The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-08
The SIoux War.

We may as well make up our minds to
81 we are In for bitter and bloody In
dian war. We trust that the massacre OF
CUSTER and the Seventh Cavalry will be
alone in its dreadful atrocity; but 1t is not
safe TO assume that IT will not be TO lowed
by others fully as bloody and horrible.
BITING BULL is savage chieftain who
has the same hopes of driving the whites
Into the sea over which they came that
King PHILIP entertained when BENJAMIN
CHURCH went out to meet and conquer
him. carrying sword in hand and Bible IN
pocket. He Is a master of the tactics of
savage warfare, and de-pises his foes, who,
he thinks, are few in numbers, for he
laughs ut the stories RED CLOUD tells of
the swarming multitudes of the East.
CUSTER had for years been known to the
Indians as great fighter, and they
dreaded his proves. Now that SITTING
BULL has whipped him, they will celebrate
the praises Of that savage warrior, and
gain stimulation for conflict. The reverses
we suffered at Rosebud creek and on the
Little Big Horn have encouraged the hopes
OF the Sioux, who Will now draw TO their
chieftain's standard many of their appar-
ehil1 Ddtiutd VI CONth
CUSTER when he was In New York, six
or eight weeks ago, foresaw The magnitude
Of the war impending in the Black Hills
country, and afterward bitterly suffered
under the insult GRANT put upon him in
taking from him the command of this
expedition. He undoubtedly sought TO
win the chief glory OF it, though he held n
subordinate position, and so invited the
calamity on the Little Big Horn. II he
had not been punished for his manly and
patriotic service In exposing the pecula-
lions of BELKNAP and ORvIL CHANT. he
would probably have led our columns 10
victory, instead of yielding himself a VIC
tim to savage vengeance. GRANTS malig
naut treatment of CUSTER will forever
remain blot on his fame. and bloody
disgrace to his administration; but he is q
ptolid man, and, likely enough, he cares
little for the verdict of history.
CUSTER, though bold and intrepid SOL
dier, was not rash one. He was a safe
man to intrust with a hazardous enter
prise, rs his superior officers found by ex-
perience with him during the rebellion,
and in the subsequent Indian conflicts on
the plains. lie was, indeed, natural SOL
der, fond OF his profession and solicit
tous for his men, and not the sort Of leader
90 waste their lives in fruitless undertake
sngs. We have yet to get the full history
Of this massacre on the Little Big Horn,
and, until we do. we advise everybody
90 abstain from throwing its responsibility
on the gallant young General who lies
dead among the hills of Montana.
Worsted at the start, our troops are now
res lug to receive reenforoements, gather
breath, aud get into condition to again as
sail or meet the forces OF SITTING BULL
Undoubtedly they are too few in number ;
but. Us Mr.. Cox said in the House on Thurs
day, IL the three thousand soldiers on cleo
pioneering duty in the States OF the Soul h
were at the seat of war, the situation would
be different With au army OF twenty-five
thousand men, we ought to be able to
gather q force sufficient to encounter the
warriors of SITTING BULL and not need
TO throw against him merely two or three
thousand men.
Once begun, this Sioux war will have 10
be carried to a conclusion; but il will take
millions upon millions out Of the pockets
of our now over-taxed and distressed peo-
nile.