“I fought in the Civil War. How bad can a few savages be?”

    by SemperFun62

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    1. In November 1866, Captains William J. Fetterman arrived at Fort Phil Kearny from the 18th Infantry’s headquarters.

      Fetterman had extensive combat experience during the Civil War, but lacked experience fighting Native Americans. Fetterman disagreed with his commanding officer’s strategy, reportedly saying it was “passive” and boasting that given “80 men,” he “would ride through the Sioux nation.”

      During Red Cloud’s War on December 21, 1866, a group of ten warriors, including Crazy Horse, acted to lure a detachment of U.S. soldiers into an ambush.

      Under the command of Captain William J. Fetterman, all 81 men were then killed by the Native American warriors. At the time, it was the worst military disaster ever suffered by the U.S. Army on the Great Plains.

    2. Country sends men to a forest to fight “barbarians” after a major civil war and they are ambushed and annihilated. I’ve heard of this one before!

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