On June 25th, 1876, as General Custer headed west with the 7th Cavalry toward the valley of the Little Bighorn, he believed he was not far from a large gathering of Sioux. Just after crossing the Wolf Mountains and turning to the northwest, he would send Captain Benteen and his battalion to the left in what has come to be known as "Benteen's scout to the left". It has come to be regarded as an important, yet mysterious aspect of the battle.

Why exactly Custer decided to send Benteen off to the left at this point has come to be seen as mysterious. Today, there seems to be little consensus as to why he did so.

Not only has this decision become seen as a mystery, but it has become seen as an important decision that would shape the course of the battle and it's outcome. It's possible that Benteen's scout to the left actually affected the battle's outcome in a number of ways.

One way in which it may have influenced the outcome is in regards to what could have happened had Benteen not been sent to the left. It seems possible that had Captain Benteen not been sent off to the left when he was, he may have been able to assist Major Reno and his battalion when they were in the valley or to assist Custer and his battalion.

Benteen's scout to the left is important not just for what could have been had he not been sent to the left, but for what affect the scout actually had on the battle.

For one, Benteen's scout to the left increased the distance between his battalion and the rest of the 7th Cavalry. This would make reinforcement and re-unification more difficult if needed. Further, the increased distance would make communication with other parts of the 7th Cavalry more difficult as it would take longer for couriers to take messages from one battalion to another. While there may be other reasons why Benteen's scout to the left is so important, the fact remains clear: Benteen's scout to the left is seen as an important and influential part of the battle.

The significance of the scout and the mystery surrounding it have made it one of the most important mysteries of the battle. Why did Custer send Benteen and his battalion off to the left when he did? Can we ever really have a definitive answer to that question? It appears that at long last, a definitive answer is finally available. Further, the answer was made available days before the battle even began.

At the time of the battle of the Little Bighorn, Custer was under the command of Brigadier General Alfred Terry. Terry was in command of the campaign of which Custer was involved. The campaign included three military columns, one of which was commanded by Custer.

Custer's column would leave General Terry on June 22nd, 1876 on a journey that would take them to the Little Bighorn. While Terry would travel with another column in the days ahead - and be away from Custer's column - Custer was still under Terry's command.

Before Custer and the 7th Cavalry left Terry, Terry would provide Custer with written orders. It is in these orders that we find the reason why Custer sent Captain Benteen off to the left three days later.

The orders state that as Custer headed up toward the Little Bighorn that he should be: "feeling constantly, however, to your left, so as to preclude the escape of the Indians to the south or southeast by passing around to your left flank" (Windolph 71-72).

The decision made by Custer to send Captain Benteen and his battalion to the left at the Little Bighorn is perfectly explained by these orders. As soon as Custer crossed the Wolf Mountains he is said to have sent Captain Benteen and his battalion off the left. Thus, at the soonest possible moment, Custer followed these orders of General Terry. Further, it appears that shortly after crossing the Wolf Mountains, Custer would turn to the northwest, and around this very time as he began to head up toward the Little Bighorn River to the northwest, he sent Benteen off to the left.

Not only does this provide a perfect and reasonable explanation for Custer's decision to send Benteen off to the left, but it provides us with some insight into Custer's character. That is to say that, at the very first possible moment, he attempted to carry out his superior's orders. Frankly, this is quite a different picture than what we might expect from Custer. After all, we may have heard that he was a rash, headstrong, and impulsive man. Instead of that though, we see him diligently carrying out orders he received three days earlier. This is a different Custer than we are used to seeing - and different from what we might expect. Perhaps his final battle reveals some important elements of his character that may help shed light on who he really was.

Some may wonder why it has taken so long for the mystery regarding Benteen's scout to the left to finally be solved. Perhaps one of the reasons is because the events immediately surrounding the scout and the scout itself have been scrutinized and examined at length, but the answer was to be found in orders that were issued and written three days earlier.

Some may wonder though if Custer was really following orders when he sent Captain Benteen off to the left. In other words, perhaps Custer's decision just aligned with Terry's orders. Frankly, this does not appear to be the case. This is due to how closely Custer followed these orders of Terry. At the first moment possible, Custer followed these orders of Terry. The way in which Custer's decision so closely followed Terry's orders, demonstrates that he was paying careful attention to the them.

Another way to look at the matter of whether or not Custer actually was following Terry's orders by sending Benteen off to the left is to consider what other options Custer had at the moment. Custer could have done so many other things at the time. Also, he could have chosen another time at which to send Benteen off to the left. Instead, Custer chose to do exactly what these orders of Terry specified for him to do, at exactly the moment he was supposed to do so. This alignment of when Custer sent Benteen off to the left, the fact that he did indeed send Benteen off to the left, and Terry's orders, demonstrates that Custer was paying close attention to those orders of Terry's and following them.

The mystery of Benteen's scout to the left has been an important part of the Little Bighorn story. The reason why Custer sent Benteen off to the left that day has apparently been regarded by some as a mystery for quite some time. However, it appears that finally, the mystery is solved. Custer sent Benteen off to the left that day in accordance with his written orders from General Terry.

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About the Author

Tim Kloos is an online advertising professional. He helps clients with their websites, online presence, and online advertising. If you need help with any of these, feel free to contact him via the contact page.

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He has also written a children's book set in the Old West.