The New York herald., 1876-09-21
| or not One cool-healed man assured me that fifty
men could have held Il against 500 Indians.


took no part IN the hight against Heno's command As
they moved put from their village they caught sig ht
OF custer ON the bluffs ani turned of 10 meet him ana
prevent him falling on their women ani children. The
story that they hrst overwhelmed Reno and then
iurncd Ia Custer s>pronounc"d fiction Some Of
Keno's command fought with great bravery especially
Captain French, who the last the
ford the retreat. He remained behind HIS company
and at times was completely surrounded by indaps
MAJOR Reno led the the bluffs, as he tells us in
his official report, nut there II is called charge.
though therc were no Indians between the bluffs ana
the retreat:ng cavalry 10 charge When the retreat
began from The skirmish line only one man is known
TO have been wounded
INDIANS ENGAGED
The number Of Indians actually engaged with
this point did not exceed All the who
Killed in this command tell while getting their horses
and while they were rctreatng the lord To the
bluis, except tho wounded man, who was abandoned
in the retreat Tho handling OF the troops ON this
has been very severely criticised. On entering
the bottom they were irs de;oyed a. skrmishers and
then mounted and d.s,nouned several times within
few minutes without any apparent The soldiers
withdrawn from skirmlsh line amer they had fired
few shots at The Indians who acre long of. and
there defence OF the woods worthy o tho name.
All this pred 10
pENoRALIzE THE TROOPS
aud the manner III which the retreat was conducted
caused II to degenerate into stampede. There Is
strong impression thai had tougher light been made
IN the bottom the Indians could not have Overwhelmed
Custer with their Whole IL must be Kept well
mind that the whole In force withdrew and con-
cenratcd to attack Custer ms soon as Reno had re-
treated To the bluffs The statement that the Indians
remained In front OF Henos position hring dropping
shots absolutely contradicted by officers who
present The Indians lett Reno severely alone on his
HILL and Tor An hour heavy firing WAS distinctly audbc
the direction Custer had taken According
to Captain Bcntccn's own statement he arrived
the field at the momcLt when Reno's command
escaping up the eighis and immediately joined
his forces with those of Major Reno There were then
SIX companies assembled on the hin, Increased soon to
seven by the arrival OF Captain McDougail with the
pack tram; that Is to say, ihcro force more
numerous than that with General Custer who can
doubt that the dead hero's eyes alter turned
backward along hss trail watching Tor the coud OF dust
thai would tell him his troopers we're coming like
l,trla. .,t ff.h -
RENo's sUPINESKss
But they came not, and 10 serious ci'cri was made
TO reach INN. When Rcno's command took position
the hi tho Indians disappeared and went over
tho range OF hills that hid Custer and hs
gallant from view Of his seven companies that
wero drawn up upon the hl under Reno, with not an
enemy IN view; with not u soul 10 bar the way while
tho roll of the ro voiey across the bills told that
Custer and his mcn were lighting Tor their lives.
THE ADVANCE OF COMPANY.
In the Official report furnished by Major Reno, il is
stated that company ID os the Seventh cavalry was
forward open communication with General
Custer This statement Is inaccurate. 1t Is true that
d company OF It's accord and without orders, did
move forward to tho crest the hill whc! hid Custer
and The VINO died with HIM from the rest OF the
command but they did so on y when red with tho
OF Colonel Rcno's command, while riic volleys
were telling that her comrades were being done 10
death. Ye; 800 horsemcn under Major Reno were
whcrc General Custer fell, with not Indian
opposing their advance When u Company went of-
without orders precious time had been lost and
order sent aier this company was delivered when
the company returning Clusters force was then
dcstroycd; but had the seven companies un0cr Monf
Reno advanced when CAPTAIN BcniecD's battalion
up there is doubt hat they could have arrived
Custers battle held time to take part in the light
PERTINENT QUESTION:
IT Reno thought possible Tor company to open
commun u with General Custer why did he not
try 10 JON with his seven compahiesY Why was the
OF horsenen kept idlc on the hill for Of
time calculated at TWO hours, not hurled into the
nyht When they first arrived? What were seven
companies of cavalry DONG gathered upon hill
when miles away ,hcir comrades were hghting
desperately for their iivcsy When some members OF
4 sh,ufh I'm N n Onf
which hid Custers command from the view OF Mayor
Rcno's forces. they saw some Two miles away crowds
OF Indians on hull, which is nov thought TO be tho
hull on which custer died The Indians were riding
II and thlthcr, anfon The plans masses OF
noantcd men were swaying back aud iorlh aud strag
Hnns shots were fred from time to time 1t was the
the tragedy. The ast victims were being offered
up From ihs II is clear that il seven companies IL
stead ol uatiug hill had advanced at u gailop TO
where the upe was heard instead o hating an hour
two on the hall, lney could have arrived IN ample
TO have co-opcrated with Custer There
nothing TO prevent them dong The uftv or sixty
Indians who mad stanpcded Major Renos command
had gone to take part in the lsht against Custer,
and Major Reno ana his command we're lei, absolutely
Tree until Cus,,r RS men had been nassacrcd when
the whole Indian force returned to attack tho men
been standing idle for TWO hours while these
same Indians slaughtered their comradcs How this
to pass and who Is the responsible person must
bc answered by searching investigation.
CAPTAIN nEyTEESs MOVEMENTS
Captain Beu;cen uso VINO III nciehcc Of the hill won
golden opiuons Tor ms great courage and cooincss,
will hav IN orunatey, TO cxpiaIh why ms battalion
allcd appear earlier uour on the battle ed.
tic had returned To the main trail and iO-
low pg Cuscrs waSc he trc the light began
ard could not at any line have been during
the hight more than seven or clsit miles distant
from where Custer cil An"ut seven niles from Gus
tc.s battle led CAT tain utecn hs
a pool H. the road. While tho battalion was halted
Boston Custer up spoke with several officers aud
then 10 he mont He was found dead by oeu-
erai Custers side about ,wo miles from this poo OF
water. Captain Bcnteen Received Clusters
WRITTEN ORDER.
"Iurry up. BIZ village. Bring Mp the packs. D." That
order irac'cnly ignored Captain Ben'een ana his
the point was reached where Rcno's retrcating men
were II, tnen combined iorce, halted ior Two
hours took further part in the battle until the
Inians came back and attacked them. No ciort was
made Custer TO follow up the Indians, who
withdrew from Mayor Renos front TO go to attack Gus
ter The san lhdans who fought Major Reno N the
bottom took part IN the light against Custer. and had
the companies advanced when they assembled on the
Custer might be living today. why Major Reno's
command failed 10 move to the assistance the Gem
eraI remains be explained. A searching invcsga-
tion would bring light o,hcr aud equally startling
revelations with regard to the conduct OF oil the
proml ncnt actors In the night 2oh june and
the living we as to the d. ad demands that
such investigation shouli DO ordered by the govern
ment
CROOKS COMMAND IN THE BLACK HILLS-LIsT
OF THE CASUALTIES IN THE LATE HIGHT
LIFE AMONG TIE ADVENTUROUS MINERS.
DrADwoop CRY. BLACK HILLS, Sept 16,)
Via Hor CREEK, Wy. T., Sept. 20 1876.
General Crooks troops have been encamped
the hills OF these mountains and have been sup
Piled by tho Black Hills merchants with food. The
scenes Winch occurred when the soldiers crowded
around the wagons which laden with bread
and seized aud devoured 1t before II
could be distributed bcggars description They
had Tor two days suuss,cd on nothing but horses
Yesterday soldier OF the Fifth cavalry while huntng
was Killed by the Sioux. The destruction Of The wi.
lage near the Slim Buttes complete. Twelve
squaws, nvc pappooses and three bucks, including
mere boy, were captured. Iron shield, American
Horse died OF wound IN the abdomen. Seven Indians
were killed by the rear guard, consisting OF
portion OF the Fifth cavalry. the morning
when the army marched away from the
field OF battle The number OF sioux Killed tho OH
and 10Th and the whoo loss OF the enemy, including the
wounded ana captured. Is estimated 100 The iol-
loving correct catalogue OF the casualties in Gen
eral Crooks commando
kri.LED
John White alias Buffalo White scout, shot through
the heart at the siege OF the ravnc.
Private 4. Medbury, alias Wcnkcl Company a. Third
cavalry shot through the head. dyluQ within an