On June 25, 1876, Major Marcus Albert Reno led part of the 7th Cavalry into the valley of the Little Bighorn River — and straight into legend.
He survived what became known as Custer’s Last Stand, but instead of glory, he inherited disgrace.
Branded a coward, court-martialed, and forgotten by history, Reno’s story became one of survival turned scandal.
This episode explores the man behind the myth — the officer who lived through America’s most infamous defeat and spent the rest of his life trying to prove he shouldn’t have.
From the chaos of the battle to the courtroom drama at Fort Leavenworth, this is the untold tragedy of the man who lived when Custer died.
📚 Resources & References
U.S. Army Court of Inquiry Transcripts (1879) – National Archives, Record Group 153: Judge Advocate General’s Office (Army)
National Park Service – Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm
Connell, Evan S. Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Bighorn (North Point Press, 1984)
Donovan, James. A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn – The Last Great Battle of the American West (Back Bay Books, 2009)
Utley, Robert M. Cavalier in Buckskin: George Armstrong Custer and the Western Military Frontier (University of Oklahoma Press, 1988)
Hardorff, Richard G. The Reno Court of Inquiry: The Official Record of Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry in the Case of Major Marcus A. Reno (Stackpole Books, 1996)
U.S. Army Center of Military History – Fort Leavenworth Historical Files
⚠️ Disclaimer
This episode contains historical material involving violence, battlefield deaths, and post-war trauma.
It is intended for educational and historical purposes only. Listener discretion is advised.
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