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Captain Myles Moylan (1838-1909) was a career U.S. Cavalry officer starting out in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons
in 1857, through the Civil War (including service in the
5th U.S. Cavalry with Custer and at Gettysburg), and on through the Indian Wars of the 1860s through the early 1890s in the famous 7th U.S. Cavalry led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn. He was married to Charlotte Calhoun, sister of fellow 7th Cavalry Officer James Calhoun, Custer’s brother-in-law. He was dismissed for being absent without leave in Washington, D.C., but soon re-enlisted in the volunteers under another name. After the war, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Army, Custer personally helped him get a commission as an officer in the 7th Cavalry, and he served as the adjutant. Prior to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Moylan fought at the Washita Massacre during the campaign against Black Kettle
and the Southern Cheyenne. By the time of the 1876 Campaign, Moylan was a battle-hardened veteran with extensive experience and was the captain of Company A of the 7th Cavalry.
During the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25-26th, 1876, Moylan’s company was part of the Major Marcus Reno’s battalion of around 140 men that conducted the first and only real attack on the combined Native American village while Custer led his battalion of around 210 to the right flank, and Benteen’s battalion of around 125 men swept to the far left. Another 130 men were with the pack train. The battalions were all out of sight from one another
and unable to provide assistance as their attack began, and years later Moylan was quoted questioning Custer’s decision to divide his forces. Reno led his men in a charge toward the village. He reported they drove “the Indians with great ease for about two and a half miles” before nearing the village and forming a skirmish line. It must have been quite a shock for Moylan and Company A as they formed up as the center part of the line and fired the initial volleys into the massive village and quickly realized they were tremendously outnumbered and faced by determined warriors. While Custer had been warned there might be a considerable village, they had substantially underestimated their adversaries both in terms of their overall strength in numbers and willingness to fight.
Reno reported that they had believed the village was fleeing when they began the attack. The combined village according to the National Park Service was around 8,000 people, including a force of around 1,500-1,800 warriors. Reno in his official report noted: “I could not see Custer or any other support, and at the same time the very earth seemed to grow Indians, and they were running toward me in swarms, and from all directions. I saw I must defend myself and give up the attack mounted.”
After firing from long range for 15-20 minutes, Reno called for a withdrawal into the woods as the native warriors closed in for the counter-attack hitting the detachment from multiple sides. In the woods, his men again dismounted to fight, but with Reno estimating they were outnumbered five to one, he soon called on them
to mount and charge through the warriors to the bluffs
on the other side of the river. As the men “charged” in retreat towards the high ground across the Little Bighorn River, they left some of their men behind. During the Reno Court of Inquiry into the battle discussed in “Close-Order
Combat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn: The Use of
the Model 1873 Colt Revolver” by Albert Winkler, Moylan confirmed that the cavalrymen under the circumstances were at their own discretion as when to fire their revolvers, that they couldn’t be readily reloaded while riding,
and that his company lost formation as it took heavy casualties in the fight in the valley, stating: “I
found the rear of my company was very
much broken up, as the shooting into
it was very severe.” Others noted that
the native warriors would ride up to
within 50 to 100 yards and empty their
Winchester rifles into the columns
and additional warriors rode in even
closer to attack. Unsupported, they
began to take significant casualties,
including around thirty-five killed.
Captain Myles Moylan
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