The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-13
IS INDICATED,
Reinstated in His Command and
Warmly Defended by Secre-
tary Proctor.
Con. 6choheld, the Secretary and
the President Concur In
the Action.

Lu0 k1CtlOAs
Report of Gen. Miles on the Conduct Of
Col. Forsythc at Wounded
Knee Creek.
WAsHIEoroN, Feb, 12.--Ths secretary OF
war to-day made public the report Of tho
investigation Of the battle at Wounded
Knse, particularly with reference TO Col.
Forsythe's conduct on that occasion. The
record OF the court Of inquiry is endorsed
by Major General Miles, under date OF Chi
cago, Jan. 81. He says in part: "Col. For
sythe had received repeated warnings as to
the desperate and deceitful character OF
Big Foots band Of Indians, and repeated
orders as to the exercise Of constant Wig
ilance to guard ngninst surprise or disaster
under all circumstances. These warnings
and orders were nnheeded and disregarded
by Col. Forsythe. He had been warned
that this particular band contained many OF
the most desperate and deceitful characters
in the Sioux nation and that the religious
excitement had made them peculiarly dan
gerons. Under these circumstances the ap-
parent Indifference and insecurity of the
officer in command of the troops at Wound
cd knsc is incomprehensible and inexcus-
able. Not asinRle company was so disposed
as to deliver it's fire upon the warriors with
out endagsriDg the lives Of some of their
own comrades. II is difficult to conceive
how worse disposition Of troops could be
made. The testimony goes to show that
most Of the troops were forced to withhold
their fire, leaving the b,unt of the affair to
fall upon two companies. until such war
riors as had not been killed broke through
or oyerpowered the small force
directly about them, and reach
ed the camp occupied by the
women and children. The battery of four
Hot chkiss guns had, until then, been as
useless, the friction of the primers having
been removed from the guns by order of
the ca plain commanding the battery, lest
the gunners might. in their excitement,
di gcharge the pieces and destroy their own
comr ades. These guns were now opened
upon the Indian camp, even at that time
placing in peril troops G and ID, Seventh
cavalry, which we're obliged to retreat for
Some distance, owing to tho fire from these
portions of the command.
"Ihe fact that a large number of the 1876
| warriors were without firearms when the
| outbreak occurred, 10 shown by evidence
| that FRS efpht eusis had been taken from
the tepees, and pers nal search Of twenty
ing them unarmed. This fact,
taken in connection with the extremely
! iuiudicious disposition Of troops. and the
| large number OF casualties among them,
constrains belief that some casualties were
suffered at the hands of our own men. The
fatal disposition of troops WAS such as at
tho outset to countcract in great measure
immense disparity of strength, and would
| have been inexcusabIe in the face of an
armed and desperate foe, even had no
especial warnings and orders been received
from higher authority. can only par
neglect of Col. Forsythe upon the theory of
his Indifference to and contempt for re-
peated and urgent warnings and orders re-
| ceived by him, from the division comman-
der. or by his incompetence and entire in
experience in the responsibility of exercis
ing command where judgment and discre
| tion are required.
II also forward herewith the report Of
Capt. Baldwin, Fifth infantry. concerning
! the finding OF bodies of women and child.
rem three miles from the scene of the en-
gagement on Wounded Knee creek. This
report indicates the natnre of some of the
results of the unfortunate affair, results
which are viewed with the strongest disap-
proval by the undersigned. tSigned)
"NEIsoN A. MILES.
"Mai.-Gen. Commanding'
Gen. cchofield submitted the Gaze to the
secretary of war, with the endorsement that
the interests of the service do not demand
! pension. In his Judgment tho conduct of
the regiment wns we'll worthy of the COM
mcndation bestowed upon it by him in the
first telegram after the engagement. In
returning the papers to the major general
commanding the secretary reviews the test ].
%ony as on TO the desperate and AND
sullen character Of their bands. He says it
was manifestly imperntively necessary. to
| prevent the escaue of these desperadOes 8
during the process OF disarming. The
troops appeared to have been we'll disposed
to prevent an outbreak which was not, and
could hardly have been, anticipated in
dealing with the Indians. Tne secretary
! says: Nothing illustrates the madness OF
an outbreak more forciby than the fact
| that their first fire was 30 directed that
every shot that did not hit soldiers must
have gone through their own village. There
in little doubt that the first killing OF
women and children was by this first fire OF
the Indians themselves. They then mad.
a rush TO break through and around the
flanks of troop X, commanded by gallant
Capt. Wallace, and reached the tepees
where many OF them mad left their arms
with squaws. and continued the firing from
among their own women AMI children, and
when they started from their camp their
women and children were mingled with
them. The women and children were
never away from the immediate company
| of the men after the latter broke from the
circle. Many of them, men and womf n.
got on their ponies. and IL ia impossible ia
distinguish buck from squaw Mt little
distance, when mounted. The men fired
| from among tho women and children in
their retreat. Cautions were repeatedly
given by both officers and non-commis.
stoned not to shoot Bquaws or children.
| and men were cautioned individually that
| such and such Indians were squaws. Fir
ing by troops was entirely directed on
/ men in tho circle and in the di-
rcciion opposite from the tepees
| until the Indians. after their break, mingled
with their women and children. thus expos
ing them to the fire of the troops. and as II
consequence some were unnyoidGbly killed
| ard wounded, fact universally regretted
by the officers and men of the Seventh
| cavalry.
mo doubt the position Of the troops made
il necessary for some OF them to withhold
| fire for time in order not TO endanger tho
lives OF comrades but both Major Kent and
Capt. Baldwin concur in finding that the
ev dcncc fails to establish that n single man
of Col. Forsythe's command was killed or
wounded by his fellows. This fact, and.
indeed. the conduct Of both officers and men
throughout the whole affair. demonstrates
uCu~ 49,. utaAx