The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #31125   Message #403453
Posted By: Melani
22-Feb-01 - 12:02 AM
Thread Name: Help: Garryowen
Subject: RE: Help: Garryowen
The movie was "They Died With Their Boots On," starring Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland as the happy couple--a perfect choice to play the parts of Custer and Libbie, but historically the movie is a disaster. About the only thing in it that's accurate is that a guy named Custer commanded the 7th Cavalry. Custer was so fond of "Garry Owen" that he made it the 7th's battle song and had the band play it as he attacked--it may have been the last thing he heard.He probably learned it from his Canadian adjutant, William Cooke. The 7th is still known as "The Garry Owen Regiment." Their insignia is a hand holding a sabre surrounded by a horseshoe, with thw words "Garry Owen" across the top. The movie is factually pretty dreadful, but it is very accurate in spirit.