The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-07-18
INDIAN WAR.
sses. rsrry's official aepors Of the
Caster Massacre.

CnIcAoo, July THE following dis
patch has been received at Gen. Sheri-
dams headquarters:
CAsP ON Tug iELLowsToSE kNER
Near the month oi the Big Horn, July 2
To lieutanant-t;cncrsl Sheridan I.. q
think | owe IL 10 myself to put you
more fully in possession OF the facts Of
the late operations. While at the mouth
Of the Rosebud / submitted nv plan 10
Gen. Gibbons aud Gen. Custer. They
approved il heartily. IL was that Gus
ter with his whole regiment should
move up the Rosebud till he should
meet trail which Reno had discover
ed few days before, but that he sho Il
not follow il directly 10 the Little Big
Horn; that he should send scouts over
il aud keep his main forces further to
the south, so as 10 prevent the Indians
from slipping in between himself aud
the mountains. He was also 10 ex-
anime the head waters Of Tullock' $
Greek as he passed il, and send me
word of what he found there. A scont
was furnished him for the purpose OF
crossing the country, which he cslcu.
lated il would take Gibbons column
until the 10Th to reach the mouth OF
the Little Big Horn, and that the wide
swaap- which I had proposed Custer
should make wOnId require 50 much
time that Gibbons would he able 10 CO.
operate with him in attacking any IN.
dians that might he found on the
stream. asked Gen. Cnster how long
his marches would be. He said they
would be at first about thirty miles a
day. Measurements were made aud
calculations based on that rate OF pro-
gress. | talked with him abont his
strength aud at one time suggested
that perhaps il would be well for me
to take Gibbons calvary and go with
him. To this suggestion he replied
that without reference TO the command
he would prefer his own regiment alone
to a Homogeneous body. As much
could be done with il AS with the two
combined, and he expressed the utmos.
confidence that lac had all the force
lie would need. aud l shared his conf.
dence. The plan adopted was the only
one which promised to bring the in
fantry into action, and | desired "a
make much Of things 10y getting up ev-
cry available man. A offered Custer
the battery Of Calling guns, but lac
declined it, saying il might embarrass
him, that he wns Strong enough with
out il. The movements proposed by
Gen. Gibbons column were carried
out to the letter. aud had the attack
been deferred until IL was mp i cannot
doubt that we should have been sue.
cessful. The Indians had evidently
nerved themselves for a stand. But
IA learn from Capt. Benton on the
22d the cavalry marched twenty miles,
on the 23d, thirty-five miles from . n.
IN. 20 = p. m. ON the 24th, forty-iive
further; then after resting, but with.
out unsaddlDR, twenty three miles "a
the battle field. The proposed route
was not taken, but as sOou IA the trail
was struck il was followed. cannot
learn that any examination OF Tullock' y
Greek Was made. do not tell you
this To cast any reflection on Gen. Gus.
Ter, for whatever errors he may have
committed he has paid the penalty, and
You cannot regret his loss more than
do. But feel that orr plan must have
been successful had u been carried ont,
aud desire yos to know the facts.
+, In the action itself, 80 far as | can
make ont, Custer acted under a mis-.
Apprehension. He thought confidently
that the Indians were running. For
/, fear they might getaway he attacked.
getting all his men up aud divided his
command 80 they wge beaten in de-
tail. do not at all propose to CIV,
| the thing up here, but think that my
I troops require a little time. In view
| of the strength which the Indians hav,
/ developed, propose b bring up what
( little reinforcement | can get. should
be glad Of any that you can send me
can take two companies of infantry
/ from Powder River, and there are 9
/ few recruits and detashed men whom
/ can get for the cavalry. ought u
have a larger mouuted force than
now have, but this, | fear, cannot b,
obtained. / hear nothing Of Gen
Crooks operations.
The seco"d dispatch from Gen. Ter
~ To Gen. Sheridan, same date, says
On the evsning Of die 2sth we com
mepcei moving down with the wound
ell, but were able to get on but foul
1 miles, as our hand litters did not an
I swer fbe purpose The mule litter
did extsntly well, hut they were in
sufficieat in number. The 2Slh there
fore, was spent in making full sup
ply of them I'm the evening of the 29tl
We started again, and at ? a. m. TIA,
wounded we're placed oE n steamer a
the month Of ihe Little Big Horn. Oh
the afternoon of the 10th they wer
brought down 10 the depot on the Vel
4 lowstone. i send them tomorrow b,
, steamer /, Fort Lincoln, and will
them one Of my aids, Capt. r. W
Smith. have brought down the troop
to the same point. They arrive to
night. They need refitting, parted
larly in the m,tter of transportation
before starting again, although 1 ha'
on the steamer n bS~d supply Of snt
sisteDce and forage. There are otbe
things we need but should hesitate 4
trust the boat again in the Big Horu
Col. Sheridsn's dispatches infome
me OF the reported gatherings OF Ind
ans on the Rosebud reached me after
came down here. | hear nothing q
Gen. Crooks movements. At least
J hundred horses are needed 10 remoun
the cavalry men now here.
(Signed) ALFsEp IA. TEnRY,
Bngadier. General.