The New York herald., 1876-10-02
The Custer Massacre-Must the Re-
sponsibility Rest ON the Living or the


| Dead!
Our special correspondent, writing from
Bismarck on his return from General Terry's
expedition, felt it his duty to make public
serious charges, which had been privately
circulated in camp, against an officer who
had been prominent in the Little Big Horn
fight. With or without reason, a large share
OF the responsibility of the Custer disaster
was laid on the head of Major Reno by
actors in the fight, both on account of his
hurried retreat to the bluffs and his inaction
after his junction with Captain Benteen.
Our correspondent felt it was his duty, under
the circumstances, to take the responsibility
of putting before the country the serious
charges of indifference and inefficiency
which have been whispered about the camp
by the soldiers who accompanied the gallant
Custer in his onslaught on the Indian vii
lage. In doing this our correspondent did
only his duty. He no doubt wrote these
grave charges with as much regret
as we felt in publishing them. There
could have been no private spleen to
vent, no personal interest to subserve,
but only the fulfilment of duty toward
the public, who look to the HERALD for an
impartial account of what is transpiring
in the most remote corners of the world.
The rumors and charges may be unfounded
they may be absolutely untrue, rs we sim
cerely hope they may prove to be. Our
| correspondent does not vouch for the cor
rectness OF these statements; for none Of the
| events came under his own observation.
But we cannot doubt for moment that the
rumors were in circulation substantially as
| he reported them to the HERALD and find
ing them whispered from one to another
with no one having the courage to rise up
and speak so that the country should hear
what the soldiers and officers were say
ing, he took the responsibility of put
ting plainly into print the charges
| that were persistently made against the con-
duct of some of the prominent actors in the
Little Big Horn tragedy. Nothing is moro
painful than the laying of accusations
against army officers engaged in difficult
and dangerous duty They have great
deal to contend against, and when it can be
shown that their misfortunes have resulted
from mistakes of judgment they are entitled
TO be treated with all charity. But, unfortu-
nately, in the present case there is an elc-
ment of doubt as to whether certain officers
did do their duty in such a way as the coun-
| try and their comrades had right to ex-
| pect. We do not make this accusation, but
| it is freely made by brother soldiers speaking
among themselves in confidence, and we only
call attention to the serious nature of these
| camp rumors in order to allow those inter-
ested either to prove the truth or the falsity
of statements that affect the honor and CON-
promise the soldierly regulations of some
holding high rank in the army. No SOL
dier, no matter how brilliant his past record
may have been, can afford to allow state
ments rejecting on his efficiency and cour-
age to pass unchalienged, and we sincerely
hope to see demand for investigation into
this Custer massacre put forth by the officers
themselves. This will be the best reply to any
unworthy slanders that may have been ut
tered through jealousy or from n desire of re-
venge. The country would like to know
all the truth about the Custer massacre. and
no officer who did his duty need have any
fear to come before an investigating commit
| tee to answer for his conduct. Much that
our correspondent writes confirms in an au-
thoritative way the suspicion entertained
vaguely by the public that Custer had not
been fairly dealt with, and strengthens the
idea that the blundering of subordinates
had as much to do in bringing about the
massacre in the Little Big Horn Valley as
had the rashrfess of General Custer, if not
more.
No officer of the United States army can
such gravity. They must be answered, and,
| if possible, shown to be baseless faLrica-
tions. 1t will give real pleasure to the
| HERALD if the officers interested in telling
the whole truth about the Custer fight can
show satisfactorily that none of the living
are responsible for the untimely death of
their comrades on the 25th of June.
| There exists in the public mind deep
seated suspicion that some one blundered,
and the vague rumors that were current in
| General Terry's camp show that the soldiers
were not satisfied with the conduct of all
who went into the fight under the gallant
Custer. The officers OF the army cannot afford
to have this subject discussed in the col
umns of the HERALD and talked about in the
public places and by the fresides of. the
country without trying to disprove these
rumors if they can be disproved We
shall be delighted to do the fullest justice to
the accused parties. We 90 further, and
wish that they may be able to prove clearly
that they are wholly free from responsibility
for the blood shed SO uselessly in the Little
Big Horn. Soldiers in Indian wars cannot
be judged by the same standard we apply
when dealing with civilized foe the con-
ditions are wholly distinct Indian fichtino