Really Stupid Military Blunders

Was thinking of some truly inane (insane) military leaders and decisions they made that make us scratch our heads.

Trojans tearing down their own wall to let in a horse

Custer at the Greasy Grass

ANZAC at Gallipoli

Burnside's "Mud March" at Fredericksburg

Do YOU have a favorite story of some decision or action that in our 20/20 hindsight you think is just really "stupid"?

 

In 1865 Lt Caspar Collins of the Ohio Cavalry came west after the War. He had grown up in a series of small western forts and outposts. His father, Colonel Collins, had been commander in the region and fortified the Oregon Trail outposts as well as the telegraph and Pony Express stops.

Well, the war was over and young Collins wanted to show his comrades the West where he'd been raised and maybe fight some injuns. His opportunity came on July 25.

Indians attacked a small train of supply wagons at Red Buttes, about 4 miles west (and within sight) of the Platte Bridge - the military outpost of 110 confederate pow's guarding the last crossing of the North Platte. Sgt Custer (no relation to another doufus) escaped to the river and floated down to the outpost.

On the sand hills on the north side of the river, Red Cloud and some Cheyenne paraded in triumph, taunting the soldiers to cross the bridge and fight. Only 20-30 indians were visible, but the sgt's report was of hundreds. The infantry fired a few volleys and made a human wall - the indians didn't cross over to attack.

Without orders, Caspar Collins and 20 or so of his pards mounted and charged across the long bridge, scattering the enemy. Of course, just over the sandy hill were 500 Cheyenne and Sioux in ambush.

Some of Collins men were wounded and as he led a hasty ignominious retreat back to the bridge (and covering fire of the 100 infantry there) he decided to rush back into the fray to rescue his buddy.

As the afternoon lengthened, the soldiers at the outpost watched from across the river as Collins dead body was wrapped in telegraph wire and drug back and forth by the victorious warriors. Finally, his body was mutilated, placed at the end of the bridge his mouth/cheeks filled with gunpowder and blown up.

Platte Bridge Station was renamed Fort Caspar in his honor (already had a Fort Collins in Colorado) and he was given a hero's funeral.

(The fort was disbanded soon after and the region remained empty of any settlement until 1889 when a railroad line terminated here. Looking on a map they saw it had been the site of Fort Caspar so named the new village "Caspar". A telegraph error changed the spelling to Casper.)

 

Thought it was the Italian army?

Saw an ad in Guns & Ammo Magazine for Italian WWII Rifle - only dropped once.