The New York herald., 1876-08-22
THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
A Criticism by General Rosser Of
General Reno's Tactics.
A SHARP REPLY TO RENO
ROsser's Theory Of Clusters Plan
OF Engagement.

General Rosser has forwarded for publication an an
swcr TO the letter Of General Reno In which the for.
mer criticised the conduct OF the latter not making
an attempt to relieve General Custer General Rosser
says, in the following letter. tha. he has
official report OF General Terry and that he
with q fuller Information OF the details OF General
Rcno's position.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, August 16, 1874
MARCUS A. RENO, Major Seventh cavalry, United States
Army
NAJoR-A letter appeared in the NEW YORK HERALD
OF the Sth inst, addressed to and signed by your
se com planning Of injustice having been done you
a letter of mne written to the Minneapolis Erening
Tribune upon the receipt here OF Cuscrs tragic death
My letter which you refer, and OF which you com.
pain was written In advance of the receipt OF the
tails OF this engagement with the Indians, and before
had the official report OF General Terry II
written rebuke to the St Paul Pioneer Press and
Tribune, which had arraigncd General Custer under
charges OF upsoldery conduct, which beiieved TO
have been uncharitable and unjust, ana with
to your disparagement whatever Having once been
soldier myself fully appreciate
sEXsirlvENEss CRITICISMS
which Involve the vital elements OF a soldiers honor
and reputation. Your patriotism ana courage have
never questioned but as long you are public
criticism OF your plans and only your judgment cen
sured As for the surviving officers and men OF tho
Seventh cavalry l am proud 10 say know many OF
them, and ! believe That "a moro valiant band
never marshallcd by gallant knight than they. They
who have followed the immortal Custer in ali his ex.
poits on the plains should be proud of their tame
we'll as his The living members OF that noble regi-
mcnt, know, are as ready TO follow you or Bentecn
the other shore the few who fell with Gus
ter.
But now, Major, as to the manner in which you, as
detachment commander, performed your duty on that
unhappy day, VIII not assume the Office OF judge,
and alter submitting few questions TO you, will
leave the matter 10 the department commander. Gen.
cral A. H. Terry who is emnently qualified to judge
OF all such questions and he being position where
all the facts be ascertaned, am willing rest tho
with HIM, not doubling that he will do you iul
justice The errors which believe you committed IN
that engagement were attributed 10 what beloved to
have been lack Of judgment and
WANT OF EXPERIENCE IN INDIAN WARFARE,
as understand you have but little service with
your regiment on the plans; and, In looking
your plan of attack could good for
your gently pushing line Oi skirmshers down ard
amounted lorce OF ndians when II was expected that
you would attack vigorously with Jour ertre COM
mand The fact OF your dismountlng ana taking to the
point OF tlmbor to which you REFER was an acknowl-
edgmert OF Weakness II not defeat and this, too when
your loss was little or nothing This was an act which
condemned. You had open held for cavalry opera.
tions, and believe that If you had renamed in the
saddle and charged boldly into the village tho shock
upon the Indians would have been great that they
would have been compelled Withdraw their attack.
ing force from Custer who, when relieved. could have
pushed his command through TO open ground, where
he could have manpuvered his command, and thus
greatly have Increased hts chances o. success.
But # you had charged into the village and been re-
pulsed could you not have fallen back upon Benteen
good order and thus have saved the disaster which
oeio you in the confusion and haste with which you
! forced to recross the riverl
You must remember that your situation was very
different from tho one in which Custer was placed.
You had open field in which you could handle your
command while Custer was buried In u deep ravne
canyon, ana, as ho supposed, stealthily advancing
upon an unsuspecting Toe, ou was by the nature Of
the ground, helpless when assalled all sides by the
Indians IN the hills above him.
| Colonel Bcnteen says:-"When first came in sight
| OF the valley of the Little Horn twelve nfteen
dsmounted men we're fighting on the plain with In.
dams, charging and recharglng them Colonel Reno's
IN united party was retiring across the river to the
bluffs. then marched my command IN line TO their
succoE" Now in reading This account at this distance,
would one DO blamed Tor supposug that those DIS
mounted men had been cruelty abandoned to their fate
and were only saved by the timely arrival OF the gal
liant BentcenS From your letter | infer that your
entire command was not called into action in your
attack upon the village, and that your loss but
trihing until you beg your retreat You do not
state, but have the impression from some of the
accounts sent in IRON the Held, that you
began your skirmish with the Indians about
bal past twelve to one o'clock, and that you
about O'Clock. Now, to the reporter oil tho New
YORK HERALD you state that you made a rec0nnos-
sancc in the direction OF Cusier's trail about nve
O'Clock. The Indians appear to have Withdrawn from
your front as soon as you recrosscd the river Why,
them could you not nave gone in pursuit oil Custer
earlier? When you did SO you say that you heard
"cnoppng shots " Do you not think that, even then
by bold dash at the Indians, you
NIGHT HAVE SAVED PORTION AT LEAST
OF custers pcrIshing commands have no desire
whatever OF casting a shadow over you or any ono
else, t.at the name OF Custer may shne the brighter
and. If my criticisms Of your conduct IN this enc age
ment unmerited, deeply regret IT, Tor IRON the
beginning have never had thought Of cong you or
any member uf your worthy command an injury, and,
tho other hand perhaps | can never benefit my
noble Trend who on ,his field ell victim to few
combinations OF uniucky mishaps Yet | am proud
TO know that he sleeps to-day sublmely an hon
grave and all patriots and lovers OF heroic deeds
performed IN devotion OF duty, viii! oin In his re-
QUEEN.
from memory IRON ono which saw at Department
Headquarters IN st. Paul snort while ago, on winch
you w recognize The positions OF the various dcach-
ments; and as you know more oil tho movements OF
you could gather from the position OF the dcad ana tho
appearance OF me ground, than perhaps do, you Will
pardon me for submitting to you
NY THEORY OF HIS PLAN oY ENGAGEMENT
and It's result. From your statement II appears that
you well AZ Custor were deceivcd as to strength
OF The Indians; you well as he, believed that tney
were fleeing; and without rcconnoiiriug Their posi-
ton the command, though broke. into deaehElcnts,
fastened to their capture rhe topography Of tnIs
map leads 10 believe that Custer estimated tho In
dams 10 be- but few. ana embraced WITHIN the hills
compass the brst bottom, or the one IN which
vction hs passed around behind the hits hoping to
le river the lower ena OF their village ana thus
cut thor he evidently ran IN al the hrst
point hs trail approaches the river. thinking that
he had gone TAR enough 10 accomplish MS object;
but nndng that the village was sun beyond. he hur-
ric poiat perhaps bc ore Gu had crossed no
rlvcr lie ell upon overwhelming numD-r at tho
lower pom. where struck the river anu here where
be expected aud the lower enc OF the village ne
found Lim.e. IN the midst OF city which extended
TAR land whcn o him ociore unuiscovered beyond,
wne he was .ariy appro ichiDg This point by tor
fuou AN yDns 81 VI cs
NOT DISCOVERED HM,
they had poured OF ihs 10 aim camp, and,
hiding behind the his took up favorable position.
wEcn 20 him Inaccess bic ana from which their
destructive dre could not be withstood.
speak OF ravincs aud canyo ons and the topography
seems bear me out IN this, for all accouL speak
ol the country along Clusters route being very
broken. While Custcr's command ~as maklng It's
way through these gorges towards the enemy.
he himself, climbing the hilisides wherever he
could and peepng over the broken cresis,