In modern times the US Army has harshly criticized it's adversaries for using human shield tactics. They conveniently forget that they have used these tactics too.
Custer Allededly 'Did not want another Sand Creek' Did Custer initially know that he was attacking the camp of a moderate Cheyenne leader? If not, did he know after the initial attack? If he did know after the attack, did he care? Was his order to stop targeting non-warriors motivted by possible knowledge that he was attacking Black Kettle's camp? Or was it a cold calculation that the remaining survivors were more valuable as human shields and hostage bargaining chips? The militant Native American leaders used similar hostage tactics also...
I maintain that the tragedy that occurred st Washita Creek was the result of both acrimonious Native American militants and US military leaders who were bent on satisfying personal ambitions.
In the video dialog I mentioned that the battle took place two days after Thanksgiving, assuming that Thanksgiving occurred on November 25th. I used a historical calendar and discovered that Thanksgiving happened in November 26th in 1868, which put the battle on the day after Thanksgiving.
From research I discovered that the Native Americans who were involved in the initial Thanksgiving event were in fact celebrating a treaty of alliance. The Wampanoag Chief Massasoit had decided to support the continued survival of the English Puritan colony at Plymouth. He wanted to use their firearms against his tribal enemies, the Narragansetts. Massasoit regarded the first Thanksgiving as a treaty celebration, while the English Puritans saw this as a celebration of the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles, which developed into the Puritan version of Christmas (the Roman Catholic version that we now celebrate in December was at that point in time forgotten by the English Puritans). The Puitans were probably happy to invite a group generous heathans to a celebration of the Lord. Two groups with two agendas celebrating two different things. Thus began a long process of manipulating intertribal conflicts that led to Wounded Knee.
Please see:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/native-intelligence-109314481/
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/Thanksgiving/thanksgiving.html
In this video I reiterate how the Battle of Washita coincided with Thanksgiving. News of Black Kettle's death must have spread far and wide. The number Cheyenne supporting continued negotiations with the United States must have diminished. Many of these Cheyenne undoubtedly turned to support the Sioux in the north in their fight against US expansion. They would play mportant roles in major battles against the US Cavalry such as the Battle of Little Bighorn. The first major engagement after Washita was the Fetterman Massacre on December 21, 1866, where Sioux and Cheyenne warriors ambushed an 80 man detachment of US Cavalry. It could be considered the first act of revenge for Washita. Presumably many of the Cheyenne who participated in the battle were aware of Black Kettle's death. Some were also aware that Christmas was four days away, but probably didn't care.
The biggest casualties of the battle were animals. One way to control a restive population is by denying its access to food. By targeting thier horses, Custer was not only hindering the Indian's ability to make raids (though he was targeting the wrong camp), he was also hurting their ability to hunt, to the extent that it was possible in the area at the time. If Custer's troops were not tied down slaughtering horses, it is possible that many more US cavalry besides Elliot's detachment would have been killed by Indians rallying from nearby villages.
If Black Kettle managed to escape the massacre, he may or may have not been able to negotiate a more amicable outcome to the Plains Indian Wars. If he continued to advocate a negotiated approach with the United States government, he would have done so from a discredited position. Some Native American leaders would have treated him with respect for having survived two massacres. Others would have considered him weak for maintaining the same negotiated approach in dealing with the Europeans. He probably would have been marginalized by both groups, however. Or he may have responded by adopting a more militant outlook, for either political or personal reasons. It is amazing that Black Kettle continued to support peaceful negotiations with the European Americans after surviving the first massacre at Sand Creek.
Most of the people who were killed by the Seventh Cavalry were non combatants. Some have justified this by pointing out to the massacres of non-combatant settlers in the states surrounding Oklahoma by Native Americans in the Indian territories. It was said that one such Native American raiding party, with European American captives (Willie and Clara Blinn), sought refuge within Black Kettle's camp the day before, probably without Black Kettle's knowledge. Historians are uncertain which tribe held the mother and son captive. It does not matter, it was used to justify the deaths of more people (European and Indian) who wanted to live peacefully.
The death of Major Elliot would have decisive impacts on the Seventh Cavalry for many years. Major Elliot, Custer's second in command, was replaced by Major Reno.
Captain Benteen led the faction within the Seventh Cavalry who felt that Custer did not do enough to save Major Elliot. Custer's defenders argued that Major Elliot formed his detachment without Custer's knowledge and brashly pursued the retreating Indians without a full tactical assessment. They also point out that Custer did send send a detachment under Captain Myers to find him, despite the time sensitive situation, that was growing more risky by the moment as Indians were approaching from the east. Captain Benteen claimed that no search party was sent.
After the Battle of Little Bighorn, it had been claimed that Benteen stalled his attack on Sitting Bull's camp while Custer was fighting for his life on the northern end of the camp. This was done, allegedly, since Benteen held a grudge against Custer for abandoning Major Elliot at Washita. They state that if Benteen moved faster, he could have reinforced Custer and saved him from his fate.
Benteen's defenders claim that there was little he could do to help Custer, and he had just converged with Major Reno's column, attacking the camp from the southern end of the camp, to save it from annihilation. Additionally, Captain Weir's column was sent northwards once Reno and Benteen's situation was stabilized, but it was beaten back.
Major Elliot was a bit like Custer, brash and impulsive. If he survived Washita, he may have changed his approach to tactical situations. But then again, maybe not. If Elliot was in a commanding position at Little Bighorn, he may have continued to maneuver in brash and impulsive ways, leading to potentially messier outcomes for the Seventh Cavalry. Either way, Elliot and Custer were to meet similar fates.
In the case of Little Bighorn, Custer was seeking his final resolution battle with the Northern Plains Indians (including Northern Cheyennes). It turns out that the Southern Cheyenne were finally subdued at Summit Springs, Colorado, in 1869, with most of the fighting done by rival Pawnee scouts. The same tactics...
Perhaps one reason why the Battle of Summit Springs had such a lasting impact is that it specifically targeted the primary leader of the Southern Cheyenne militants, Tall Bull. Apparently Black Kettle's death did not stop him.
Both sides targeted or exploited non-combat populations in the Plains Wars. Things have not changed much, even today, in modern conflicts.