The New York herald., 1877-11-16

nushee ap Big the forks Of the nvsr are
fcund be navgsble for that and the Department
Commander, who viii tho column OF Coiono
oben desires you him there not iassr shaa
inc expiration Of the for which troops are rA
toned unless In tho meantime receive further ordesA
Respectfully Z. W. SMITH
Captain Eish,censs infantry. Acting Assissau, Ad,u,Ans
General
with ths.s tentative Instructions General Custer pro-
cecded his way Hearing Of the Indians. no found
that he had great opportunity 30 strike thcm. He
touched their tran and iollowodh He laid his paus.
with wha, lack OF success We know Bu, snail We nos
also inquire what was real cause Of MS untmcy,
unnecessary failure:
General Custer has boon chded for division OF his
troops. In point OF fact nover attacked an Indian
camp whom he had moro than company. without so
separating hts command 10 encompass, bcwilder
and capture IL we shall presently sec whether II
tho fault Of his dispositions this occasion. which
lost him his last battle Here is Rcnos account OF The
way IN which tho commands respectively, under Gus
tcr, himself and Beniccn started into action
The regiment left the camp the mouth ofthe Roecbnd
River after passing In review brfoc the Department Com
mandcr. updcr Of Brorct Major General q. A.
lieutenant colonel 2ed OF
June and marched tho Rosebud twelve miles and Gu
campcd. On the 23d marched the Rosebud. passing
many old Indian camps and following very large lodge
pole TRAIL but fresh making thrlyhrcc miles On the
Gath the march continued the Rosebud. tho trail
and signs frcshening with mile, until had made
twenty ghi miles and then cncamped and waited for
information from tho scouts Al twenty-five minutes
past nne r. NJ Custer called the officers together and
informed us that beyond doubt tho village was In tho
valley file Little Bis Horn and that to reach II !, was
necessary divide between the Rosebud and Little
Zig Horn and wond be Impossible so do so In the day
time without discovering march 10 the Indians that
would prepare eleven +. ". This done. the
line Of march turning Rosebud the right mp
offs branches. which headed the summit Of tho d.
vide.
About two A. u. Of 25h tho told him
could nos the divide before daylight We then made
coffee and rested three tho expiration Of which
time resumed tho divide crossed and about
eight A. NJ tho and in tho valley Of OF tho
branches OF the Little Big Horn By this time the Indiana
hndbecn and certain that could not sur
prise them, and IL determined the
attack.
Previous thi, division OF regiment had boon
made the order issued tho Yellowstone
nulng wing and battalion organisations General Gus
informed no would assign commands tho march.
wss ordered by Lieutenant W. W. Cook. ndutant 80
sumo command Of Companies NJ. and O. Captain Ben
Of Companies H. and X, Custer retaining G. 4. Y.
and l. under his immediate command, aud Company B.
IN
command Of tho companies assigned to and without
any definite orders moved forward with tho Of tho
well to IT'S left saw bonteen moving further
the left and thcy he told hc had orders
wol to tho lett aud everything before him.
him again until about hapas two r. N. Tho
command moved down tho toward tho Little Big
Horn Valley. Custer, with nvo companies tho right
bank. myself and thrcc companies tho left bank and
Bcntecn further TO the lott and ont Of sight.
| II appears 70 have been about tho middle Of the
forenoon when Custer thus subdivided his column.
Reno goes say that at hapast twcve Lieutenant
Cook. Custers Adjutant, emo 10 him, told him that
the village was only two miles away and ordered him
10 move forward rapidly and charge IT. Othcr ov,-
dencc likewise shows this order given about
that time and that Rono urged not TO let up on
tho Indians Tho Indian village. consisting OF camps
OF Cheyonnos, ogalalas. Mnneconjous and Uncpapss,
was nearly three miles long. Tho accompanying map
will show It's oxact situation, also tho routes pursued
by Kenos and Custcr's ioroes. 1t Is seen from this
map that Rono crossed tho Littc Big Horn, formed
his nrst limo just south Of the crossing And charged
He says
II dcployed, and. with the Rec scouts ia my Ieft
charged down the valley with srcst case fcs about tw,
and halt miles"
Reno. instead Of holding tho ground thus gained
rctreatcd, being hard pressed. The map shows tn,
timber in which he made = temporary stand, and Il
shows too his limo OF retreat back over tho valley
and across tho Lttlo Big Horn and up tho bluffs on
the summit Of which no intrenchcd himself lato IL
tho afternoon.
The map expresses the fact that custsrs to sh
ford he attempted to the Little Big Horn
and attack tho Indians their roar, much longer
than Reno's march, conseq Custcrs assault was
not mado until alter Reno'a Custer's intention was
to sandwich las were) tho main body Of tho Indians
between Reno's and hts forces. He hoped b.
thus pressing ,hcm Two sides-Reno constantly
fighting them and no himself eonstantiy nghtinl
thcm-to dlsconccrt them and crush them at Inst,
His plan is thus seen 10 have boon that Of general
II relieves him from tho aspcrsion OF rashncss. II
must In this connection remembered that Custer
had fought Indians many timcs and had been
beaten by thcm although several occasions he had
encountered moro than thrco sinos number or i.
own troops. He trusted in this to tho foaty
OF his officers, tho bravery OF hs soldiers and hts
genius TO overcome weight OF numbers, as h,
had 80 often done before.
"wK THOUGHT VIZ wENK WHIPPED"
The testimony OF sitting Bull. which am abou, 4
give, is tho more convincing and important from tn
very iact OF the erroneous impression he derives
a 10 tho identity oil she on,cer command OF tn
forces which ssssiled hts camp He con nfounds Rem
with Custer lie supposss that one and the same gen
erai crossed tho Lutte Big Horn where Rono crossed
charged Reno charged. rctrea,cd Reno rcteaict
back over Tho ana hcn pursued the limo OF Gu,
tcrs march, attacked As Custer attacked and fell Al
Custor fclL
"Did you know tho Long Haired Chicfp sskct
| sitting Bull
| mo"