The New York herald., 1876-07-23
"TEXAS JACK" ON THE CUSTER
MASSACRE

Mr. j. B. Omohundro, commonly known ms "Texas
Jack" Is a man OF vide and varied experience In
scouting and Indian nshtng. In conversation with
HERALD reporter yesterday ho advanced plausible
theory Of Custcrs terrible defeat He particularly re-
the idea that any mputation should fall upon the
courage OF General Custer because OF his body being
found in the extreme OF the massacred troops.
Texas Jack for the position of the tener
ais body by sapposing hIm 10 have been the first to
fall dead or wounded before the savage onslaught, as
he rodo at the head of his command near The ford
When ho fell according to this theory his force was
obliged to turn TO convey him TO the rear This move
meut mad the semUlance of retreat and the savage
Toe pressed them hotly That Cus,er was killed, or
wounded seriously in the first of the attack Us TO be
unable direct the proved Oy tho direction
his command followed He would, beyond question,
have retired his men IN snsc BODY directly over INC
uniting his forces with shosc ot Reno.
TnE DIVIDED KErREAT
Tie troops, however really retreatcd as II panic
stricken along The nearest route which presented se
and IN an enurely new directon. hey were soon
separated by high ridge INTO TWO parties. The dead
ioInd tue canons thus traversed By the divided
troops show how hotly they pursued TIL reaching
the emnence where they reunited Further rctrsat
rendered impossible, aud gathering round their
wOcnded leader his ad boay Custcrs relatives and
his devoted soldiers lighting iell beside him.
SHORT WORK.
the entire could not have extended over
more than an hour Tue indians must have been al
would have lasted much longer. Tor 1t would seem to
require more tuan single hour 10 shoot down At long
range 500 men on horseback and IN motion
DETERMINE THE gANGE
good estimate OF the hcroeness ofthe battle and the
distance between the conibatants could be formed by
counting the number OF horses killed side
comparing the numbers with those Of their riders
slain. The lndlans in all probability fought on horse
back, for II they defeated Reno. Ii the num-
bcr OF their horses killed greatly exceeded their own
loss, would go show that the light had been at
long ran ana that the troops had naturally red at
the biggest Objects the horses II but few OF Custer
horses Killed, would show that tho struggle
a close and that the men had been knocked OF
their horses
INDIAN STRATEGY.
When forces shall be concentrated the scout
thinks Sitting Bull viii stand with all bis men and
fight q DECISIVE battle. Should the savage be de-
ioatcd he will retreat to strong position and await
her onset and II driven from that post ion his
braves will all directions, leaving objective
point for the army 10 attack.
BUFFALO HILLS OPINION.
In the letter received yesterday Dy Mr. Omohundro
from Buffalo Bin the latter rhcre is going to be
the damndest Indian war ever known. aud man
can say when 1t Is going TO end. The Indians have
thus tar whipped every command they have met.
They Rave one village that numbers 10000 lighting
They boast that in mountainous country they
whip all the whites that may come against them,
and many white man Will turn up his Toes before
they conquered expect to hear OF volunteers
being ralsud.r