The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-09

BRININSTOOL, NOTED WRITER,
COMMENTS ON MAJOR RENO'S
ATTITUDE AS COOL
Testimony of Officers Was that He
Was Cool and that Had He Re-
manned in Timber Would Have
Been Annihilated.

The story of Sergeant Ryan, on
Reno's part in the famous battle
of the Little Big Horn, which ap-
peared in this newspaper recently,
is commented upon by E. A. Brin-
~instooI, well known western au-
thor, in a letter to p. B. SneIson,
editor of the Billings Gazette,
through the courtesy of which
newspaper and the Hardin Tribune
this newspaper was enabled to Sc
cure the remarkable narrative. Mr..
Brininstool says:
I'm your issue of June 25 you
print an editorial making reference
to your story by John Ryan of New
ton, Mass, to the conduct of Major
Reno in the Little Big Horn fight,
and you say, Gin the light of the rec
ord he has set down, it is difficult
to see how Reno could have acted
otherwise"
you are correct. I happen to
have a copy (I know of but n
other in the United States) of the
Reno Court of Inquiry, held in Chi
cago in 1879 at Major Reno's re-
quest to investigate his conduct in
the fight. OF all the witnesses ex-
amined, all but two packers stated
that Reno showed no cowardice and
did just as we'll as n officer could
have done under the circumstances.
These two packers stated that Reno
was very drunk" However, as
Reno was continually driving pack
ers out from among the packs and
mules, where they we're hiding dur
ing the fighting, 1t is easy to see
where that story came from.
II expect to bring out a story this
fall in the Hunter & Trapper of Col
umbus, Ohio, in which I give all the
testimony given at the inquiry which
to Major Reno in any way. All
his officers testified for him to a man
and all unite in saying that if he had
remained in the timber 20 minutes
longer not a man would have got
away alive. l do believe, however,
hat Reno rather lost his head after
up on the bluffs, and that
3enteen was the man who kept the
together and led in the fight
ng, although they all say Reno show
I'd no cowardice and was continually
Walking around and giving his orders
,ooly; but he was dilatory in making
my advance toward Clusters position
made by Weir's troop and he
GLOWING, but all were driven back
o the first position. They could no
nore have reached Custer than Gus
err could have reached them. Reno
lad (by his own testimony just 112
nen; Custer had five companies with
i'm. He had given Reno his word
0 support him" when Reno attack
d the upper end Of the village-but
q gave no support at all. l have
tudied this fight for years; have a
1ass of material on it, and / hold
hat Custer disobeyed Terry's orders
1 not keeping on to the south and
living Terry and Gibbon time to
ONE up from the north, and then
nd not till then-swinging west and
orth, as per Terry's instructions
hen they certainly would have got
le Indians between them and doubt
,ss no fight would have occurred.
have testimony from the Indians
no took part in the fight, that if the
hole command had come on them
once they would have surrendered
I'D gone back to their agencies, but
lat Custer attacked and they had to
3fend themselves-which would be
hat any body of men would have
one.
In the Hunter & Trapper of March,
pril, May, you will find a long
DRY of mine given me by one of the,
emo men who was in the fight In
e timber and on the hill. He swears.
Reno.