Custer's 7th Cavalry Trivia Quiz

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".

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Answer: Unkpapas

This tribe was the only one that participated in the ritual Sun Dance. Sitting Bull was killed in 1890.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.