Milford chronicle., 1909-04-23

coming on, Custer was ordered tC
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 was 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 one of the many causes
that warped his Judgment at a time
when il was most needed. General
Terry showed his sympathy and con
i fidenCe IN him after the Indian trail
| was discovered, when he ordered him
to take his regiment, with ten days
ratiOns, ammunition and private
scouts, along with Charlie Reynolds,
Bloody Knife and others. and take the
trail and follow it. He struck the trail
and followed 1t 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 . o'clock in
the morning to cross the divide which
separated the two streams was de-
termined on.
At 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 or 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, or Indian lodges, /
which was true; but. as il 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-
niles and Colonel Benteen with two
to bring up the rear with
the pack train. Major Reno was or
iered to march straight on to the Lit
tie Big Horn. while Custer would move
of to the right. making a de-
-Our OF some seven or eight miles and
striking the Little Big Horn at what
ne supposed would be the lower end
If the Indian village, while Reno was
o strike it from the upper end. Gus
er was to work up the river and Reno
lOwn, while Reno was to keep on COM
ng down the river until he Joined with
ulster. 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,
+ course, he. as well as Custer. was
-illage. There were ten times more
indians in this village than was indi-
ated by the Indian trail which they ,,
ad been following up the Rosebud n
3 a fact that the Indians whom they
7ere following had just at this point
nd at this time joined the main band :
f Indians in camp on the Little Big
Torn. The principal chiefs among the !,
of course. were Sitting Bull. :
all, Crazy Horse. Rain-in-the-Face :
title Big Man, Grass and many others. :
At first the Indians were taken com -
letely by surprise, for they were so Z
umerOus that they had failed to keep =
outs out at the usual distance. and a
enO's attack was the first that they -
NV Of the soldiers. Reno. instead Of %
larging. held back when he saw the =
nmense numbers in frOnt-his heart, =,
deed. failed him, and, abandoning I,
Idacity, which is the true motto Of q,
le cavalryman, though he failed to =,
,cognize it at this time, he dismount ~
to fight on foot in his first charge Il,
, was repulsed. and. as near as l 4.
i've been able to learn. it was only n
eak one not on account Of his Off 81,
RS or men. but It was the lack Of h.
lth and confidence in himself that In
ok away the vim and dash that the M
iarge should have had. fe
Reno, in looking over the situation, di
eferred defense in preference to at ey
ok. He recrossed the Little Big in
Orn and took up a position on hill. al
here he dilly dallied around until or
e Indians, taking courage at his ap- be
rent weakness, made the fight on W,
m all the fercer. Most of the men sa
at he lost were lost while crossing tr-
e Little Big Horn in retreat, so as to hi
{ into the bluffs on the east side. WI
Major Reno although having a good m,
fl war record. through his indie I'll
ion in the emergency on this oc- 70,
sion seemed to have completely lost II
dierly intelligence. The Indians as ST.
is afterward learned. were COM ter
tely taken by surprise, and the great WI
r chief. Gall. personally directed the tuI
ack on Reno and was making prep thI
ltlons to surround him on the hill, be,
IDENTIFY unaware Of Clusters proxim- Gle
on the other side Of the village. the
is shows what could have been done, tw
] Reno charged onward and kept the
5 greatest Of the war chiefs Occu- tw'
d instead Of thus permitting him per