save him, I'm sorry things turned out that way for George" Anyway, I did subscribe and see from your Playlist I'll be up for a while tonight.

NNNOO!!!!!!!!!!! What a cliff hanger ending!!!!!!!!!!!!1 My Fair Lady, Super writing!!!!!! Super!!!!!!!! Creative and Witty with so many Details!!!!! Indeed!!!!!!!!!!! Your ability to write makes me feel like it just occurred just some years ago!!!!! Oh, The talent,,,,, Indeed.!!!!!!!!!!! I Tip my hat to you my Fair Lady with a sigh, and respect and awe,,,,,,,,,

Fridays are so boring without any new content...... HAHAHA... just speaking for all of us! I do pray you and yours are safe. It's cold in Los Angeles, we got some snow!!! Well, just checking in, Have a pleasant evening. My Fair Lady,

The real deal you bring up :) Top!

I’m struggling to find part IV. Can you please share the link?

Oklahoma State used to be known for as Indian Territory.

I need your help. Can you help me find some photos of Frederick Banting dating from the Civil War. the only picture I’ve seen shows him as a sort of Roley Poli grandfather type.

Benteen and Reno should have been reassigned from the 7th for the good of the regiment. Custer as well.

Don't feel crazy! It's wonderful to get a reliable history - no Hollywood etc.

Great story but the sound effects are distracting.

I smell govt pilfering of the creme . Indian affairs agent was getting rich . And solder was to die for it . With feeble tools to achieve it . This was leading up to Greasy Grass massacre. Govt greed in war . With Ely Parker Grants friend the Indian affairs commissioner .

I still maintain that benteen was the real villain at the little bighorn.

Oh the girl i left behind. The Queens own butler play that tune; you mean Gary Owen?

I said Frederick Benteen

Lincoln 2012.

Any subordinate of an egomaniacal officer should be given the benefit of the doubt by history

What's going on with Fred's eyes, did he suffer from proptosis 🤔

American Civil War 1861-1865. Abraham Lincoln the 16th President of The United States of America.

Custer a été lâchement abandonné par ses officiers, une honte!!!

Native American Museums to vist.

Benteen,reno,and Custer were all guilty of personal bias ,stupid decisions , and personal animosity toward each other..