The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-18
THE RENO INVESTIGATION.
CLOSE OF THE EXAMINATION OF LIEUTENANT
WALLACE THE FAMOUS INDIAN SCOUT,
GIRARD IN THE WITNESS cHAIR-wHAT HE
HEARD AND SAW.

HEARD AND SAW.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
CHICAGO Ill., Jan. II. 1879.
Judging from the attendance the Reno investiga-
ton grows daily in popular interest. To-day the
spectators crowded close up to the witness stand and
the counsels table, while strong rear force occu.
pied the hallway. During most of the session Lieu
tenant Wallace under fire of questions. but was
as composed in manner during the two preceding
days. Comparatively few additional points. how
ever. elected and the interest Of the audience
increased perceptbly when the scout, Frank Girard
sworn.
Major Rcno's counsel at the opening of the court
begged permission to put a few questions supple
mental to his of the witness the
day before.
Mr.. Gilbert-Dd Major Reno lose any time in NOV
ing from the hilltop in the direction in which Lieu
tenant Colonel Custer afterward found after the
pack train had come up?
Witness-No SIR do not think he did; ammuni
ton had to be distributed after the train came up
and it is my impression that he went as soon as he
could practically do so.
Mr. Gilbert Bearing in mind the belt of timber
you had to and the hill you had to climb. was
the point the bluffs that Major Reno occupied
well situated for procuring water as any he could
have reached under those circumstances?
Witness-well, it is my opinion that it was.
Mr.. Gilbert asked the witness how soldier
he regarded the separation by General Custer
Of his forces into different divisions. To this
the Recorder objected on the ground that General
Clusters conduct was not being considered Mr..
Gilbert then called attention to that Of Captain
Whttaker's letter which said that Major Reno's was
the only official report of the battle and that libel
lousy reflected upon General Clusters generalship in
dividing his forces. Further discussion followed.
At length the court was ordered to be closed. The
decision which reached after considerable delay,
CUsTERs ORDER.
In reply to the Recorder the witness said that the
time OF day at which Lieutenant Cook gave General
Clusters order to charge the Indians was. he be-
lieved quarter after two O'Clock in the afternoon;
the commands of Major Reno and Captain Benteen
Joined at the hill an hour and half later the time
Lieutenant Cook delivered the order from General
column; General Custer was probably fighting
when Reno and Benteen met; the amount
of ammunition Reno's men had when he began his
retreat across the river he was unable to state;
there was then no complaint of q lack of ammuni-
ton; before Or during the fight the witness sup
posed that Captain Benteen to the left and rear;
he did not know whether not General
Clusters order, in which he said support
would be given them referred to Captain Benteen: he
supposed however. that General Custer himself in
tended to support Major Reno in his statement that
the troops under Major Reno were not well dis
cient, but should have been drilled more than they
were; Lieutenant McInnes' map the witness consid-
cred the best he had but by it he would be
unable to recognize the country the relative positions
were sufficiently accurate, but the topography not
at all correctly Indicated; Reno in both
the timber and skirmish line, but he could not say
how often in crossing the bottom the witness himself
had assisted a wounded man to keep up as did also
Others he did not know who was the first officer to
cross the river the retreat during that retreat
twenty-seyen men were killed; he did not know
and left on the field; Major Reno led the
column that went down to the position
occupied by Captain wer; the witness
OF Indians as that which Composed the
village they attacked; from information he had
ceived from Indians witness based his belief that
there 5000 warriors; there were 800 lodges,
five six warriors to each lodge besides many wick
Der of the women and children. This finished Lieu
tenant Waace's testimony.
SCOUT GrRARD's STORY.
After recess of few minutes Lieutenant
Lee next called Girsrd the famous Indian
scout He is quite ordinary looking man. in
hr WIS shor a pp s mo- falcon eyo ashea be
meath dark eyebrows" and his face was neither
weather beaten nor sunburnt. The witness said that
on the morning of the 18th he serving under the
Immediate orders Of General Custer; that the Gen.
eral ordered him to join Major Reno with his scouts
the interpreter had discovered that morning and had
informed General Custer by hallooing to him
devils" About eleven O'Clock on the evening OF the
oath General Custer called the witness tn him and
told him to take two Indian scouts, Half Yellow Face
and Bloody Knife, with him and ride with General
Custer at the head Of the column; in conversation
with the General the witness told him that he be-
lieved there were 25OO Indians in that vicinity: the
General did not wish much attention given on the
march to small bodies Of Indians but to attack only
the large forces the order given on that morning to
Major Reno by General Custer the witness over
heard; it was. Pursue the indians charge them
when found. and We will support you" adding also.
"Take the scout with you;" General Clusters col
umn and that of Major Reno were nearly parallel
to each other and nearly together about twelve clock
that day; somewhat later the interpreter seeing
Indians ahead rode back to report to General CUSTER
meeting Colonel Cook he gave the report to him and
then went back to Major Reno. The witness then
described the advance of Major Reno's column and
went into minute detail, describing how and when he
took glass of whiskey with Reynolds. another scout
Some time after the skirniish line formed and
the witness saw the Indians to the East; riding to
the top of knoll. he saw Reynolds partially thrown
from his horse. being dragged by the stirrups the
scout had lost his carbine and the witness him
more alive; G.rard himself FASTENED to the
timber to defend himself best he could: after the
witness met Colonel Cook he in few minutes
again with Major Reno; enemy opposed the
advance OF the column; the skrmish line formed
before the first Indian reached IL; which side fred
the first shot the witness unable to state
AT this point an adjournment was taken until to-
morrow, when the examination of the same witness
will be continued.