The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30
MAJOR RENO's CASE.
FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE FREDERICKSBURG
TENANT DE RUDTo AND SERGEANT DAvERN
TELL WHAT THEY KNOW OF THE MATTER.

FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE PRocEEDINGs-LrEr-
TENANT DE RUDro AND SERGEANT DAvERN
TELL WHAT THEY KNOW OF THE MATTER.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
CHICAGO. Jan. 30 1879.
The fifteenth day OF the Reno trial opened with a
larger number of spectators than usual number
of ladies' who occupied seats Immediately behind
tho judges, appeared to enter into the spirit of the
proceedings with much interest as old soldiers.
Lieutenant Charles G. De Rudio was the first wit.
ness called. He is a small man. with forid
plexion wavy iron gray hair. mustache and imperial
He spoke with marked Italian accent He testified
that he First Lieutenant of the Seventh cavalry
now serving at Fort Meade; he recounted the well
known facts regarding the division of Clusters
forces. and Reno's orders to advance upon the
Indians: he described the crossing of the river.
saying that he wel.rememberel that Reno the
first into the river; he tthe witness) had stub
born horse. which would not plunge in ut first but
when it did so he rendered to have spattered water
upon Major Reno, who was ahead of him; he saw
some few Indians down the bottom; Major Reno
ten fifteen yards ahead of him, and he 1.-THE wit
ness that officer attempting to check the horses
OF his men, the animals, being green in the
vice, were considerably excited The command moved
at gallop for about two miles and half. when the
Indians opened fire upon the troops; Major Reno
then ordered the men to halt and deploy; the order
was given very nicely and the witness was
the circumstances. The witness with his finger
drew in the dust on the table top map of the tim
Lieutenant Wallace called his attention a body OF
Indians going around at the left and how he went
with squad of men to meet them.
RETREAT "DEMoRALIZED."
The Majors retreat was. he said. demoralized
one; he himself left in the timber; it then
about two O'Clock. for he looked at his watch it was
not till the morning of the 27th that he Joined Reno
the Goth the Indians set fire to the woods in
which he was concealed; the man with him and
himself took refuge in some bushes which
green, and by stamping the fire out with their
guns as it approached succeeded in remaining
there till the flames had passed by later in the day
the whole Indian village passed by them, Of its
members passing within fifty sixty yards; in the
night he and his companion waded the stream and,
cautiously advancing, ut last found Reno's men; tho
number of Indians the witness estimated at 1000;
the witness thought Reno's position threatened the
Indian village, because it was very and required
force Of Indians to protect it, he saw Major Keno
for about ten minutes the skirmsh line, and he
acting Splendid so were the other officers and
the men.
A HAIRBREADrH EscPAE.
On the morning Of the 10th at break of day tho
witness heard party of mounted men. Indians.
the water and the rafting of the ponies hoofs
the stones; they filed up on the bluff some of them
wore soldiers clothes and in the darkness he mis-,
took them for troops; one OF them was dressed
so much like Captain Thomas Custer that
the witness stepped out of his conceal.
ment, and. throwing up his hands. yelled TOM"
Indian nearest him turned to look, but he
still hidden by some overhanging boughs; other In
dams ahead also turned and looked toward where
they heard his voice. but could not him. he then
stepped forward and gesticuated to show where he
was. calling out Here am. why don't you come
DOWN they uttered YELL and vollcy Of shot came
whistng all about him then he recognized his mis-
take; 1t was party of Indians dressed in the mas
sacred soldiers garments.
On the cross-examination the witness testified that
| he might have gotten out OF the woods with tho
| command had he not fingered few moment to
! gridiron; it was the delay of but few moments
that cut him OFF he thought there should have been
some bugle sound announcing the detail: he thought
| that Major Reno assaulted upon tho hill by
Indians than attacked General Custer He nothing
| indicative of cowardicc on the part OF the Ma
| jor at any time, and thought he displayed
commentable skill in the disposition of his on
| the skirmsn line when Reno ordered the halt and
began to dcpoy the witness said to himself, Good
| for you;' lie thought it would have been unsafe to
| go 500 yards farther down the bottom Mr.. Gilbert
asked witness what the last sight he had Of
Girard the scout At the time OF the retreat Grard
was mounted and the witness was hanging on to the
| tail of the horse; Indian sprung up and said
| ''Ugh upon which Girard set spurs to his horse,
finging witness into bush and disappeared in the
woods; that the last that De Rudio of him.
The witness left the stand amid considerable laughter
RENo's ORDERLY ON THE STAND.
Edward Davern sergeant OF company 4, Seventh
| cavalry, was next called. He orderly to Major
Reno on the morning of the 25th of June, 1876; no
heard Cook give Reno Clusters order; it was to the
effect that Girard had sighted the Indian vilage and
the and attack the Indians; Custer. it said.
| would support him, and the same instructions
had been given to Benteen: the witness, after
the skirmish line deployed, was sent
ont about two hundred yards in advance Of
it; he saw Indians going around to the left
the line; the indians kept growing more numer-
Gus in front: after coming IN the sk,rmsn ,1 line the
he firing at the Indians; he had seen Reno before
on the line; he firing at the Indians then; the
only way he knew of the command to leave the tim
horses the bullets pretty thick then not many
O q company got mounted.