The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-08-06
GENERAL CROOK.
The New York Herald's Charges Against
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v Nj n - $50 G5T.
CRooK,s EXPEDITION. CANT ON
GOOSE CREEK, July 22.-The New
York Herald's correspondent from
Crooks Expedition indirectly charges
the General with incompetency; and on
this are based editorial paragraphs I'M
justihable, not to say absurd. The
Rosebud fight is made the special text
for this assault, and our loss in killed
and wounded is the reason offered why
General Crooks command should be
taken from him. This would be laugh
able were it not such a sad occasion.
The truth is, that these casualties &C.
Cured mostly in the cavalry, and when
four companies were ordered to retire
from a certain position preparatory to a
movement on the enemy's left. The
retirement was from before about 200
Indians;a thing which should have been
accomplished without comparatively
any loss had the movement been execut-
ed as it was begun, by retreating behind
successive lines. This, any old soldier
Of the war will know, is not difficult
where the odds are not great, and the
retiring force is steady and well COM
manded. But this latter vas not the
case. It will be seen by the reports of
various correspondents with the expe-
dition, and notably that of this Field
Marshal of the Herald Is. that n Indian
charged in and saved an officer, and an
other stood over a sergeant. Where
were these soldiers comradesp Could
r~etreating column, when wounded COM
rades were left to be saved by Indians
On this point is made to hang the in
n1Vnnn%onnu of nnn Crnrk This nro-
mise is taken, not, a 1 put it, in accord
ance with the u~nvarnished facts, but
under the guise of such phrases as:
1.-THE troops charged ~gallantly, pouring
In volley after volley, shoulder to Shout
der as skirmishers." Any boy of our
militia knows enough to laugh at the
want of technique in this; to roar. over
the impossibility of such a thing. And
yet the Herald gravely talks about ssthe
graphic description of our commission
er," and bases on his report a leader in
which the lamented George Washington
and st. Clair's defeat are alluded to in
crisp phrases of authoritative blatl
Thus is to be demolished a reputation
Of a lifetime.
Gen. Crook is known in the army, and
on the frontier, as the most patient, yet
daring, of Indian fighters. He was
placed in command of the Department
of the Platte because of this occasion,
and that he was the man for it. The
country can congratulate itself on hav-
ing such a leader. Under him there
will be no slaughter because of a per-
sonal reputation. When the blow is to
be struck, it will be as in the Pitt river
country, where, with only forty men,
he accomplished a victory over the In
dams, signal and telling, which gave a
lasting peace to that region. This he
repeated on the Pacific Coast, again and
again, against other Indians, until, by
one voice of a thankful people, his
Brigadier-G Generals stars were lgiven
him.
No anxiety need be apprehended as
to the ultimate result Of the present
war. The hostile bands of the Sioux
tribe will be compelled to go to their
reservation, and cease numbering and
pillaging. "Only give us a little time"
Our army is SO small that immediate re-
suits cannot be obtained saw at the risk
of great loss in killed and wounded,
with the very probable chances of q
barren victory. Only give Crook a lit
tie time.