In a previous article, the subject of Custer's mind-set leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn was examined. The article demonstrated that while Custer has often been presented as being primarily selfish leading up to the battle, there is evidence that this was not the case. Interestingly, even more evidence has been found to support the idea that Custer was not primarily selfish at the time. This can allow both the battle and the man to be looked at in a different and fresh way.

In the days leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, General Custer was leading the 7th Cavalry. One of the officers who was with the 7th Cavalry at this time was Second Lieutenant Winfield Scott Edgerly. Edgerly would gain rare and valuable insight into the regiment in the days leading up to the battle.

Edgerly would have a rare opportunity to observe the regiment as it headed to the Little Bighorn due to a number of reasons - one being the simple fact that he was traveling with it at the time. Traveling with the regiment as it headed to the Little Bighorn allowed Edgerly to observe it in a way that those who were not traveling with it would have been unable to - from an insider's perspective.

Another reason why Edgerly would have a rare opportunity to observe the 7th Cavalry as it headed to the Little Bighorn would be due to the fact that he was an officer. As an officer in the 7th Cavalry, Edgerly would have been a part of a small group of individuals who were involved in the management of the regiment. These individuals would have been provided information that was exclusive to officers to help them manage the regiment. Anyone outside of this group would not have typically been given this information. This means that in the days leading up to the Little Bighorn, Edgerly would have been given information that only a few others would. This would make him one of the most well-informed individuals regarding the regiment's journey to the Little Bighorn.

Another reason why Edgerly would have a rare opportunity to observe the 7th Cavalry as it headed to the Little Bighorn would be due to the fact that he was a personal friend of General Custer's. As a friend of General Custer's, Edgerly would have been able to observe things that some of the other officers would have been unable to. For example, he would have been able to observe the demeanor of the regiment's commander, and might also hear, or observe things that weren't communicated officially to the other officers. This means that Edgerly was one of the most knowledgeable people regarding the regiment's journey to the Little Bighorn.

Following the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Edgerly wrote a letter to Mrs. Custer. At one point, he would write about the regiment's journey in the days leading up to the battle. He wrote: "we all felt that the worst that could happen would be the getting away of the Indians" (Merington, 310). This statement is incredibly important to the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

This information is important to the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn in the first place, because it presents the mind-set of the people in the regiment leading up to the battle. Interestingly, their mind-set aligns completely with the mission they were given - to return Native Americans considered "hostile" back to their reservation. Since their mind-set aligns with this mission, it indicates that they were focused on the task set before them. This statement relates that their mind-set at the time was mission-oriented. Thus, one could easily say that the members of the regiment were the opposite of selfish at the time. What's more, the information relates that the regiment was united in their mind-set leading up to the battle. It becomes clear then, that according to this statement, the mind-set of the regiment was not primarily one of selfishness leading up to the battle. This information is also incredibly important to the matter of Custer's mind-set leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

This information is important to the matter of Custer's mind-set leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn because it relates that Custer was not primarily selfish at the time. This is due to the fact that the information is in regards to the members of the regiment on the journey - and Custer was a part of that group.

If Custer had been primarily selfish at the time, Edgerly could have stated that Custer felt that the worst that could happen would be the damaging of his reputation, or his demotion, or some other way in which he could be personally negatively affected by the battle. That is not what Edgerly states, though. This also indicates that Custer was not primarily selfish leading up to the battle.

Interestingly, when Custer is presented as being selfish leading up to the Little Bighorn Battle, he is often singled out. Commentators don't seem to say very often that the entire regiment was selfish at the time. In Edgerly's statement, he provides commentary on how the entire regiment felt. We get the idea of a unified regiment in this regard. This is different from how Custer and the story of the Little Bighorn Battle is sometimes told.

This information is also important due to it's source: Second Lieutenant Edgerly. Since Edgerly has been established as being an excellent source of information regarding the regiment leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, it makes this information reliable and credible.

In the days leading up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, General Custer and the 7th Cavalry were united in the feeling of the worst that could happen in the days ahead - this is the claim of Second Lieutenant Edgerly. Edgerly claimed that the regiment felt that the worst that could happen "would be the getting away of the Indians". This is an important development in the story of General Custer - it provides us with further evidence that he was not primarily selfish leading up to the battle. It is also an important development in the story of the battle itself. This information allows us to take a fresh look at both the battle and the man.

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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.