The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-13
Reinstated to the Command
Of His Regiment.
Findings Of the Secretary Of War on
the Battle Of Wounded Knee.
General Niles Endorsement of the Court
oi Inquiry DiSapprOYed-PraiSe for
The Seventh Cavalry.
Special to THE MoRSINa CAz1


WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The Secretary of
war to-day made public the, report of the
investigation of the battle of Wounded Knee,
particularly with reference to Colonel For
syth's conduct on that occasion. The
record OF the court of inquiry is indorsed
by Major Miles, under date of Chi
eago. January 31st.
He says il part: "Colonel Forsyth had
received repeated warnings as to the des-
perate and deceitful character of Big Foot's
pand OF Indians, and repeated orders to ex-
ercise constant vigilance to guard against
surprise or disaster under all circumstances.
These warnings and orders were unheeded
and disregarded by Colonel Forsyth. He
had been warned that this particular band
contained many of the most desperate and
deceitful characters of the Sioux nation, and
their religious excitement made them dau-
gerOus.
DISPOSAL OF THE TROOPS.
Under these circumstances the apparent
indifference and feeling of security of the
officer in command of the troops at Wounded
Knee is incomprehensible and inexcusable
Not single company was so disposed as
10 deliver its IRE upon the warriors without
endangeTlng the lives of some of their own
comrades. 1t is difficult to conceive how q
worse disposi tion of troops could be made
The testimony goes to show that most of the
troops were forced to withhold their fire,
leaving the brunt of that affair to fall upon
two companies, until such warriors as had
not been killed broke through or overpow-
cred the small force directly about them
and reached the camps occupied by the
women and children.
A USELESS BATTERY.
"The battery of four Hotchkss guns had
until then been as useless the friction
primers having been removed from the guns
by order of the captain commanding the
battery, lest the gunners might, in their ex-
element, discharge the pieces and destroy
their own comrades. These guns were now
opened upon the Indian camp, even at that
time placing in peril Troops c and d, Sew
enlh Cavalry, which were obliged to retreat
for some distance, owing to the fire from
these guns and from the small arms of other
portions Of the command. The fact that a
large number of the 1o6 warriors were with
out firearms when the outbreak occurred Is
shown by the evidence that forty-eight guns
had been taken from the tepees and a per-
suited in finding them unarmed.
This fact, taken in connection with the
extremely injudicious disposition of troops
ana the large number OF casualties among
them, eonstrains the belief that some of the
white casualties were suffered at the hands
OF our own men.
CONTEMPT FOR ORDERS
Tie disposition of troops was such as at
the outset to countersct, in great measure,
the immense disparity of strength, and
would have been ineXcusable in the face of
the armed and desperate foe, even had no
especial WARNINGS and orders being received
from higher authority. | can only partially
account for the singular apathy and neglect
OF olonel Forsyth upon the theory of his
indifference 10 and contempt tor the repeated
ana urgent warnings and orders received by
him from the division commander, or by his
incompetence and entire ineXperience in
the responsibility of exercising command
were judgment and discretion are required.
CAPTAIN BALDwIN's REPORT.
81 also forward herewith report OF Cap
tain Baldwin, Fifth Infantry, concerning
the finding OF bodies of women and children
three miles from the scene of the engage
ment on Wounded Knee Greek. This re-
port indicates the nature OF some of the re-
suits of the unfortunate affair, results
which are viewed with the strongest disap-
proval by the undersigned.
NELSON A. MILES,
"Major-General Commanding"
sCHoFIELD's ENDORSEMENT.
General Seh0field submitted the case to
the Secretary of War, with the Endorsement
that the Interests of the service do not de-
mand the longer continuance of Colonel
Forsyth's suspension. In his Judgment
the conduct OF the regiment was well worthy
OF the commendation bestowed upon it in
his first telegram after the engagement.
SECRETARY PRoCToR's OPINION.
In returning the papers to the Major
General commanding, the Secretary reviews
the testimony as to the surrender, and COM
mentS on the desperate and sulle character
OF the band.
He says it was manifestly imperative and
necessary to prevent the escape of these
desperadoes during the process of disarm-
ing The troops appeared to have been
well disposed to prevent an outbreak,
which was not aud could hardly have been
anticipated, even in dealing with Indians.
The Secretary says: Nothing illustrates
the madness of the outbreak more forcibly
than the fact that their first fire was so di-
reeted that every shot that did not hit the
soldiers must have gone through their own
village. There is little doubt that the first
killing of women and children was by this
first fire of the Indians themselves. They
then made a rush to break through and
around the flank of Troop X, commanded by
the gallant Captain Wallace. and reached
the tepees where many of them had left
firing from among their own women and
children. and when they started from their
camp their women and children were min
gled with them.
ALL WERE TOGETHER.
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 women, got ON their
ponies, and 1t is impossible to distinguish
buck from squaw at little distance when
mounted. The men fired from among the
women and children i'll their retreat. Cau-
tons were repeatedly given by both the Off
GERS and nop-rnmmissioned not to shoot the
squaws or children, and the men were eau
toned Individually that such and such In
dians were squaws.
The firing of the troops was entirely di-
rected on the men in the circle and in di-
rectlon opposite from the tepees. until the
Indians, alter their break, mingled with
their women and children, thus exposing
them TO the fire of the troops, aud as II con-
sequence some were uuavoidably killed and
wounded, fact universally regretted by the
ofhcers and men Of the Seventh Cavalry,
THE INDIANS ALONE TO BLAME.
This unfortunate phase of affairs grew out
OIL circumstances for which the Indians
themselves were entirely responsible. Major
Whiteslde emphatically declares that at
least nifty shots were Tired by the Indians
before the troops returned the fire. Several
special instances of humanity in the saving
oil women and children were noted.
:. No doubt the position of the troops made
1t necessary for some of them to withhold
their fire for time in order not to endanger
the lives of their comrades, but both Major
Kent and Captain Baldwin concur in finding
that the evidence fails TO establish that a
single man of Colonel Forsyth's command
was killed or wounded by his fellows. This
fact, and indeed the conduct of both officers
and men through the whole affair, demon
strates an exceedingly satisfactory state of
discipline in the Seventh Cavalry. Their
behavior was characterized by Skill cool
ness, discretion and forbearance and reflects
the highest possible credit upon the regi-
ment, which sustained loss Of one officer
and twenty-five enlisted men killed, and
three officers and thirty-two enlisted men
wounded.