The Custer Controversy: A Critical Analysis [Paperback]

Jack L. Pennington (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Vantage Pr; 1st edition (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0533117984
• ISBN-13: 978-0533117987
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,943,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pennington: Well familiar with the LBH, November 23, 2001

By 

Daniel Hurley (Chesapeake, VA.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Custer Controversy: A Critical Analysis (Paperback)

I have just read Jack Pennington's most recent work, A Comprehennsive Study of the LBH which is more thorough then the Custer Controversy. However, Pennington offers the most thorough analysis of all the testimonies made by the participants and does not fall into the trap of taking the Reno
Court of Inquiry as the bible. Pennington recognizes that a central contingent of the Officers were covering their own failings particular the bitter Benteen who never moved into the support position as designated and he covered himself by deprecating Custer's ability to formulate an attack plan. Reno is a part of the cover up which includes Lt. Wallace the intenerist. Spectacularly, Reno states he never saw or was aware of Custer's gray horse troop marching across the opposite ridge getting into a position for the flanking support attack. Testimony from a number of Reno's men indicate they saw Custer manuvering along the ridge; however, Reno was not inclined to admit such at his inquiry. In Benteen's case he admits to receiving several messages from Custer but never identifies any return messengers sent on his part to notify Custer of his whereabouts or dwadling.
Since Custer's first messengers were killed, Benteen has only to deprecate the intelligence of Trumpter Martin as an "idiot" Itallion and Kanipe as a limited messenger. Pennington theorizes that Custer moved early to his flanking position only to be killed at the Medicine Trail Coulee which caused disorganization of his battalions leading to their destruction. He also builds a case that Reno and Benteen misrepresented the timing of events to cover a much longer time delay in finally moving to support Custer. Part of that misreprepresentation is to misrepresent how far the pack train was behind Benteen. How unfortunate that Martin was not allowed to testify fully and that more enlisted were not allowed to testify at the Reno Court of Inquiry. After reading Pennington, you have the impression that the Inquiry was a Gentlemen's Club affair.