‘HADN’T WE BETTER KEEP THE REGIMENT TOGETHER?’
Hollywood filmmakers are not always to blame for their failure to accurately portray history. The fault might lie with the sources they consult, even a participant in the actual events.
Notwithstanding exemplary efforts to be true to the historical record, the 1991 ABC TV miniseries fell into this trap when depicting a supposed exchange between Captain Frederick W. Benteen and Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer just before the 7th U.S. Cavalry marched to destiny at the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Their dialogue about the wisdom of dividing the regiment
