The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-04-13

HsrH Expedition.
We make the following extract from
q letter written from Cheyenne, April
Lat. TO the New York Tribune, BY 3
member OF the expedition
Nov that the expedition is over.
and while the troops are permitted to
take a breathing spell. il is proper to
review its work. First. IL made a
march of nearly 800 miles through a
hostile country, in q terribly Indictment
season, much OF IA time on half ra-
tons. AS for shelter or warm clothing
and bedding, there was none The
frozen snow : covered ground, with
such shelter as brush and banks could
afford, was all they had from the time
of leaving the train on Crazy Woman's
Fork until they returned To Old Fort
Reno. That more was not accom-
plished than the destruction of Crazy
Horses village canno be charged TO
the discredit of the troops. When
Gen. Crook took upon himself the
burden OF caring for the pack train.
and sen Gen. Reynolds forward with
the Real fighting strength of the COM
mand, to attack and destroy any camp
of savages u be found on the Powder
River, lie acted generously. aud gave
his subordinate officer AN opportunity
which many an officer might serve n
lifetime and not get That greater re-
suits were not obtained is due to the
fact that Gen. Reynolds failed to do
his work as thoroughly a he should
have done. Upon his acc depended
other movements which would have
in all prob ,bility resulted in the COM
plete subjugation of all the hostile
savages south and east of the Yellow
stone River. Gen. Crook WAS particu-
lar to inform Gen. Reynolds Of the ini-
portance of securing the ponies of any
band he might attack. and also OF
loading all the meat aud provision of
every kind hat might be found in case
of capturing "A village, upon The ponies,
and bringing 1t away for the use OF the
command. With our rations thus re-
plenished, and with plenty of animals
to replace those of our own that were
breaking down. Gen. Crook proposed
TO push boldly down the Powder River
to its mouth, and attack sitting Bulls
band before the latter could possibly
escape him. This would have ended
the war. and prevented the necessity
of sending other expeditions. G-u-
Reynolds neglected 10 obey these in
functions when he captured the viii
lage of Crazy Horse, and burned,
destroyed and left enough meat there
to have fully enabled Gen. Crook To
carry out the plan of The campaign.
But with this failure. and only partial
rations for four days LEFT, il was impos-
sible to take the command further, and
the only thing left to do was To return
to Reno. Moreover. the substantial
fruits of the victory-the captured
herd of between 700 and 500 ponies
Gen. Reynolds permitted Il escape.
after 1t had been driven into his camp,
20 miles from the battlefield; and,
scouts, Major Stanton, on the next
morning, that the herd had escaped
and was only " or three miles away,
having been driven away by the In
dams, he made no eiiort whatever to
recaptmfe il. When Grn. Crook came
up in the afternoon II was too late To
recapture the ponies, ami there was no
meat in the command, 81 that Gen.
Crooks plan was completely frus-
trated.
The fact Is that Gen. Reynolds left
the battlefield. tukiug with him Il bat
TALON. which he k"pt most of the fine
on a trot, paying 10 attention 10 what
was going On in the rear, not knowing
whether the herd WAS coming or MOI,
aud leaving his dead and one Wounded
man To fall into the hands oi. the In
dians. The iact of II wounded mau
being left on the field was reported IN
him by Capt. Mills, but lie would not
order anything To he done about the
matter. Nnrn Mujor Stantun found
that no one had order, to bring Off the
herd and that ii was .tboutiu br al,an
doneu, lie got together such scouts as
Gen. Reynolds had not taken and
drove II away. AS IL was large. un-
wicldy, and hari To manage, he applied
to Capt. Moore, whose battalion formed
the rear guard, for u few men Ia assist
HIM, bur this officer declined to fur
nish Il man.
Further, there is every probability
that il Moore's battalion had taken the
place assigned il, covering the rear of
the village before the attack Was male,
not an Indian would have escaped.
Gen. Rey no.ds failed 10 call this officer
10 account Tor his non-coinp liance with
orders, and virtually sustained him.
Capt. Moorc's failure jeopardized need
lessly the lives of the members of the
company that made the charge under
Capt. Egan. He did not arrive upon
the ground until after the n t;n.k was
niade, and came in then upon the
same puth that Esan charged we
firing wild vol.cys ut the flying In
diuns, who were fast hiding among
the rocks and bluffs overlooking the
village. Gen. Crook was not nearer
than 70 or 80 miles To the scene Of
action at the time it took place. He
had remained in the rear, with the
pack train, purposrly to give his sub
ordinate every opportunity possible 10
make n brilliant reputation. He ram
not, therefore, be charged in any man
ner whatever with the blunders COM
mlitted by General Reynolds-errors
which were not only g%rievous enough
in themselves, but which We're of such
u nature rs To completely Illustrate
Gen. Crooks plans, for holder move
ments."
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