Why Custer was not entirely at fault:
The two other army formations failed to reach the battle. Gibbon was far behind and late, and Crook was defeated and had retreated leaving Custer to his fate.
The Little Bighorn gathering of Indian was the largest ever seen. Over seven thousand Indians and two thousand warriors. Such villages were unheard of.
The Indian leaders were brilliant tactical warlords. Crazy Horse was a fabled warrior leader, and Sitting Bull had been able to unite more Indians than previously thought possible.
Why Custer must bear the blame:
Custer had a reputation for reckless decisions and hotheadedness in battle. He often put his men in danger in his quest for glory. He has passed out bottom of the class at Officer Training at West Point.
Custer ignored orders to wait for Gibbon before attacking. He bullied his men on and on. His men were exhausted by the time the battle was started.
Custer chose to ignore the scouts he had sent out. They told him he had insufficient bullets, and that the Indians were too many to defeat. Custer also failed to scout the ground properly.
Custer had crucially divided his men in two. He failed to support Reno and Benteen when their first attack was driven back. He changed his battle plan without telling the other officers.
Weblinks | Key dates | 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn | Biography: Custer | Biography: Sitting Bull |