Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-01-01
"%ThatCuSterm Massacre
A Final, REVIEW OF THE RENO NATTER WITH
"A l. NnISPUTED EVIDENCE OF HIS COW
oN HRDICE IF NOT TREACHERY.

Our gOOQ 1rlenQ DOdue Asooi"
seems inclined to believe n stories
of Indian Boosters in preference 10
unquestioned court martial evidence
as to Major Reno's part in the Custer
Massacre. In a communication 70
the Sioux City Journal under the date
of Dec. II from Mitchell, Mr.. Robin
son, amcag other things, claims IN
Reno's defense:
"In short he (Reno) had been neat,
ly ambushed and believing his oand
doomed, If he did not retreat, ne CUT
his way OUT etc.
Cluster went down the east side
opposite the lower village, RODE 1nto
an ambush and was destroyed.
"The Indians say they had a $ good
an ambush laid for Reno as for custer
and hat Custer was annihilated in
from fifteen to thirty minutes after
the first shot was fred
This testimony comes from Indians,
and Mr.. Robinson should know that
Indians are famous boosters and often
liars. Why should MIR. Robinson re-
fuse to accept the testimony or many
brave officers who served under Reno,
and why should should he refuse to
accept Reno's own testimony as to the
time the Custer fight lasted, and why
should he refuse to accept the testl-
mony Of Gen. Terry who commanded
the%>expedition, and why should he re-
fuse to accept the conclusions ~of a
court martial where it was impossible
to lie about Reno In that horrible
drama, because Reno was there In
person and we'll represented by cou9-
sci. No American officers sitting as
military judges have ever condemned
a brother officer for coWardice unless
the crime was clearly proven. Had
there been any extenuating circum-
stances Reno would have got the bene-
fit. 1t was a fair open trial by men
who were capable of Judging coward
ice, and at a time when every officer
who fought under Reno was within
reach of the court.
We shall as briefly as possible prove
that Mr.. Robinson's Indians lied and
especially so concerning an ambush.
In the first place, Indians'h have new
er prepared to fight a decisive battle
with United States troops when their
women and children were present on
what was to be the field Of battle &C
cording to the ambush" story Of the
Indians. At no time in the long
years of Indian warfare with United
States troops do we find that women
and children were present during a
battle only when surprised by the
troops and compelled to fight and this
was the conditions of affairs on the
Little Big Horn when Custer ordered
Reno to attack the upper end. of-the
Indian camp. The Indians were sur
prised and fought desperately as In
dians always fought when cucumber
ed hy their squaws aud children. Mr.,
Robinson does not understand Sioux
Indians or he would not have attempt.
ed a defense of Reno on the boasting
Of bucks who won a victory under
such conditions.
This Reno business seems pretty
we'll drawn out but as Mr.. Robinson Is
still inclined to defend a coward and
lay some blame on Custer, We are COM
PEELED to reply, and furnish additional
proof that Reno vas perfectly safe
and in no danger of ambush, nor was
he even forced to retreat, nor twas be
besieged by a vastly superior force OF
savages" on the hill until after Custer
was destroyed.
We quote Fred Girard, Clusters
chief interpreter, n Of the coolest
and bravest Indian fighters In the
northwest, who was with Reno from
the time he attacked the camp until
Gen. Terry came up, and 1t was Cir
ards story told the writer which he
sent to Gen. Sheridan that brought
about the court martial Of Reno and
his dismissal from the service for
cowardice, and 1t should be remem-
bered that Custer had no sympathetic
ACAd az SAAC hiOO A4OSAoO ~ oAoo
time, because Custer had exposed Sec
rotary of War Belknap and President
Grant was furious, hence no one
seemed anxious to defend Custer, but
this has nothing to do with Reno.
Girard said: AFTER we crossed the
river we advanced into the timber
and dismounted with both TANKS fair
ly protected by a bend In the river.
The men were fighting from behind
trees and the Indians were making
desperate efforts to get the squaws
and papooses out of range. 1t was a
wild scramble on their part. They
we're surprised and demoralized.
During the fighting DR.: III. r. Porter
OF Bismark, IA contract surgeon) came
along on foot and as he stopped !
pulled a flask of whisky from my peck
ct and offered him a drink. He de-
clined laughingly because he expected
to have other work on hand, so l
handed the flask to Charlie Reynolds,
q noted scout, who was neal me be-
hind a tree. Reynolds took a drink
and handed the flask back and DR..
Porter went on down the line afoot.
Some time after that the bugle sound
ed "Mount" and then came "Re-
treat" and no man could understand