The times., 1897-06-27

1
Indians from knowing Of 1t, he showed
clearly that it was his intention to pnr-
sue the Indians and attack them. IL he said
| anything about his orders it has not been
| recorded.
Custer was hound by gratitude, as well
az by military law, to carry out his COM
mander's instructions. Custer had given
| offense to President Grant, and was sup
posed that this was done In his testi-
mony before the House Committee on Ex-
pend.tures In the War Department in re-
gard To the sale OF post uaderships by
w. w BeIknap. Secretary OF War. The ex-
petition against the Indians had been in
preparation for some time, and Custer was
expected to go with his regiment, if
nos in command of the forces In the field.
But when he left Washington. after his
testimony, President Grant telegraphed
Sheridan at Chicago to have him detained
He was detained, but afterward permitted
to go on. Then the President ordered that
Custer should remain in command OF Fort
Abraham Lincoln, but that his regiment
should accompany the expedition. That
this order was made TO punish Custer
there can be no doubt. If this punishment
was inflicted because Of Custer's testi-
unjust. AT any rate, the order would have
been carried out and Custer would have
remained at Fort Lincoln II Terry had not
found Il way to induce the President, who
knew what soldiers feeling must be
when kept at home while his command
was in the field, to recall his order. Yet
within an hour after Custer had teenn noti-
fled that he could 70 18th his regiment
III s,.,N IL
with the expedition in command of his
regiment, and that he would find an OPP
portunity TO "cUt loose" from Terry and
follow his own plans, as he had done in
some previous campaign. The facts show
that he carried out this purpose; that he
did "cut loose from Terry, and two days
before he could know whether or not the
Indian trail would turn to the Little Big
Horn River he left hs Officers under the
impression that he would pursue and at
tack the Indians wherever found, before
1t was POSSIBLE for him TO have any rea-
son. sufficient or otherwise, for not GO
ing to the southw ard, as Terry instructed.
SO determined was Custer IN this oouIse
that he did not seem TO caie how many
Indians he might meet. In his conversation
with the Officers of bis command he said
there Was about 900 warriors in the
hostile camp and probably 800. After
this he ha ample reason TO appTehend that
the number of warriors was greater than
he had estimated. The tran showed him
that the Indians were travelling without
-;iny concealment. His scouts were very
apprehcnsive that he Rad an insufficient
force to meet the hostales. Mitch Eouyer
told Capt. Godfrey that they would have
Il - hard fight" and Bloody KNIFE, the
chief of the Rec scouts, told Custer that
there were sufficient Sioux TO keep his
army fighting two or three days. When
Bouyer saw the number OF ponies grazing
in the valley, he told Custer that their
number Indicated "a very large party;
y party as large as he had ever seen to-
getner" The Indians that lie saw several
miles from their camp showed neither
surprise nor fear when his army ap-
peared. There was IA movement in tie
camp when his men came in view that
led Custer TO express fear that they Were
breaking camp, but he knew the Indians
knew OF his advance. and that he should
haze suspected If hey we've gong 10 re-
treat. they world have done so before
lac got In sight, and not have waited for
Trim to come up.
In view of a II these facts 1T seems little
less than madness for him 10 have sent
Major Reno, with only SO men, to attack
a camp, which he admitted had thousand
warriors, when it was impossible for him
to receive any support for at least an hour.
There was fatal miscaleulatiOn as to the
time Beuteen could come up, al well as
to the time he himself could reach the
lower part OF the camp, for be certainly
did not attack for at least an hour, and
probably two hours, after Reno did. Had
his trail been followed at the time the
reason for this delay might have ap-
peared. but il is impossible at tins day
to account for it.
That 1t was a great mistake to send
Reno to attack theupper Partof the camp
with such an insufficient force, when ini-
mediate support was impossible. is ap-
parent. and 1T appears to me, civilian,
that Reno would have been justified, on
seeing the number of his foes, 10 have sent
word To Benteen for aid. and waited his
coming Even then he would have made his
attack half an hour before Custer attacked
below. Reno's conduct was not COW auIly,
but he had little or no experience in Indi Al
lighting. and be certainly lacked the ready
Judgment necessary in such a II emergency.
Had Benteen, whose conduct in this battle |
proved that his know ledge, skill and cour-
age were equal to any military task that
might be assigned him, been In command |
of Reno 5 forces the result would have been |
different, in all probability. Had he been |
in command on the hill, on his joining Reno, |
he would have saved Clusters command or |
persisted withit.
Had Reno possessed any skill in Indian |
fighting he would have attacked ener- |
getieally instead of hesitat'ngly: his re- |
treat would have Teen orderly instead of q |
race for life. the Indians taking the hind |
most. On the arrival of Penteen, his own |
position being made secure, he would have |
hurried UP MacDougall with the pack |
train and hurled his seven troops against |
the enemy TO assist Custer. He knew the |
strength of the enemy much better than |
Custer did. and he was strong enough to |
have renewed the attack, and probably |
saved Custer and his men from death, IL |
the Indians had not been defeated
Custer was a great leader in battle |
History will accord him high place |
among the fighters Of the world, but it /
cannot be blind to his faults while recog- /
nizing his many gallant deeds.
1t has manifestly been tie purpose OF |
the War Office to keep some of the facts /
Of this battle from the public. 1t has |
sought TO make it appear that there was no !
one to blame for the massacre and that |
it is fully accounted for by the fact that |
the Indians were in larger force than any
one had right to expect, and that the