The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-08

: DISPATCH TO GENERAL SHERIDAN.
CHICAGO, Ill, July 7.-The following
dispatch has, been received at General
headquarters .lr, = 80
CANT on YELLOWSTONE RIVER, NEAR |
| MOUTH OF Bio HORN, July2. J
70 Liellienda. General Sheridan: w
l think owe it to myself TO put you
more fully in possession of the facts OF
The late operations. While at the mouth
OF the Rosebud I'submitted my plan to
General Gibbon and to General Custar,
they approved it heartily. 1t was that
Custar with his whole regiment should
move up the Rosebud, that he should
meet trailwhich Reno had discovered a
few days before but that he should not
follow II directly to the Little. Big Horn,
that he Should send scouts over 1t and
keep his main force further to the
south, so as to prevent the. 10
dians from slipping in between
himself and the mountains. He was also
to examine the head waters OF Tullock's
Creek as he passed ii and send me word Of
what he found there. A scout was fur
nished him for the purpose ofcrossing the
country over which he calculated 1t would
take Gibbons column until the Goth to
reach the mouth OF the Little Big Horn,
and that the wide sweepwhich | had pro.
posed Custar shodld make would require
so much time that Gibbon would not be
able to cooperate with him in attacking
any Indians that might be found in that
stream. ! asked Gen. Custar how long
his marches would be. He said they
would be at first about thirty miles day.
Measurements we're made and the calcu-
lations based on that rate Of progress.
talked with him about his strength,
and at one time suggested that perhaps it
would be better fOrSme to take Gibbons
cavalry and 20 with him. To this sugges-
ton he replied that without reference 10
The command he would prefer his own
regiment alone, as homogeneous body,
and as much could be done with il "a
with the two combined, and expressed the
utmost confidence that he had all the
iorcehe would need, and shared his con-
iidence.s The plan. adopted was the only
one which promised to bring the infantry
into action, and Idesired TO make sure Of
things by getting up every availableman.
| offered Custar the battery Of Gatting
guns, but he declined it, saying that it
might embarfass him; that he was strong
enough without it. The movements pro.
posed by Gibbons column, were carried
out to the letter, and had The attack been
deferred until 1t was up, l cannot doubt
that we should have been successful.
The Indians had evidently neryed them
selves for Q stand, but asSI learn from
Capt. Benton, on the 22d the cavalry
marched 12 miles, on the 23d, 35 miles;
from s A. NJ, tos +. NJ, on the 24th, 45
miles; and then after night 10 miles fur
ther, then after resting, but without un.
saddling, twenty.three miles to the battle
field. The proposed route was not taken,
but as soon as the trail was struck II was
followed. I cannot learn that any exam.
ination Of Tollgates Creek was made. |
do not fell you this to cast any reflect
ton on General Custar, for whatever
error he may have committed hehas paid
the penalty, and you cannot regret his
loss more than do. but l feel that our
plan must have been successful had II
been carried out, and l desire you TO
know the facts. In the action itself, SO far
as can make out Custar acted under
Misrepresentation. He thought confident
" that the Indians were running, and for
fear they might get away he attacked
without getting all his men up, and d.
yided his command SO that they were
beaten in detail. l do not at all propose
10 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
10 bring up whatlit reinforcements /
can get. should be glad OF any that you
can send me. I can take two companies
Of infantry from Powder river, and there
are few recruits and detached men
whom l can get for the cavalry. l ought
to have a larger mounted force than l
now have, but this I fear cannot be OBJ
tained. / 1hear nothing Of Gen. Crooks
operations. ,..,
'InA SECOND uIanAtEn from N1eIl. 1ETfV
~ CEN @ Shariaan % of Tho same date says .
N The evening ~ ia Ss.h we commenced
nov;ns down with The wonnded Int
we're I,bIs 10 yet oh Int ionr miles
as our hand liiers did not answer
ths nnrnoses T6e mule litters aid
elIsnttywell bnt tbey were ihsuffi.
cient In Number The 2Oth therefore was
sJent N making a full supply Of them.
On tho evening Of the .2sth we started
again, and at 2o'clock the wounded were
placed on 9, steamers at the mouth OF the
Little Blg Horn river. On the afternoon
q the SOth, they we're brought down to
the depot on the Yellowstone. | sent two
women Py the steamer to Fort Lincoln,
and with them one oi my aids, captain =.
w. smith. l nave drought down the
troops % ths same point: ihey arrived
tonight, Ihey need rehthng, partiGn-