CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-07-16

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Canon city Record: Now since
General Baldwin addressed . part OF
the Grand Army Post at Canon City
in, regard to the massacre Of Custer
and his men, / desire to briefly 9ive
my candid opinion OF this great disas-
ter.
/ claim that Clusters defeat vas
simply because It was Custer in COM
mand, therefore 1t made defeat and
massacre inevitable. say this with
out o6ering any desecration to him or
the noble character Of the brave men
who fell with him; but l believe .
certain manner OF lighting that bat
tie would have saved the life Of Gus
ter and most OF his command.
say this actuated by experience in
fighting and knowledge Of Indian ma
ture, CLEANED also from aSpersonal q ac-
quaintance with Jim Beckwith, Tom
fighters.
These men all died at home pos
sessed of old age, because in the very
many engagements with the painted
demons they seemed intuitively to
know just what to do, and done that
with all the strength OF soul and
body: otherwise they would have kick
ed OF their last moments OF life when
young men beneath the scalping knife
and stare of painted devil.
1t seems that Custer was all go
ahead, and never thought of retreat.
1t would certainly prove disastrous
to any OF our railroad systems, to de-
prive the engines OF running back
wards. Such a condition would flus-
trate traffic on any system in a very
short time.
A knowledge of great peril, an ef-
fort to avoid massacre is just as re-
qrisite to a great general, as dis
position to advance.
In support Of my view in regard to
the Custer fight, / will mention a few
facts. Indian tactics are quite differ
ent to the white mans. Indians will
not knowingly sacrifice one Of their
braves to gain a point Of strategy;
these Indians that massacred Custer
took possession Of their vantage
ground just out of sight and before
Custer advanced. These Indians knew
just what Custer would do when he
came in sight Of the village.
They knew where he camped and
almost to a man his lighting strength.
It ia my opinion the village was mere
" decoy, 1t IL my opinion that hun
drede of shots were fired by Custer's
men at a decoy, blankets raised from
the top of a rack, that the precious
moment to the Indians might come Of
closing in and kill and scalp to the
last man.
Now let me mention in conclusion.
what should have been done on the
part of Custer. just what should
have done. or just what Kit Carson
would have done. when further ad-
vance became impossible. when the
missile of death came from every
point OF the compass, 1t was for the
commander to act quick, and with all
possible energy to avert massacre.
There was but one thing to do. and
believe it was entirely feasible.
: somewhere in a rough country like
that ravine had been crossed or .
natural cavity offered protection to
Custer and his men. in fact one min
ute of time that cavalry could have
mounted and charged forty or eighty
rods and successfully taken 1t.
When safely lodged therein all the
Indians in North America would not
dare dislodge them.
The next order should have been to
guard against shooting at q decoy.
and dead Indian had to tally with
every cartridge fred.
Now where is the military genius
that understands fighting Indians who
will differ with my view in regard TO
this regretful calamity that came upon
a great and brave officer and two
hundred and nifty noble souls?'
]. A. CRANK.