The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-24

~ SAA0NAASs A~ VVOkA6 0l4OL
coming on, Custer was ordered tt
Washington to give testimony. This
testimony adhered so strictly to the
truth that it brought him into dis.
favor, and when he returned to his
post he found that the command Of
the main expedition was taken from
him and that he was assigned to his
own regiment simply, while General
Terry a ordered to take supreme
command. To a soldier with his rec.
ord, to a man Of his sensitiveness, this
humiliation was deeply felt, and, no
doubt, was n Of the many causes
that warped his judgment at a time
when 1t was most needed. General
Terry showed his sympathy and con.
6dence In him after the Indian trail
was discovered, when he ordered him
to take his regiment, with ten days
r%ations, ammunition and private
scouts, along with Charlie Reynolds,
Bloody Knife and others, and take the
trail and follow 1t. he struck the trail
and followed It at a rapid pace on the
23d and oath Of July. At this point
the trail left the Rosebud and headed
toward the Little Big Horn. As the
march had been very rapid, the horses
were tired and camp was made, while
preparations to start by 2 o'clock in
the morning to cross the divide which
separated the two streams was de-
termined on.
At 2 o'clock the regiment was again
on the move, with the scouts ahead,
and by daylight they had crossed the
ridge. The command was keeping in
the ravine OF canyons out Of sight and
moving as quietly as possible. The
scouts in advance came back and re-
ported to General Custer that they
had seen tepees, OF Indian lodges,
which was true; but, as it afterward
turned out, the tepees which the scouts
had seen were three or four tepees
that had been put up for smallpox pa
tients away from the main Indian vii
lage.
General Custer divided his command
into three parts, taking five companies
himself, Major Reno with five compa-
MES and Colonel Benteen with two
companies, to bring up the real with
the pack train. Major Reno was or
dered to march straight on to the Lit
tie Big Horn, while Custer would move
obliquely off to the right, making a de-
tour Of some seven OF eight miles and
striking the Little Big Horn at what
he supposed would be the lower end
of the Indian village, while Reno was
to strike 1t from the upper end. Gus
ter was to work up the river and Reno
down, while Reno was to keep on COM
ing down the river until he Joined with
Custer, and Benteen was to follow up
with the pack train.
AS near as we know, Reno struck the
Indians a little before Custer did, and,
OF course, he, Is we'll as Custer, was
surprised at the immense size Of the
village. There were ten times more
Indians in this village than was indi.
by the Indian trail which they
had been following up the Rosebud. It
Is a fact that the Indians whom they
were following had just at this point
and at this time Joined the main band
of Indians in camp on the Little Big
Horn. The principal chiefs among the
Indians, of course, were Sitting Bull,
Gall, Crazy Horse, Rain-in-the-F Face,
Little Big Man, Grass and many others.
At first the Indians were taken COM
pletely by surprise, for they were SO
numerous that they had failed to keep
scouts out at the usual distance, and
Reno's attack was the first that they
saw Of the soldiers. Reno, instead of
charging, held back when he saw the
immense numbers In front-his heart,
indeed, failed him. and, abandoning
.audacity, which is the true motto of
the cayalryman, though he failed to
recognize it at this time, he dismount-
cd to fight on foot. In his first charge
he was repulsed, and, as near as I
have been able to learn, it was only a
weak one not on account Of his off,
GERS or men, but it vas the lack Of
faith and confidence in himself that
took away the vim and dash that tho
charge should have had.
Reno, In looking over the situation,
preferred defense in preference to at
tack. He recrossed the Little Big
Horn and took up a position on a hill,
where he dilly dallied around until
the Indians, taking courage at his ap-
parent weakness, made the fight on
him all the 1ercer. Most Of the men
that he lost were lost while crossing
the Little Big Horn in retreat, so as to
get into the bluffs on the east side.
Major Reno, although having a good
civil war record, through his indie
cision in the emergency on this oc-
casion seemed to have completely lost
soldierly intelligence. The Indians, as
was afterward learned, were com
pletely taken by surprise. and the great
war chief, Gall, personally directed the
attack on Reno and was making prep.
arations to surround him on the hill.
evidently unaware Of Clusters proxim-
ity on the other side Of the village.
This shows what could have been done
I>I