The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-17
Investigate 1t Fully.

In another column we publish o letter
from -"An American Citizen" in which
suggestion is made that merits the attention
of Congress In September, 1876, the
HERALD correspondent in the Indian Terri
tory called attention to the unreliability Of
the official account of the Battle of the Little
Big Horn, in which Custer lost his life, and
made public in our columns q number Of
alleged facts Of the most grave and serious
nature, at the same time calling upon the
government to investigate that sod event.
The nature of our correspondents allega-
tons called for prompt investigation, yet
years have been allowed to pass by the au-
thorities at Washington without any action
being taken to clear up the mystery sur
rounding Clusters death and, more signifi-
can't still, none OF the actors in that terrible
drama have during all this time attempted
to challenge the correctness of our cor
respondents statements or relieve them
selves from the grave responsibility with
which he charged them until the present
moment, when court has assembled to in
vestigate Major Reno's conduct In the let
erly pointed out that something more than
an inquiry into the conduct of Major Reno is
needed-a full and searching investigation
of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. In
order to satisfy public sentiment the in
quiry into this catastrophe, which cost the
country hundreds Of gallant lives, must be
searching and complete, and now that the
military authorities have at length moved
in the matter we hope they will not pause
until the whole truth is made known.
This is due no less to the character of
the officers who were actors in the tragedy
than to the public. We value the high
character of our army officers, and feel that
every effort should be made to vindicate
their reputation where anything which
savors of dishonor is even suspected
| 1t is not too much to say that the
| country has never been fully satisfied
| that all the actors in the Little Big
Horn fight did their duty, and if the
honor to the army it should be done at
once. But this can only be accomplished
by such ON investigation as will bring all
the facts to ligh. and satisfy the public con-
science that every effort was made by Gus
ters subordinates to aid their chief il the
hour of his need. The present impression is
that such efforts were not made, and the evil
dence given by Lieutenant Mcguire before
the Chicago Court Of Inquiry tends to
strengthen the belief that all was not done
which might have been done to rescue Gus
ter from the hands Of his savage foes. AS
the Chicago court is only one Of inquiry,
and not charged with the trial of any indi-
vidual, it would be easy for the War De-
partment to modify or supplement the or
der converting the court, and to charge it
with that general and exhaustive inquiry
into the conduct of every detachment COM
manded during the Battle of the Little Big
Horn, which alone can fix responsibility
where it belongs. If the department neg
lects OF declines to do this Congress should
promptly take steps toward rescuing repu-
tations unjustly suspected whether those
who bear them are living or dead.