The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-13
Defence Of His Severe Crit.
ciSm on Custer.
RECKLESS DASH on THE INFECTIOUS HORSENAN
Sturgis AS One of Our Old
Indian Fighters.
An Autograph Letter from General Lee
Attesting His Skill.


military record by newspapers and correspondents in
various parts of the country His letter is dated 'SL
louis Barracks August 3, 1876" He begins by say
ing that the time has when he must speak in his
Town vndication." The ink was scarcely dry on the
telegram announcing he death OF his SOM the greatest
Affection OF his lie, before he arraigncd before the
bar OF public opinion the wanton deamer of the gal
liant dead General SturgIs letter is too long for our
crowded columns, and only synopsis oil 1t can oe
gwen. Did he not feel sustained by strong sense oil
right he says no would have little hope OF concnding
successfully against this secthng torrent of abuse
He continues by saying hat the head and front OF my
offending is that IN moment OF intense excitement,
supcrnduced by great greet, together with the
OF sorrow and dcsolation surrounding every
SIDE venturcd express my feelings and opinions ms
the manner In which all this suffering brought
about. felt that 300 and officers OF my own
regiment, and among them my son, had been uso-
cssy sacrificed, and said General Sheridan, in
his telegram of the eth of July from Philadelphia,
said, Il lear it unnecessary sacrifice and yet
who has found fault with General Sheridan for having
said this? | said that these officers and men we're
sacrificed through ignorance of tho Indian char.
actcr the part OF the commander. Tho
New YORK HERALD said The cardinal mis-
lake OF this business is in tho under
'ang OF Indian power; and again, 1T is
dear that commanders all OF them, lave misun-
icrstood this Indian business and yet who has found
aIlt with the NEW YORK HERALD? But IL IS not ne
,cssary To repeat here all that Was said Nobody,
presume, Will blame me Tor having had strong feeling
long as should conhne my remarks TO myself or
IAN them beneath the sanctity OF my own ROOT. All
this | was anxious to do. had0o thought or desire
but 10 remain at the side of my frosrated family, to
assist them, with what ortitude' could command IN
bearing the terrible Affections which had suddenly
Dvcrtakcn them"
In speaking of Custer General Sturgis says he paid
ample tribute TO his undauntcd courage, and he made
40 assault on his personal or private character he
had SAID that Custer possessed unboundci selfish am
pi,ion; that no was tyranncal in his intercourse with
officers and men that his knowledge OF Indian warfare
MAS limited and ovcrrated that all these combined ed
10 the useless and objectionable sacrifice OF 300 gallant
He said SO thea and he said so now, and would
MAINTAIN these assertions to the bitter end.
General Sturgis next considers the charges OF In
competency and cowardice which have been made
against HIM. lie said
In the ST. Paul (Minn Pioneer Press and Tribune of
The 2lst July article appears tho signature OF
Rec Wakefield, in which tho writer says, In speaking
The enemy at the bH,o Of prc,s Cross Roads in iss4
And all this can be charged directly to GEN.
era Sturgis, who charged the enemy with his wagon
train and deserted his men long before the hghing
ceased, made quick tnc TO Memphis, leaving them to
cover his cowardly retreat"
General Sturgls next quotes long communication
which appeared in the Chicago Times of July % criii-
oising his ,turgisN conduc, IN the campaign around
Memphis and Corlnth during the rebellion, and con-
Guiding with these worCs;-
to the rear TO command in Kentucky where there
anything how he escaped being tried by mil
..ry commission by being crdcIea away and by Genera
his iris being Natche take command there
G and s even ys Custer lost sfs sS
Ing against iesru odds and he saved his By getting into
While the rents OF those who fell with Custer will
murdered the Incompetent stugis
viii always lay the blamcwhere belongs on shoulders
b. s,srgs INC 'A'e' ''''' '"'''
General slurgIs also quotes from n letter to tho
Army and Nary Jounoi OF July -, written by +. A.
sherburne 10 the Chicago Tribune OF previous date,
.onl aiming among other charges these bitter
tenccs:--
division of 1900 1900 attack General Forrest
rave about tho same number OF men, and he did not
nto trap set for him By Forrest. get caught
surprise completely that his entire ~iihou,
and yha, were not eaPared sent flying back I:
iisry Dsssaes wagons lin il ne and 'e~
Memphis aud IL he not the day after his
hunted sodiers struggling town cvcry now and
hen in little DETACHED parties. while their wounded and
Aud behind in Memphis while Generai
sound arSSsns TO Forss, on she Sold 1S Of
tupao. And. when this successful indian fighter" has
these ne ss",%s:,:
."srs TO be dashed to tho wheel. OF cannon cannon,
and scourgcd with twenty iashcs bare back aud
execute the sentence ordering two regulars from his
resnent 20 come and do the JOB ~h he stood by TO see
ready. officer of the second Kansas the head
a ss sIR .s os the
with bullets and il The said general. cheek didn't Slanrh
with fear when he cast his eyes down the constantly
he didnt walk of leaving them 30 free their unwhpped
tomrads.
In reply TO this terrible arrangement General sturgis
a "a
The g,ngcr pop eiiervcscencc OF tns nquisve
s,ondent OF me Tribune who seems to know so little
but who evnccs (Which is the next best thing
cngcrness Tor more knowledge, am very seriously
inclined to believe that he was no, with me M all, and
that he only shifted the battle from affair." "
This writer maniicsty speaks oil things whereof he
has neither personal knowledge nor IL well informed
ton whether one man should have been punished, but
SIX: he would also have known that, whether my
"cheeks banchcdN or not, the men were punished. as
be may easily satisfy himself by reference to any OF
The Kansas papers oil that time. AS TO the supposed
necessity tor this punishment do feel called upon
20 speak this place, that is consideration W cn
not been called In question. AS bearing however,
tho question OF the "banched cheek, may as
well say here that the officer whom he bav
Ing ntcrposcd was General Robert II. Mitchell Uhcn
Colonel OF lac Second Kansas, and that no single
event has ever occurred from the organization OF that
regiment down TO this day, TO mar 10 the slightest
degree the cordial relations ana warm friendship
Gu have always existed between that gallant officer
aud myself General Mitchell IS now resilient OF
Washington and Will most probably this article In
that event | hereby authorize HIM TO denounce
10 world II this mans story Is true IN any essential
particular. ] would 10 perfectly Justhabc in taking
no further notice OF all this twaddlc inasmuch rs
there maxim which says fdtsus IN fGisus in
omnibus but rather admire his cagerness in
formation | viii endcavor to Crafty hum as lar as
can. He goes on to say ask him. tmc at he and
a few OF his chosen officers among the lrst
arrive IA Memphis. aud II he was not
seen the next day after his return playing
billiards." sc. To oil this | answer no.
| did not leave 'Whte's Station until regularly
relieved by order from General wsshDurne direct.
ne 10 report IN person at has headquarters aud
TO Memphis IN obedience 10 that order bnd not
cforc Again, he asks al hc az ''od not remain he
and ia Memphs while General A. J. Smith went with
% greater number OF men and administered sound
sruDDiug TO Forrest" &c
10 this also | answer ssNon The records will
sbo~ that was directed by General Wsshburne 10 70
port the secretary OF War tor orders repair
tovinYor. Ky, to await them. But u had
lcen IN Memphis at the time every who has
served IN the army all will understand that would
bave tad no power TO place myself on duty with the
expedition General smith under anybody else
L.txnr " ucsini In the penarI Lammanlcr