New-York tribune., 1879-03-07
MAJOR RENO at LITTLE BIC HORy

TIE FAVORABLE FINDING or THE COURT oY IN
| CURRY APPROVED BY THE GENERAL or TIE
ARMY AND THE SECRETARY OP WAR.
WAsHINGToN, March G.-The Court Of Inquir,
which was formed lin accordance with the wish d,
Major Reno to investigate the conduct of the batt.
Of Little Big Horn. when Custer was massaered
reported recently favorably to Major Reno. tn,
report has now been fully approved. 1t is as fol.
| lows:
The Court Of Inquiry assembled by Special Orders Yo
255 dated Headquarters OF the Army Washing gton, S
vembcr 2j 1873. report IN obcdienco TO met order The
following FAC involving the conduct OF Major Marc1,
| A. Reno I'm Cavalry. in regard to the battle Of The
! Little 81, Horn fought June p and 26' 1876.
First On the morning Of the 25th Of June, 1875 he
IN cavalry Lieutenant Colonel @. 4. Custer command
! ing. operating against hostile Indians IN Montana
Territory near the Little Big Horn River was divided
to tour battali0ns two OF which were commanded by
Colonel Custer in person. with the exception oi one
cnmplny IN charge Of the pack trai0, one by Major
| Reno. and one by Captain +. w Benteen. This d.
| vision took place about twelve TO hteen miles
! from the scene of the battle or battts aitersaTd
fought The column nm Ter Captain BcuteFn received
orders to move the left fr an indefinite stance TO
the first and second valeys) to hunL indsns, ana With
orders to charge any It mgnt meet with Tue baiuoa
under Major Reno received orders to ara" on, OF The
coumn, ard. doug sO marched parallel 10 ana 0nly
short distance from the column conahded " Co'one
Seeond-About three or four miles from what after
vrd was found 20 be the Little BIZ Horn River. where
the fighting took place MAJOR Keno rc.'seu oreels 70
coming mp with the Indians, who were IepOri, neSne
he would charge them and drive everything be ore hn
ana would receive the support Of the cOiumh uhaet
Colonel Custer 60,
Thrd-In obedience TO the orders given Nv CGioas
Custer) Captain Benteen marched 70 the leIt ,oLh
an angle Of about 439, but meeting an lmpraeu'aes
country. was forced by 1t TO malch more 10 Is lga!
than the angle above indicated. and never approaching
parallel TO the trail followed by the rest 0t lie
Tourth|Maior Reno in obedience to the orders givea
him. moved at fast trOt on the man Ihtlah tfan,
gn, reaching the M e e Bg moments Sp ho o fcoTm TT S u:
baitanOn. After reforming. he marched the battalion
forward toward the Indian village down the stream, or
northery direcuon-tWo compahes III nn I,e tn ,b ol
battle and one supUOr-unul about hal-Wdy I'd me
'front.' where be finally halted, wAen ne DtOuEnt ne
company I'm reserve Onward 10 hnr Oi i nati'e ,,r
tho movement at last trOt or gal0p unt aiter pd''hg
T,onnfed 70 aght on foot point of timber upon
| ynicn the right Hank OF MS DattalOh Vts'eu' AIld
hgnuug in tnls formation less than nan an hour' .le
Indians rassIng to his lett aud appearing on his
/ slOrmsh line was WnhCiaWu 10 the tinher,
an anu forfv-yye minutes 10 a-wh'n command.
nearly all OF II, mounted formed anu q. Ialm
TIver I'm mis- movement officer and about ski n
sol iers aud citizens were lett IN the WOODS Dese one
vnuuded man or more, cltiZ us ana thirteen s!d II
r"inin the command afterward In tins retreat Asig
Reno's battalion lost some twenty nine men ~ SHSg
| ana wounded aud three Oncels' ihoiuuhs III De hoH
F;Jt5-Ip the meantime Captain Benteen having car
! RED out as far piactcable, lhe spIit " Us
ordrs inrned III The direction OF the route taken By
the remainder of the regiment ana feaC,uE tne slsl'
followed II to near the crossng OF Tue i'if DS ho,a &
arriving there about the same time MAYOR hhOs eOu
mand was crossing the river III retreat 10" ~ 40" 4, Sa
many y lUseu n,nntrs or an hour later tho pack taa
which nad left behind on the tran 3y INe iapa
,,,rch ~. i"pe the united command, which then COP
sisted oi seven companies, tOSctr WIN too' os
! thrty-1ye men belonging To the coinp"D'' uNu''
Sirh-Aiter detaohiug Benteen's and Renos columns
| C,In,el Custer moved with his immediate command IN
trail followed by Reno to point within ABOUT one Io
of he river, where he diverged 70 tle Ish tt "1 w.
warCl following the general direction Oi the flftI
MONT about four miles below that attciWaTu ,dA,u
Major Reno where he anu ms command were uesuo3Ja
/ Iu.F 4 a
Tumpeter Martin. left Colonel Clusters con nal n"os
II was bout two miles distant nom the held "GcIe y
aftprvArd met IT'S fate. There Is nothing more ~ c.
Gence as to this command save mat hrnS Mas rIa p
proceeding from It's direction rom about tie @ l I iO
rereatd frOm the bottom up 10 the Dne tne ptA am
was appI0ac.1g 'u @ concluded before the hnsl
| preparations OF Major KenUs command Ior 'no '"o'N
| Inri which aierward attempted. ,,,., md n
,r"nsr nroyislon for the wounded men. Major RenOs
entire command wed down tue river III Tue l'ccoa
- ~ thrnght CIlster's column had TAKEN and IN when
il was known GeneralTerr command was 20 DC ounu
This movement carried out suhcehty 10 ul.eOsSI
49, its CONTINUANCE would lmuerl tie ent re- command
mon which IL returned to the position former y oecu
| Med and made a successful resistance ulI eutcOt
reached IT, The defence Of the position on tue M was
officers throughout was e1cellent; anu HnIe & V ~ ~
dnaes m some instances did NOR for the Saety o tuo
command by brilliant displays Of courage thdu ud MVoI
Reno tnere nothing IN his cOnoucl WHICH t'quHV'
tuiuadyersiOn from this court - - 4,
0otog-iti ia the conclusion OF this court, IN view OF
all he evidence. maj no lurthrr 'iS IN
necessary IN this cas and 1t expresses TINS op mon ~
compliance with the concluding clause ot the oruer con-
JOuS H. KING, Colonel 9th Infantry, President
J. NJ LEE. FIRST Lieutenant aud AdJutant' s'h lh'ahfy'
RecOruer.
General Sherman makes the following indorse'
ment:
The findings OF the court Of inquiry In the case OF
Mior Reno are approved. and the proceedings are ie
snrrrfuiIy forwarded TO the Honorable Secretary OF
War.
The final Endorsement is as follows:
The proceedings and findings are approved by Oraef
OF the President. - 10.
- sEORGE W. MCCRARr, Secretary OF War