Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-14

70 the editor of the Minneapolis Trtbune:-
The evil which men do lives after them
The good is oft inferred with their bones
| am surprised and deeply mortified to see
that our ueighbor, the 2. P. and T.. in its
morning issue has seen fit to adjudge the true,
brave and heroic Custer so harshly as to at
tribute bis late terrible disaster with the Sioux
Indians to reckless indiscretlon. From what
cau gather from General rerry's instructions
to General Custer it Is quite evident that 1t was
expected, if not expressed, that custer should
attack the savages wherever found, and as to
the mapner Of atac of course that was lett to
the discretion aid judgment 1t General Custer,
and viewing the circumstances OF this fatal at
tack from nv standpoint. f,il to see anything
very rash in the planning of it or reckless 10 Its
ATTEMPTED execution. On the contrary, | feel
tbatCuster would have succeeded hadReno, with
all The reserycuf seven companies, psssedthrouRh
and ioiued Custer after the first re 'uls I.
|; is lot safe at this distance, and 10 the ab
sence of full details, to criticse too closely the
conduct of any officer of this command, bat |
think it quite certain that G neral Custer had
agreed with Reno upon place OF JUNCTION 10
case of the repulsc of either or both OF the dc
tachmcn,s, aud instead of an effort being made
by Reno for such JUNCTION, as soon as he en-
couDtered heavy resistance he took refuge IN
the hills and abandoned Custer and his gallant
comrades to their fate.
1t is useless to say that Custer should have
amused those ludians as soon as he reached
them, or diverted their attention until General
Terry could come up with relntorcements, for,
although il is stated that General Terry was
ollv twenty or thirty uiles off and he moved
bv forced marshes, he did not reach the scene
ofthe disaster uotil three days after its occur
renee. The lDdiaus were runnlng, aud 1t Is
verv evident 10 my mind that General Terry
expected them to make every possible effort to
escape, and Custer vas doubtless ordered to
pursue them cut off their retreat to the south
and to drive them back upon Terry and Gbbon.
aud thus hemmrd in between these commands
they were to bec!ushed.
To do this it W Is necessary for Custer to
strike them wherever found, and by vigorous
blows and hot pursuit be Was to drive them
into the trap which Terry bad set for them.
Iofautry on expeditions agalnstlndlans can only
be used as guards for supply trains. and 10 the
pursuit of Indians on MISSION such as Clusters
they are as useless as toxhounds IN the pursuit
of wild geese. 1t was expected when the ex
pcditiou was sent out that Custer and the Sew
euth cavalry were to do all the fighting. and
supcrbIy did portion OF them do 1t. AS a
soldier would sooner to day lie 10 the grave
OF General Custer aud his gallant CON-
rades alone 10 that distant wilderness, that
when the 'last trumpet" sounds ccu'd rise to
Judgment from my post of duty, than to live n
the place of the survivors of the siege on the
hills. knew General Custer we'll, have known
him Intimately from boyhood, and, being on
opposite sides during the late war, We often met
aud measured strength on the fields of Virginia;
aud can truly say now that never met a
more enterprsiug, gallant or dangerous an
enemy during those four years of terrible war,
or more genial, whole-souled, chivslous gen.
temau aud friend 10 peace than Major General
George A. Custer. Respectfully,
IT, L. ROSsER.