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Quiz about Custers 7th Cavalry
Quiz about Custers 7th Cavalry

Custer's 7th Cavalry Trivia Quiz


This quiz covers the years 1866-1876. The first letter of the correct answers for questions 1 through 21 give the answer to #22.

A multiple-choice quiz by KIRKEPOO. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
KIRKEPOO
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
135,146
Updated
Sep 13 24
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
13 / 25
Plays
1834
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 25
1. What was the regimental song of the 7th Cavalry? Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. What officer's death at the Battle of the Washita earned Custer the lasting hatred of Captain Benteen? Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. Which of these actors never portrayed Custer in a Hollywood movie? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. What was the name of Custer's executive officer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. Americans named Custer's last stand as the Battle of the Little Bighorn. What did the Indians call it? Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. The commander of the Gray Horse Troop was First Lieutenant Algernon Smith. What was the official army letter designation for this troop? Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. What caused Custer's defeat at the Little Bighorn? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. One of Custer's scouts was Red Bear. What Indian tribe was he a member of? Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. The sole survivor of the Custer battalion at the Little Bighorn battle was a horse named Comanche. Who owned that horse? Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. What Indian leader had a mystic vision that foretold the defeat of Custer? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. Who told Captain Benteen that the Indians were "skedaddling" after delivering a message from Custer at the Bighorn? Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. What fort was the original home post of the 7th Cavalry in 1866? Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Why did Custer order Benteen and his battalion to recon the hills to the left just before the Bighorn battle? Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. Who said "Please, Mr. Custer! I don't wanna go."? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. The forces of a famous Indian fighter on his way to join with Custer were defeated a few days before the Little Bighorn battle by Sioux warriors who were also present at Custer's Last Stand. What was the name of the officer in charge at the Battle of the Rosebud? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. What was the name of the observation point from where Custer looked down into the Little Bighorn Valley to detect the Indian village? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. Sitting Bull was the Chief of what Sioux tribe? Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. What is the surname of the Commanding Officer of the Seventh Cavalry Regiment in June of 1876? Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. Five Custer relatives died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.


Question 20 of 25
20. What is the surname of the executive officer of Company D, on scouting duty, at the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. What Indian Chief was in the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. The first letter of the correct answers for the first 21 questions spell the full name of this warrior of 'Last Stand' fame.

Answer: (Three Words)
Question 23 of 25
23. Tom Custer won the Medal of Honor twice during the Civil War.


Question 24 of 25
24. How old in years was General Custer when he died?

Answer: (Numbers Only)
Question 25 of 25
25. On seeing the dead body of George Custer lying where it fell, what officer said "There he is. God damn him, he will never fight anymore". Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What was the regimental song of the 7th Cavalry?

Answer: Garry Owen

It is reputed that Captain Myles Keogh suggested this Irish ballad as the song for the regiment. In any event, Custer liked it and adopted it. Custer left the regimental band behind just before the battle at the Little Bighorn. This song is also known as "Of Garryowen In Glory".
2. What officer's death at the Battle of the Washita earned Custer the lasting hatred of Captain Benteen?

Answer: Elliott

Major Joel Elliott and his detachment were massacred chasing a fleeing band of Indians. Benteen was outraged when Custer failed to send out a rescue party for his friend and left the field without searching for the missing soldiers.
3. Which of these actors never portrayed Custer in a Hollywood movie?

Answer: Owen Thursday

Lieutenant Colonel Thursday was a Custer imitation done by Henry Fonda in "Fort Apache". Carey was Custer in "The Great Sioux Massacre" and Cole in "Son Of The Morning Star". Flynn starred in "They Died With Their Boots On".
4. What was the name of Custer's executive officer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn?

Answer: Reno

Major Marcus Reno was a decorated and brave Union Civil War general, but made several big mistakes at the battle. His panic caused a rout of his troops and another nail was thus driven into the Custer coffin.
5. Americans named Custer's last stand as the Battle of the Little Bighorn. What did the Indians call it?

Answer: Greasy Grass

The Indians called it the Battle of the Greasy Grass due to the vegetation that covered the hills at the scene of the battle.
6. The commander of the Gray Horse Troop was First Lieutenant Algernon Smith. What was the official army letter designation for this troop?

Answer: E

A troop is a company of cavalry. Custer assigned horses to each company according to color. The Indians remembered wiping out this company in a ravine by matching it with of the color of its horses.
7. What caused Custer's defeat at the Little Bighorn?

Answer: All of these.

There were many other causes as well, such as Reno's aborted frontal assault, Benteen's scouting expedition, and so forth.
8. One of Custer's scouts was Red Bear. What Indian tribe was he a member of?

Answer: Ree

Ree is a short term for the Arikawas. Custer also used Crow scouts. Red Bear and fellow scouts discovered the burial lodge of a Sans Arc Sioux, Old She-Bear, and considered it a bad omen to appear just before the Little Bighorn battle.
9. The sole survivor of the Custer battalion at the Little Bighorn battle was a horse named Comanche. Who owned that horse?

Answer: Myles Keogh

Next to Benteen as the senior captain, Keogh had been with the regiment since its inception. He was a good-natured Irishman with strong leadership qualities. He was popular with the officers and enlisted men. His mount suffered many wounds but survived with the regiment until its death in 1891.
10. What Indian leader had a mystic vision that foretold the defeat of Custer?

Answer: Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull was a Sioux chief, a renowned warrior, and religious leader. He had a dream of white soldiers falling upside down from the sky just before the Custer battle. He was too old to participate in the fighting, but rallied the women and children to safety.
11. Who told Captain Benteen that the Indians were "skedaddling" after delivering a message from Custer at the Bighorn?

Answer: Trumpeter John Martin

Martin was an Italian immigrant whose real name was Giovanni Martini. His English was so poor that Benteen could not understand him and could not get any information on Custer's situation.
12. What fort was the original home post of the 7th Cavalry in 1866?

Answer: Riley

Fort Riley in Kansas contained a hodgepodge of raw recruits, immigrants, fugitives, frontiersmen, and adventurers. Its mission was to protect the building of the Kansas Pacific Railroad from marauding Indians. Its commander in 1866 was Major John W. Davidson of the 2nd Cavalry. It was here that the 7th Cavalry was born.
13. Why did Custer order Benteen and his battalion to recon the hills to the left just before the Bighorn battle?

Answer: Orders from General Terry compelled him to do so.

General Terry, based on previous experiences, ordered Custer several times to not let Indians escape on his flanks. Although Custer did not explain his plan to his officers, he probably wanted to attack from three directions with Benteen's battalion on the left flank, Reno's battalion in the center, and Yates' battalion (with Custer) on the right.

However, going on ambiguous orders, Benteen went to far to the left. This was another nail in the coffin.
14. Who said "Please, Mr. Custer! I don't wanna go."?

Answer: Nobody said that at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

This is a line from a novelty rock-and-roll song of the 1950s.
15. The forces of a famous Indian fighter on his way to join with Custer were defeated a few days before the Little Bighorn battle by Sioux warriors who were also present at Custer's Last Stand. What was the name of the officer in charge at the Battle of the Rosebud?

Answer: George Crook

General Crook's southern column was surprised and attacked by warriors of Sitting Bull and led by Crazy Horse on July 17, 1876. Crook withdrew his entire forces to seek reinforcements. History has not made a big deal of this, but it was another nail in Custer's coffin.
16. What was the name of the observation point from where Custer looked down into the Little Bighorn Valley to detect the Indian village?

Answer: Crow's Nest

Even with binoculars, Custer could not see the Indian village. His Crow scouts insisted it was there and that they could see the pony herd moving like worms in the grass.
17. Sitting Bull was the Chief of what Sioux tribe?

Answer: Unkpapas

This tribe was the only one that participated in the ritual Sun Dance. Sitting Bull was killed in 1890.
18. What is the surname of the Commanding Officer of the Seventh Cavalry Regiment in June of 1876?

Answer: Sturgis

Lieutenant Colonel Custer was the field commander and executive officer. Colonel Samuel Sturgis was commanding officer from 1869 to 1886, and served mostly on detached duty away from the unit. His son, Second Lieutenant James Sturgis was killed with Custer as was Second Lieutenant John Crittenden, the son of Colonel Thomas Crittenden of the 17th Infantry Regiment. Colonel Andrew Jackson Smith was the commander from July 1866 to 1869.
19. Five Custer relatives died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Answer: True

The five were brothers George, Thomas, and Boston Custer plus brother-in-law James Calhoun and nephew Harry Armstrong Reed. Three were soldiers and two were civilians.
20. What is the surname of the executive officer of Company D, on scouting duty, at the Battle of the Little Bighorn?

Answer: Edgerly

Winfield Scott Edgerly was a 2nd lieutenant then. Charles Varnum was in Company A, George Wallace with Company G, and Edward Godfrey commanding Company K.
21. What Indian Chief was in the Battle of the Little Bighorn?

Answer: Rain-In-The-Face

His mother left him outside of the lodge one day and showers fell from the sky. He was one of many who claims to have killed Custer personally.
22. The first letter of the correct answers for the first 21 questions spell the full name of this warrior of 'Last Stand' fame.

Answer: George Armstrong Custer

He has become mythical figure due the efforts of his wife, Libby, with her books of her life with him. The media and the movies have further advanced the legend.
23. Tom Custer won the Medal of Honor twice during the Civil War.

Answer: True

Captain Thomas Ward Custer, commander of Company C, died at the side of his brother at age 31. He won the Medal of Honor for action at Namozine Church and a second one for gallant conduct at Saylor's Creek.
24. How old in years was General Custer when he died?

Answer: 36

He was born on December 5, 1839, and died on June 26, 1876. For ten years, he led the 7th Cavalry. He was the youngest Union Civil War major general at age of 25.
25. On seeing the dead body of George Custer lying where it fell, what officer said "There he is. God damn him, he will never fight anymore".

Answer: Frederick Benteen

Benteen was the senior captain of the regiment, commanding Company K. He was the best field officer Custer had and saved Reno from total disaster. However, he hated Custer for a number of personal reasons. He was brevetted Brigadier General in 1890 for his service at the Little Bighorn.
Source: Author KIRKEPOO

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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