Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-06-25
BENTEEN And CUSTER.
Echo Of the Custer Massacre In a
Letter From Gen. F. w. Ben
teen>to D. F. Barry.
First Letter From Him Bearing on the
Subject Of the Massacre,
Appearing in Print.
Blames Custer for His Unpreparedness
and Lack Of Knowledge of
the Enemy.

i Duluth, June 25.-David lF. Barry Of
West Superior, who was a frontier
photographer for seventeen years pre-
cading 1890, was one of the few men in
whom Gen. F. w. Benteen. who died
in Atlanta two years ago, reposed con-
fidence. Mr.. Barry has letters from
the general that would be of extraor-
dinary interest were they given to the
public, but he says that while the gen
eral never made any request that his
correspondence should be considered
confidential, he probably considered
that this was understood. Mr.. Barry,
however, has consented to allow the
use of one Of Gen. Benteen's letters
written in 1896, and it is said to be
the first reference to the Custer fgie
coming from him to appear in print.
He says: "You see, dear Barry, the
fight of the Little Big Horn came upon
Custer unprepared, as it were, no plan
having been formulated in his mind
save sending Reno with his three
troops, which up to this time had been
marching with an interval Of ten yards
or SO parallel with Custer's five troops
across the river to develop what he
could. Custer promised to suppor::
Reno with his entire outfit Then
some other idea must have struck him,
which, whatever it was, appears to
have prevented him from communicat-
ing with Reno, leaving the latter only
the expectation Of being supported by
Custer from the rear, where he had
left him. Through Chief Gall we have
learned the hitherto unrelated part of
Clusters movements but some ten
years too late.
"All this time was in search of In
dians some fifteen miles to the left and
rear of Custer, not wanting a single
one to escape. Well, you see, had
then a better idea of the real state of
affairs, particularly as to the strength
III the Indians, and I deemed it my
duty to get to the column with all pos
sible speed, believing that there would
be work enough there for all of US.
That got there in time to save Reno's
column there is no doubt. We did
not know where Clusters column was,
but Chief Gall tells us that thirty min.
utes sufficed to destroy it SO it's saliva
tion was beyond our efforts. Its ami
hilatien was due to whom-Custer,
Reno or Benteen? To whom but
Custer? s.. ~
''The whole business from breaking
into the four columns fifteen miles
from the Custer battlefield was so hast
lily done. and from the facteef Custer
knowing nothing about the location or
strength of the Indians, was absolutely
without knowledge to form an opinion
as to what should be done, that even
at this late date it does not seem pos
sible a man could have been so rack-
less as our commander proved himself
upon that long remembered day. The
world does not know all that might be
known upon this subject, Barry, and
really do not think it would be mucn
benefited by so knowing. Admirers
have gone to such great length to show
up the courage and SO much time hev-
ing elapsed, it is about as well, per
haps better, that the world should look
uron Custer as a martyr as F,4s .,.