Friday, May 29, 2020

Why Rosebud?

Here is a simplified order of battle for Rosebud:

CinC: Brigadier General George Crook

Lt. Col Royall (3rd Cavalry) overall for cavalry

3rd US Cavalry - Major Evans
Captain Mills' 1st Battalion -
Company A - Lt. Morton
Company E - Captain Sutorious
Company I - Captain Andrews, Lt. Foster, Lt. King
Company M - Captain Mills, Lt. Paul, Lt. Schwatka
Captain Henry's 2nd Battalion
Company B - Captain Reinhold, Lt. Simpson
Company D - Captain Henry, Lt. Robison
Company F - Lt. Reynolds
Company L - Captain Vroom, Lt. Chase
Van Vliet's Squadron
Company C - Captain Van Vliet, Lt. Von Leutwitz
Company G - Lt. Crawford

2nd US Cavalry - Captain Noyes
Company A - Captain Dewees, Lt. Peirson
Company B - Lt. Rowelle
Company D - Lt. Swigert, Lt. Huntington
Company E - Captain Wells, Lt. Sibley
Company I - Lt. Kingsbury (Noyes company)

Mounted Infantry - Major Chambers (4th infantry)
4th US Infantry
Company D - Captain Cain, 1st Lt. Seton
Company F - Captan Luhn
9th US Infantry
Company C - Captain Munson, Lt. Capron
Company H - Captain Burt, Lt. Robertson
Company G - Captain Burrowes, Lt. Carpenter

Packers and Montana Miners (67 men)
4 surgeons and 3 scouts (Frank Grouard, Louis Richard, and Baptiste "Big Bat" Pourier
 Crow (175) and Shoshone (86) allies 

The Sioux and Cheyenne have been estimated from 750 to 1500 (though there are some 'crazy' numbers at 4000 - had there been that many, I don't think there would have been one survivor of the army or its allies).  I lean on the 1500

That gives 15 cavalry companies to field from two different regiments plus five mounted infantry companies also from two different regiments.  More variety is a good thing to my tastes. And the supply train was distant so don't have to field a lot of wagons (most of us don't, I have quite a few just because I wanted that element - but not needed for this battle).  Sure, Bighorn is more famous, or infamous, but this was probably the best balanced battle of the entire Indian Wars.  Plus it lasted for hours and hours and the native village was distant and no settlers nearby so it really is a 'clean' battle.  And the army gets a critical reinforcement in the Crow and Shoshone who probably prevented a terrible army defeat.  Bighorn for the public who wouldn't get it, Rosebud for those who really know the period, a battle that can go either way.  And a wonderful what if is for the native allies to arrive late (they did but not on the actual day) and perhaps end up staying neutral (they would not have sided with the other natives since the two sides were mortal enemies).

I figure I can readily do the battle at 1:4 figure ratio - though I might need to add some more mounted natives to bring up the Crow and Shoshone forces, maybe not.  Also might want to get some more mounted infantry, have enough dismounted infantry - right now I only have enough for one mounted company.  That last is just a maybe, can have them fight on foot as a lot of them actually did.

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