Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-01
REEO's RUN.
How He ls Declared TO Have soamperea
From the Indians.

A special dispatch from Chicago,
dated the 9th, says:
The 18th day Of the Reno trial
opened with some fresh testimony,
George Hesendeen, an experienced
scout, was placed on the stand. This
witness said he was a scout and courier
with General Custer on the 18th of
June, 1876, accompanying Reno's col
umn he had been in several engage
ments with the redskins concerning
Clusters order to Reno the witness
testified that as he overheard it it was
in effect that Reno should lead out
and Custer should follow him they
we're not opposed BY Indians as they
went down the bottom to estimate
the distance of the Indians from them
after the skirmish line was formed,
the witness, Girard and another scout
all took aim at one Indian, but the
bullets fell short; he thought the In
dams we're from 200 to 900 yards away
Just as the retreat was about to begin
the witness rode up close to the major;
a volley was fired by the hostiles
Bloody Knife, the Indian scout, some
ten feet ahead, fell dead from his
horse. .
Major Reno had ordered the men to
dismOunt then, Immediately, he or
dered them to mount again, and every
body ran for his life; the retreat was
Just as fast as spurs would make an
American horse 60; witness followed
the command as rapidly as he could
everybody was running for his life
the horse of witness fell, throwing
him, and perhaps twenty Indians
stumbled over him witness then
started back for the timber as he did
so the men we're still coming out of
the timber, and he heard an officer
say, Company 4, halt; for Gods
sake do not run the halt was not
effected witness got back to the tim
Der and found some men mounted and
some dismounted he advised these to
turn back to the timber and try to
lead the Indians off; they did 50, and
the party took up a position in the
timber they remained there two hours
and were not molested by the Indians;
the men had plenty of ammunition
they were scared at first, but got over
it and proposed to fight.
Down the river he heard the sound
of firing in v%olleys, in the direction OF
the Custer battlefield that firing
lasted an hour over where Reno was,
however, he heard during that time
only scattering shots probably Custer
was half a mile beyond Reno's Hill
when the major began his retreat the
Custer battlefield was about two miles
from the same point late in the after
noon the witness left the timber, and
eleven soldiers, three Of whom were
wounded, and joined Reno; they left
two men behind; in getting Outtheye en-
cOnnteredhye Indians, upon whOmthey
fired, and the redskins ran; crossing
the river (the water up to their necks)
they saw the troops on the bill Lieu
tenant Varnum came down to meet
them the only conversation he had
with Major Reno was that evening.
when he interpreted for Half yellow
Face, of whom Reno asked what the
Indians appeared to be doing the
witness could not say who appeared Il
be exercising command; the witness
estimated the number of fighting In.
dams at $500; witness said empliati.
cally that he did not believe that the
Indians could HAYS driven Reno from
the timber had he remained there he
did not think that the Indians could
have driven one hundred men with
5000 or 5000 rounds Of ammunition
out of the timber where Reno's com.
mand was.
Mr., Gilbert then examined the wit
ness. The order which the witnes,
saw delivered to Reno to cross the
river and charge the Indians wa,
given by General Custer in person
the witness did not see Colonel Cook
the adjutant, deliver any such order
After the witness had rehearsed the
narrative of his adventures up to the
time when he rode out into the glade
and saw Major Reno's men mounted
he testified that Major Reno, after he
gave the order for retreat, rode very
fast through the timber; he saw
nothing of Reno in the timber except
when he gave the two orders i'm IN,
glade.
When Mr.. Gilbert had finished tn,
cross-examination, Lieutenant lie,
extracted a lite more direct testimony
and Colonel Merritt asked the witnes,
if he went over the battle field tn,
next day after the massacre. Th,
witness said he did not he was quit,
positive that no fighting occurred a
tho place where Custer was supposed
to have attempted so cross the river
for he would have heard the friuq