, 1876-07-08

hills neAr tho mouth Of tho Little Horn
River On the morning Of tho 22d, Got'.
TkRn1'a force reached the mouth Of Rose
bud Crock, 10 noar tho Indians that
movements must DO mnlo with caution.
TknnY matlo bis junction with Ginnos
Mt this point, aud upon consultation it waa
decided TINT CUSTER should take his rcgi-
mont, the Seventh, consisting of about GOO
mon, In the advance as scouts+ Ills orders
wero explicit to tako certain route and not
to fight the Inliana, but, In military phrnae,
ITO feel OF tholn." Tho route proposed
niado Huch detour that 1t would g'yo time
for G1nnov to como mp with bis infantry and
Btriko decisive blow. CUSTER loft the
month OF Rosebud Crock OH tho 22a, but did
not tako tic trail proposed. On that day he
marched IL miles; on tho 23d, al milcs; on
tho cath, Ii miles, md then, after slight
rest, 70 miles further, which brought lin on
tho morning Of tho 25th closo up against tho
Indian encasnpmont. Gen. TEnnT states In
his diRpntch that CuETER acted upon tho mis-
apprehension that the indians were running
awny-retreating. Whatever 1nay have boon
Ills apprehension, lie detached NM. Reno
| with seven companies to attack tho ludinu
village on tho left. RENO was almost in-
stanuy surrounded, but cut his wny through,
and, after being hotly pressed for forty.eight
hours, Was finally relieved from CusrEnIs
fato by Col. G1pnos'a infantry, who
mado a forced march to rondor help.
CusTEn, with i've companies, attacked on
tho right, aud found himself In tho midst of
2,UoO or more 1odiana In ono hours time
Ills forco was annihilated. Hind ho waited
twenty-four hours longer, tho 1ndians wonld
llavo boon crushed, if They Ind riBked bat-
| tic, mud the war might l1nve boon ended, for
on tho 2Gtlt, exactly as had been calculated,
| GrpDoN was Mt tho mouth OF tho Ltte Horn.
As It Is, the Intlians hayo escaped, and TEnnY,
who can hear nothing from Cnoo1, mnss foil
back to await supplies md reinforcoments,
and fall buck Immediately, as IN very short
timo the rivers will bo ut such a low stage Oh
| to bo unnavigablo.
| It IL hard to crittcise such q gnllant man
"-a brilliant soldier rs CusTgn, but tho dla-
! pitches from the scene Of conflict, aud tho
sta cnlonts It his superior officers, oil 60 to
Bl,ow tia. by his rashnosa and impoluosity
lie matlo most disastrous biunlor, which
not only involved his OWL life, but SACRIFICED
tho lives Of noarly 800 gallant officers md
men, md nllowcd tho Indians to escape.
1Iad he followed his instructions not
| to fight tho Tn1ians until 11nnoN's
column came up, in twenty -four hours the
Indian war might hayo boon ended. Now It
will probably lake years time, IN ozpeudi-
ture OF millions Of money, and sacrifice OF
still moro life before the Bavages aro srb-
duei. He neglected nil precautions of safety
by declining to take with him tho additional
forco which TEnnx offered mud tho battery OF
guns Which was also rendered him. lie vio-
lated the orders Of his superior by not taking
tho trail which wins laid ont for him, and
then, netting upon an error Of Judgment, strik-
imp tho whole 1ndlan force, instenl Of wait
ing until the next day. Flo ncted indorenl-
ontly Of the general plau Of tho campaign,
and malo 1t An individual campaign upon
his own risks, and lost
There must now 10 pause in tho cam.
paign. Caoox Ia crippled, and has fallen
back wherc he is not in communication with
TEnRr, md TEnny is so crippled that he too
must fall back to awnit supplies and roin.
forcemcnts. Meanwhile 1t IL the duty Of tho
Government 10 iunugurate such active meas-
,lroa aa shall in sone sort compensate for
the damages occasionod by CusTR4'a diBas-
tror.s error. The war must not stop until
these Indians are either compelled to remnin
upon their reservations or are oxtcr1ninatod,
and nntill B1TT1No Bull tnoots with CApTAM
JACKS fate. If tho regular forces arc not
| -. -, 1ot