The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-10

.>nnj.,Til-ArrEAL TO RoSSER.
y.;or Reno has written the following
. ,.nr,o GgHcral Ro>scr:
I 1ir,nuI-,rfrES SEVENTH REGIMENT CAV
..ry. CAVE On THE YELLOWSTONE, July
~. f>-G.-.ifr. r. L. RoSScr: Sir.-Whcn |
...H ,hr .ir,t part OF your letter. published
&, .... Piau,cr and Press OF the Sth instant,
ra,,irl from the Minneapolis Evening
rrH,M,. rIv thought was that your motive
NJ only the object OF 4 defence OF per-
.,aI iricnd-a gallant soldier against
~!!om you fought,-but after reading all
,ti,l could no longer look upon it rs
III. tribute oi Il generous enemy, since,
.f~ou"h me. YOU had attacked rs brave
,".,.r> - ever served q Government,
and with the same reckeSSncSS and
;,uorIncc OF circumstances rs Custer Is
CHARGED with in his attacks upon the hostile
indians. Both chargcS-thc one made
g-,.in.t him and the one made by youagainst
u>-arr equally untrue. 1ou say: g feel
pI.,cr would have succeeded had Reno,
,yi,l nil the reserve OF seven companies,
l.,>>.A through and joined Custer after the
r;r>, rcmll>c": and. after confe>SlnS that
yo,l are hiring at long range. say further
II think il quite certain that custer Iad
a,rcrd with Reno upon Il place OF junction
in case oi Tie rcpulSc of either or both de-
;arnlucut-. and. instead OF an effort beng
made bv Reno for such junction. rs soon
- he encountered heavy resistance he look
refuge in the hills and abandoned Custer
aud hi, Gallant comrades to their fate.
THE LAST TRUMPET.
i shall Sllow. both the premises are
itl>r. and consequently all the conclusions
# YOUR letter fall to the ground, including
Your hiialutin talk about the last trumpet.
Clusters organization Of the regiment into
distinct commands was not made until half
ua>t 10 4. NJ. oi the day he WAS killed, and
was - follows: Companies VI. y, and Il to
l,r one battalion. commanded by me; Com
palic> II. u. and II another, com
nandcd bv the senior captain (Ben-
lr.n1: Company +. Captain McDougal,
l. lr rear guard to take charge or the
nack train: Companies c, +, |, +, and Il
IT, ',r his own immediate command, with
CaItaiu, kcogh and Yates us subordinate
battalion commanders. He made his own
selections OF companies. Bentccn, with hls
battalion. was sent far to my left by Gus
t,r'> order. When / Went into the fight ht
wa, orlt OF sight. My battalion was to tho
lit ana rear when we approached the vii
ja.r. l,it was brought to the front by Gus
Ter. The only official orders had from hin
were about five miles from the village, when
Colonel Cooke. the rcgimcntal ad!utant
rave me his orders in these words: "Custcl
SAYS 10 move at aS rapid Il gait As you think
i,rlIG,nt, and to charge afterwards, and yol
will l.r supported by the whole outiit.*
REDS on THE RUN.
~ mention of any plan, no thought O.
junction. only the usual orders 20 the al
vance Guard 10 attack by the charge. Whel
the enemy was reached | moved to the from
1T q fast irot. and at the river halted ter
minute, or less 10 gather the battalion.
sent word TO Custer that ] had the enemy
in nly front. very strong, and then charged
driving the reds before me about three
miles, 10 within Il short distance Of thelrVll,
lagc. >uppoSing my command, consisting OF
lau officers and men and about twenty-five
scouts and guards. followed by the columns
under Custer.
The village. about three and half miles
lon-. Was situated upon the Little Big Horn,
and the topography Of the vicinity may be
briefly told. The stream was very crooked,
like 4 letter :, in It's Wanderings, and on the
side on which the village was it opened Out
into a broad bottom, perhaps half or three
quarters Of mile wide. The stream was
lringcd as usual with the trees OF the plains
a growth OF large cotton wood), and on
The opposite side was range OF high Dluffs
which had been cut into very deep ravines
by the surface water and by the action OF
the stream. Just ut their base the earth had
fallen in and left perpendicular banks, max
M what are known Us cut-bankS. AS
0carcd the village the Indians came out IN
grcal numbers, and | was soon convinced
had At least ten to one against me, and was
forced on the defensive.
ALI KNOW OF CUSTER.
This l accomplished by taking possession
Of Il point Of woods where found shelter
for my horses. fought there, dismounted,
ana made my Way to within two hundred
yards of The village, and firmly believe that
II. 1t the moment, the seven companies had
been together, the Indians could have been
driven from their village. AS we approached
near their village they came out in over
whclming numbers, and soon the small
command would have been surrounded on
all sides, to prevent which 1 mounted and
charged through them TO position i could
hold with the few men l had.
You see by this | was the advance and the
first TO be engaged and draw fire, and was
consequently the command to be supported.
and not the one from which support could
bc cAiWcteO. All KNOW O1 SustcT from tne
time he ordered me to attack till / saw him
buried is that he did not follow my trail,
but kept on his side Of the river and along
the crest Of the bluffs OH the opposite side
from the village and from my command ;
that he heard and saw my action l believe,
although could not see HIM, and 1t is just
here that the Indians deceived us.
"BIG VILLAGE; BIG THING"
At this time l was driving them with
ease, and his trail shows that he moved
rapidly down the river for three miles to the
ford, al which he attempted to cross into
their village, and with the conviction that
he would strike retreating enemy. Trum'
peter Martin, OF Company II, and who the
last time OF any living person heard and
saw General Custer, and who brought the
last order his adiutant, Colonel Cooke, ever
pcncilled, says he left the General at the
summit OF the highest bluff Oh that side,
and which overlooked the village and my
hrst battlefield, and as he turned General
Ulster raised his hat and gave yell, saying
'heey were asleep in their tepees and sur
Wlsed, and TO charge.