, 1879-02-02
The Day Spent in Examining
Capt. Benteen.
How It Was He Came to Join Reno.
The Custer Battlefield,
The Night on the Hill---Conduct
Of His Superior Officer.
Uselessness Of Any Attempt to Try to
Relieve Custer.

RlTsuanf to adjournment There W2a large
amber OF spectators than usual, includiu
several ladies.
After tile reading Of the minutes, Col. Ben
teen WAS called to the witness chair.
He stated that his name was
FREDERICK WILLIAM BENrRxN.
He was Captain in the Seventh Cavalry, and
Breyet-Colosel in the United States army. Il
testified that on the morning Of the 25th he VA
with tustcr and Reno at the mouth Of th
Little Big Rom. He rected the circumstance
Of the scouts reporting to Gen. Custer that tn
Indians were close bY, etc Custer ex
pressed belief that this was mistake, as b.
had looked through bis glass aud could see II
Indians. The company commanders were in
structed that one non-commissioned officer ant
SIX men from each company should 20 with th'
pack-traIn, and no more. Bcnteep, for formal
ity's sake: went to his First Sergeant and gayt
his directions, which also Included that eycr1
man should have 100 rounds Of cartridges il
his belt and in bis saddlc-baes. He reported tt
Custer that his orders lad been carried out.
Witness received orders from the General tt
take his column OF three companies, which hac
been apportioncd to him in the division, and &C
Away to the left to line OF bluffs. The Chief
Trumpeter brought him Instructions that il
he found nothing at the first line Of bluffs to
ride to the second. he aftcrward received m
ORDER through the scrgeant-Major to tie effect
that he snoult 70 to the first valley, if he found
one, and if he found nothing there: to 60 on to
tic next valley, and take everything that he
found in his war. BE went off to the left, as
directed, several miles; but as be fonnn no
Indians and no valleys, he concluded that it was
A. fa;r ToHS in thar
direction, as the country had no facilities for
TIL IT, He had been ordered, also, By Gen.
Custer, to send m officer and SONIC
These reported back, and stated tfnt there was
10 change in the country for miles ahead, and
witness thought it his duty to return to the
n.a.u co1uprn. &c accordingly started back
upoa his trail, and shortly afterwards struck
,,,r trail OF Custer. He came to a tepee in
which he found dead warrior. In due time
he NET AN ORDERLY WITH A COMMAND
regarding the disposition of the pack train.
Witness read the orders, and directed the order
!; 20 take it to Capt McDougal1, as he had
nothing to do with Il himself. Afterwald be
met Trumreter John Martin with an
l,s command, as the Indians were in
sight and warm work was anticipated, or words
IL that effect Subsequently. witness met some
body who told him there was no use in hurry
luI. as the Indians were uylnE.
Later witness, who was riding hundred or
mere yards ahead with his orderly, saw Reno
and his men engaged with the Indians The
latter were charging and rechargirg through
the ranks of the men, He at first thought that
the whole regiment was engaged, and BY the
that the troops were getting thrashed. lie af-
terrard saw Reno retreatiDg across the river,
and he afterwarl met Reno on the hill.
In reply to questions by tile Recorder, wit
ness stated that be thought the Indians discoy-
cred him about tie same time that he saw them
-ou the hill; un the stream. This probably
checked tie indians in their pursuit. When be
saw Reno, be asked him
FHE KNEW WHERE CUSTER WAS.
Reno replied that he did not, that he hnd given
him orders to charge the Indians across the
plains, telling him that be would be supported
BY ie whole quilt. 2nee e tat time ne e n1 had
conversation with Maj. Reno, his (Benteen's)
command had not yet come M. He had been
ahead all the time The troops did not FOL
low witness when be rode down to-
to sec what vas going on. At the time be saw
the Indians be thought there we're 500 Or 1000
Of them. At first be thought they were Il 'skcdad-
ding nut subsequently he was under the i'm
preston that this was not the case [l-aughter.]
Witness said he heard 1ring down in the bot
to,n and down the river after he had arrived at
he hill with Reno. He had heard dispute
among the officers since as to whether the firing
was in vollers; but, rs for himself, lie heard no
Folieys. a11er ne EoI Hltu ne'o, ~, Eapt- wen
ha!!,ed out, IS he thou6ht, IN nj OF nravado,
as could be, expected under the circumstances
--oul; hc YVES little "b!o~ed" BY coming up
tie ii1l aud he had lost his hat in the run.
Mai. Reno smiled at this.
Atter"s:1 ny cennaana went. ~ Gown 70 ne
hlch pohr !aken of eaps. "eif; hcre tne
troops were of1sen oack' and could 60 no 1uf-
the;.
14eHs. ~ LeeDo ?ou not tulne tlla1 lug eoH
m:As VI stcno coao nave gone Gown IN the dl-
fe' <sen - !" n'eH soa neaF1 .Ae At!as:
"1Ioess &Acoo1sA1sf eou1o' o"1
WE WOULD ALL. HAVE HEES THERE XEE.
fLaucbter.1
-tCould not the whole command have gone
down there to the point where you afterWari
vent at the time you heard the fIipg?"
mo. sir, We should all have been killed. We
could 60 no further than the point taken by
Cap.- Weir, where VIC were driven bacls.''
During The return OF Reno, on his retreat,
witness thought the Ma jor WAS doing his best
to take care OF his men the best he could Wiz
ness explained that nc perhaps exceeded his
2utoof11y nitnseu. az sent company oack 10
ox';e @hac tla 1,ge;t If 9ht, 1n';;ans 80 "a
@ar 49,, a;.erwa-d hn eou al 4ho 1rc..1a cr,,.
~ ~, ~ Xii nh 1ha connanr ha ha5 az
n;55,s.,f 1rs+1, 1hor .rhc1, no SOM ran+ GnnD
+"a' ~ ~ hid ano+hcr h;1 tei,;ng h;~, 1ta+
H. o'.d IN snnnnrt ati ,,,d ,ai,sn ra-s ~ h,,. ="
ND ~, 11nfil the trnnns conId he for,e5
~, 1afa,se @N~N