The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-07-08
BLACK HILLS WAR.
General TerryS Account of Cnstar's An
utilization at Little Big Horn.
Terry Falls Back to Yellowstone Station
Where He is Concentrating and Re.
organizing His Forces -NOthlng
Known Of General Crooks
Movements.

CHICAGO, July Tho following
dispatch hns been received at General
Shcridan's headquarters:
CAMruN YELLOW sroNE RIyEW, NEAnl
MOulh or BlU hoRN, July : i
| think owe 1t to myself to put YOU
more fully IN possession Of the facts OF
the late operations. While at the
mouth OF Rear Side submitted my
plan to General Gibbons aud General
Gustav They both approved it heart,
lily,
II was, that Gustav with hls whole
regiment should move up Rosebud
valley TIL he should meet the trail
that Repo had discovered few DAYS
before, tut that lac should not follow
II directly to the Little Big Horn; that
he should send scouts over It., and
keep his main force further to the
SOUTH so IA 10 prevent the Indians
from slipping in between him and the
mountains, lie was also to examine
the headwators Of rulock's creek M he
passed II, aud send me word OF what
he found there.
\ scout was furnished him for the
purpose ol crossing the country, which
he calculated would take General Glib
bons' column until the 10Th to reach
the mouth OF the Little Rig Horn, aud
that wide sweep that had proposed
Custar should make, would require no
much time thai Gibbons would he
readi tu cooperate with him In at.
lacking my lnCians that might be
found on that stream,
asked Gustav how long his marches
would he, lie said about thirty miles
u day. Measurements were made and
calculations based on that rate Of pro.
gress. talked with him about his
strength, aud at the srme time sug.
gesttd that It would he well for me to
take Gibbons cavalry and go with
him. To thiH suggestion he replied
that without reference Ia tho COM
mRnd, he would prefer his own regi-
ment alone, and expressed the utmost
confidence that he had all the force he
would need, and | shared his conf.
dencc.
The plan adopted was the only one
which promised to bring the infantry
Into action, and desired to make sure
ot things 10y getting up every availa-
blO man. | offered Gustav u bAt,nry Of
Gattliug guns, but he declined it, say
ing 1t might embarrass him, that he
was strong enough withoutit
The movements proposed 10y Glib
bons' column were carried out to the
letter. and had the attack been defer
red until II was up with Custar's force,
| cannot doubt but that we should
have lern successful. The Indians
hRd evidently ncrNed themselves TO Il
stand, learned from Capt, Benton
that ON the 22ud, the cavalry marched
T. miles on the 23rd % miles, from .
II. IN. TO s p. M, on the 9th, A. miles,
and then after night ten miles further;
then after resting, but without unsad.
ding, twenty-three miles to the battle
field. The proposed route was not
taken, but rs soon as the trail was
struck, 1t was followed. | cannot
learn that any examination Of.
Tullocks creek was made
| do not tell you this to cast any reilec
ton upon General Gustav for whatev.
or errors he may have committed, he
has paid the penalty, and you cannot
regret his loss more than | do but
| feel that our plan must have been sue
cessiul, had 1t been carried out and |
desire you to know the facts In the
action itself, so far az | can make out
Gustav acted under misrepresentation.
He thought the Indians were running,
and, for fear they might get away, he
attacked without getting nll his men,
and divided his command that they
were beaten In detail, | do not nj all
propose to give the thing up here, but
think my troops require "A little more
time in view OF the strength Of the In
dians.
propose to bring up what little re-
inforcements can get, and should be
glad Of any you can send me. can
take two companies Of infantry from
Powder River, and there are few re-
cruits and detached men whom | ear
get for cavalry, | would like to have
a larger mounted force than now
have, but this, | fear, cannot be OBJ
tanned. ] hear nothing Of General
Crooks operations.
ISlguedl ALFRED II. TERRY,
brigndier General
A second dispatch from Genera
Terry to General sherman says:
On the evening OF the 18th, we com
hnI hn, uora ehIo 70 oot In hut Fam
u .i,,. ouv Wv "o onr hand Iittsrs ia ~ot an an
niles , n Urrna"o ~" nmIa iI,,ar
~ ~ av 'T we,I Inf thnv waro J IN
ulu eAoei'oh''S WI ' NJ ny WHY III
SUFFICIENT III number Inc ZJtil, lhere