#colonel custer

Because I’m a bored history girly, I present to you; Historical figures and their Night at the Museum counterparts.

Custer: *gets shot, it's all dramatic*

The Trade Post Scandal that took place in the 1870′s

Nothing changes in Washington DC, this is a tale of corruption and what some would even call treason involving Secretary of War William Belknap.

During his tenure as Secretary of War he sold top of the line breech-loaders and repeating rifles at the tradership posts on the Western frontier to Native Americans and blatantly supplied US Soldiers with defective breech-loading rifles that jammed after the third round.  He would then let the two sides go to battle, both sides would commit horrific atrocities, including mass murder while he reaped in the profits from both sides of during the War or as some may call a conflict.  It would sustain longer because the side with more numbers had defective rifles and the side with less numbers had superior rifles, thus pulling in more profit for Secretary of War Belknap.  

Belknap accomplished this by lobbying Congress and was granted the sole power to appoint and license sutlers with ownership rights to highly lucrative "traderships" at US military forts on the Western frontier.   US Soldiers were forced to purchase supplies at a higher market price.  Secretary of War William W. Belknap and his wives who received kickback payments derived from a Fort Sill tradership contract between Caleb P. Marsh and sutler John S. Evans.

Mark Twain dubbed this era  the Gilded Age, Belknap was famous for his extravagant Washington parties and his elegantly attired first and second wives (Trophy Wives). Many questioned how he managed such a grand life style on his $8,000 government salary.

By early 1876, answers began to surface.  A House of Representatives’ committee uncovered evidence supporting a pattern of corruption blatant even by the standards of the scandal-tarnished Grant administration.The trail of evidence extended back to 1870.  In that year, Belknap’s luxury-loving first wife assisted a wheeler-dealer named Caleb Marsh by getting her husband to select one of Marsh’s associates to operate the lucrative military trading post at Fort Sill in Indian territory.  Marsh’s promise of generous kick-backs prompted Secretary Belknap to make the appointment.  Over the next five years, the associate funneled thousands of dollars to Marsh, who provided Belknap regular quarterly payments totaling over $20,000.

Belknap was investigated and promptly resigned but he was still impeached by The House.

Colonel George A. Custer was even called in to testify in front of the Clymer Committee and revealed this information.

Military post traders gave a percentage of their profits to Belknap.

Custer said he had heard that President Grant's brother, Orvil, was involved in the tradership rings, having invested in three posts with the President's authorization.

President Grant was irate Col. Custer implicated his brother Orvil and relieved Col. Custer from command of the expedition against the Lakota Sioux.

Ironically, 268 members of the 7th Cavalry including Col. Custer would be slaughtered at The Battle of Little Big Horn by the superior rifles that were sold to the Native Americans with the help of Secretary of War Belknap.

Col. William B. Hazen had been sent to a remote post, Fort Buford, as punishment for Hazen having exposed Belknap's traderpost rings in 1872.

The Senate convened its trial in early April, with Belknap present, after agreeing that it retained impeachment jurisdiction over former government officials.  During May, the Senate heard more than 40 witnesses, as House managers argued that Belknap should not be allowed to escape from justice simply by resigning his office.

On August 1, 1876, the Senate rendered a majority vote against Belknap on all five articles.  As each vote fell short of the necessary two thirds, however, he won acquittal.  Belknap was not prosecuted further; he died in 1890.

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I’ll leave you with a grave warning.  History repeats itself.

Iran-Contra Scandal

Operation Fast and Furious

Copy and paste who funds isis in your search engine.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trader_post_scandal

http://www.mvtimes.com/2014/07/14/custers-last-stand-still-contentious-138-years/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-custer/

http://www.historynet.com/george-armstrong-custer-changing-views-of-an-american-legend.htm

WHERE: Aboard the Far West, a steamboat taking soldiers away from the battlefield. These soldiers walked for two days, most of them injured, just to get to this steamboat. 

The ship's captain, Captain Grant Marsh, stands in front of several soldiers.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Welcome aboard, soldiers! I bet you're excited to be on this steamboat!

SOLDIER 1: Thank you for coming to get us.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Oh it's no problem. Any reason to use this thing. Fun to show off my steamboat! How'd the battle go?

SOLDIER 1: Not good. We lost. Many of us were killed. And most of us were injured.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Oh. That's a surprise. You lost? Really lost? Geez Louise. Oh man. What a pity.

SOLDIER 2: By the grace of God, we survived.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: No, it's great you're all alive! That's wonderful. I just had planned for this to be a fun trip to celebrate a victory. I guess that means I have to cancel a few activities.

SOLDIER 3: I think the best thing for all of us at this point would be to rest and regain our health and spirits.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: That makes perfect sense. You guys only want to have a little fun.

SOLDIER 3: No, I want to have no fun. I want to sleep and recuperate.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: So you'll only be playing one game of BINGO?

SOLDIER 3: BINGO? Why would I play BINGO?

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: It's military-themed! I thought it up myself. It's fine. We'll start with one game and if you want to play more we can, but I won't force you.

SOLDIER 3: I don't want to play any game.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Okay, I hear you loud and clear. That's no problem. You just get your rest.

PAUSE.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Nobody's going to want to go fishing?

SOLDIER 4: Fishing?

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: I bought like 80 fishing poles in case people wanted to make a contest out of it or anything. We don't need to use them though, I was gonna use them eventually so I won't be upset or anything if they don't get any play today.

SOLDIER 4: I can't fish. I can barely move my fingers.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Right, it's fine! You guys are resting. I didn't get to see you at the best time. It's not all games for me, you know. This steamboat has serious days, too.

SOLDIER 4: That's nice to know.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: A lot of history on this boat. Secrets. Drama. Things like that. I don't suppose anyone would like a tour of the boat?

SOLDIER 5: Listen Captain Marsh, you've been very nice, but we really need to be left alone. We just suffered a terrible loss while we witnessed the murder of our leader.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Oh, now the soldiers are getting attitude! Real swell. I'm nothing but nice to you and you turn me away. You don't even say ANYTHING about my steamboat. Not even a "nice boat" or ANYTHING. 

SOLDIER 5: We just lost one of the worst battles in American history and you're mad we're not complimenting your steamboat?

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Look man, it takes a LOT to run a steamboat, and I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy a compliment every now and then. I mean, can YOU imagine owning a baby like this? You're gonna want some validation to make sure you didn't make a grave mistake. 

SOLDIER 5: Well we love the boat. Thank you for the boat. We're all on death's doorstep. I've lost the lower half of my leg. I would just like to rest.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Thank you for saying something. You're one of the good ones, I can tell. I think I know someone who's getting an extra slice of molten chocolate cake tonight! 

SOLDIER 5: I need medicine, not cake.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Well I threw out the medicine for cake because I said,"We're gonna win this thing FOR SURE, and if I get rid of that useless medicine, there's more room for MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE!".

SOLDIER 6: Please. Leave us alone.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Okay okay okay. I'll get out of here. 

Captain Grant Marsh walks away, then remembers something and comes back.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Don't forget my steel drum concert later! It's gonna be fun, I made up some songs and made my own steel drum on top of all that.

SOLDIER 6: LET US SLEEP, WE'RE DYING.

CAPTAIN GRANT MARSH: Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot I bought this STEAMBOAT so I could carry around sick and sleepy strangers. I'll get back to my captain's quarters where I guess I'll eat all of the mashed potatoes MY SELF.