The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-08

TIC ,Ysumsy look fcf good news from
this section when the vote is counted.
X.Y.Z.
Tue Indian Fignt-A Dispatch from
Gen. Terry.
NJ CHICAGO, July THE following dis
d has been received at General Sher-
idan's headquarters, dated camp on Yel-
lowstone river, near mouth of Big Horn,
July I'd:
"70 L.e,a. Gen. Sheridan:
al think L owe II to myself to put you
more fully in possession OF the facts of
the late operations. While at the mouth
OF Rosebud, | submitted my plan t. Gen.
Gibbins and 10 General Custer. They
approved Of it heartily. 1t was that Gus
ter with his whole regiment should move
40 Rosebud until he should meet trail
which General Reno had discovered n few
days before: but that be should not fol-
low it directly to the Little Big Horn /;
LIdl ne Suoulu Stuu sCuuIs ONCT ~ anu
keep his main force further TO the south,
SO as TO prevent the Indians from slip
ping in between himself and Montana.
He WIS also to examine the head waters
of Tullock Greek as he passed it, and
send me word Of what he found there. A
scout WIS furnished him for the purpose
OF crossing the country, which he calcu-
lated it would take Gibbons column un-
iii the 2Cth TO reach the mouth of the
Little Big Horn, and that the widesweep
which / had proposed Custer should
make, would require SO much time that
Gibbons would be able TO cooperate
with Inn in attacking any Indians that
might be found on that stream. 1
asked General Custer how long his
marches would be-, and he said they
would be at first about thirty miles n day.
Measurement WAS made and calculula-
tons we're based on thai rate OF progress.
I talked with him about his strength and
ut one time suggested that perhaps it
would be well for me to take Gibben' :
cavalry and go with him. To this sug-
gcstion he replied that without reference
TO the command, he would prefer his
own regiment alone as n homogeneous
body; rs much could be done with it Ms
with The second combined and expressed
The utmost confidence that he had all
the force ne would need and
shared his confidence. The plan adopted
WAS the only one which promised to bring
the infantry into action, AMI desired to
make sure OF things by getting up every
available man. offered Custer the bat
terry oi Gatling guns, but he declined it,
saying it might embarrass him, and that
he WAS strong enough without it. The
movements proposed by General Glib
bon's column were carried out To the
letter, and mad the attack been deferred
until it was up cannot doubt that
we should have been successful. The
Indians had evidently ne:ved themselves
for stand, but as | learn from Capt
Benton, on the 22nd the calvary marched
IL miles, on the 23rd IS miles, and from
8 A. NJ. to 8 p. NJ. on the 2ilh As miles,
and then after night 10 miles further,
and then after resting, but without un-
saddling, % miles to. the battle field.
The route WAS not taken, but rs
soon MS the trail was struck 1t WAS fol.
lowed. / cannot learn that any ex-
animation ot Tullock's creek was made. |
do not tell you this TO cast any reflection
on General Custer, for whatever
errors he may have committed he has
paid the penalty, and you cannot regret
his loss more than l do, but feel that
our plan must have been successful had
il been carried out, and desire you to
know the facts In the action itself, so far
as can make out Custer acted under Il
misapprehension. lie thought conf
IDENTITY that the Indians were running,
and for lear they might get away be- nt-
,cked without getting All his men up
and divided his command So
that they were beaten in
detail. do not at all pro-
pose to give the thing up here, but |
think that my troops require little time
in view of the strength which the Indians
have developed. l propose to bring uP
what little Endorsements ] can get i
should be glad of any that you can send
me. can take two companies OF lnfan-
try from Powder river, and there are few
recruts and detached men whom i call
get for the cavalry. i ought 70 have n
larger mounted force than now have,
but this l Tear cannot be obtained. / hear
nothing OF Gen. Crooks operations.
The second dispatch from General
Terry 70 General Sheridan Of the
same date, says ON the evening Of the
2sih We commenced moving down with
the wounded, but were able 70 get on
but four miles, as our band litters did
not answer the purpose The haers
did exceedingly well, bat they were IN
sufficient IN number, the 18th therefore,
was spent m making lull supply Of
them. In the evening Of The 29Ih We
started again and NJ 2 O'clock the wound
ed were plseed on q steamer st tha nosth
Of the Little Big Horn and on the -SHh
they were brought down 70
depot on the Yellowstone, and i will
send them tomorrow by steamer 70 Fort
Lincpln, snd With them one ot my aids.
Captain "a w smith. l shsve brought
down ihe W ops 10 the same point They
arrived 20 night They need reftting,
pa iiculsrly in the matter ~ trauspseta-
ticn, before starting again, although l
had on the steamer \ good supply Of sub
sistenee and forags There are other
things we need, and / should besitsie 70
trust the bost ssAin hon the Big Horn.
Colonel Shersdan,s aispashesda,srmins
me OF the gathering OF lnd'sns on the
pa.olnd -.s..hS hare .ftcr I came down
l hear nothing II Genersl Crsok's move
ments- Al least one handr-i hnrses are
needed 70 remount the cavslryIn-n nov
here.
lSigned] ALyxsD II fsssr,
: ss.Gns br.yaaieT. General