Year: 1879




CHICAGO Feb. l, 1879.


very large number of persons were in attendance
at the Reno trial to-day owing doubt. to the fact
that Captain Benteen was to make his first appear
ance and that he to be questioned upon very in
eresng points IN the of Sergeant Culbertson
and Trumpeter Martin. Martin, whose testl-
mony given in these dispatches yesterday, is
apparently Frenchman and looks AZ IL he had won
his position orderly trumpeer for Custer by sheer
merit in hard service alone. He shared in
Custer's last gallop and left him only
when sent back with despatch to Ben
teen. at which moment Custer was about to
charge among the tepees and oyerwhelm "a host
OF sleeping Warriors he thought large
number of ladies were present to-day. Cap
tain Benteen is a man OF unusually soldierly
aspect of moderate height. somewhat porty build
and erect carriage His face is clean shaven and his
rather of the Scotch typo. His hair is iron
gray. almost white. and very wavy, contrasting no.
ticeably with the warmth of his ruddy complexion.
He took the stand with military precision and All air
of considerable dash.


BENrEnS's TESTIMONY


Being sworn he testified that his name was Fred
eric William Benteen, captain of the seventh cav
airy, colonel by brevet now stationed at Fort Lin
coin. After detailing the facts regarding the division
OF Clusters force he testified that he with orders to
move of to the right toward line of bluffs
about four miles away. led his command
in that direction. having been directed to pitch
into any Indians he might meet and send back word





into and SO. believing that General Custer was mis-
taken in thinking there Indians in the direc-
cred it his duty to return and follow Clusters trail


AN ORDER PROM CUSTER.


distance met an orderly With an order from Custer
This soed and tattered document was produced i'll
court and read; it was to this effect:-"Come on,
quick Big Indian village. Hurry up the pack
train" and was signed by Lieutenant Cook Custers
adiutant. The Colonel went on to state that
he hurried his battalion to a trot which pace was



mand he saw Indians charging through and back
against the skirmish line; from indications he
Judged that the whole regiment was thrashed:" he
thought it bad place to cross; he had l25 men,
each with 100 rounds of ammun iton; Reno's
command when he came up with it was
in pretty good order but well shaken up men
who were climbing the bluffs might be somewhat de-
moralized In reply to question he said there was
reason to think there were happier places than that;
found about nine hundred Indians within mile
of Reno: he asked Reno if he knew where Custer
was and Reno replied that he did not, but his
last knowledge OF Custer was the instructions
through Adjutant Cook that he Custer) would sup
port Renos movement; Reno had made no
remarks to him which would show that un-
easiness felt for Custer; found Reno as
cool he in the present court room; had heard
no voey firing; Colonel Weir started out in "a ft
of bravado he thought before the pack train came
up had made movement down the river following
Weir, and dcployed his lines that Custer could
have them if looking his way; the order had
been given for this movement; he thought Major
Reno was looking for Lieutenant Hodgson's body.
THE swARMING BUCKS.


For answer to question from Recorder Lee, Ben
teen stated that movement coulo nave pcen naue III
the direction of Custer but they would have been
there YETI his first view of the Indian village
showed, he thought, 1000 tepees with no Indians
around, but in two minutes Indians were swarming
in the gorge and advancing toward Bcnteen's CON-
mand: after retiring some distance he had advised
halt to check the Indians but Major Reno thought
they should retreat further during the retreat he had
seen Reno and talked with him. The witness was
facetious in many of his replies, saying
that lit wasn't good day for for giving
ORDERS and lit was anything but healthy
to stay about there" he then thought there were
$500 Indians present; thought there were 5000
or 10. 900; they had thrce-hours battle with the
Indians the Indians had little picnic parties of
the size of a regiment two scattered everywhere
about; the enemy was near enough to throw arrows
and dirt from their hands.


MAJOR RENo's COURSE COMMENDED.


The Observation-Disclosures state whether Major Rcno's
conduct such As to inspire his men with courage
and describe II as nearly as you can.


Witness-I think it was all right, sir; IL Major
Reno had remained in the timber and
had attempted to reach him with my COM
mand and the pack train the losses OF
the seven companies would have been much greater
than they were. In word what l mean to say is
that what did the very best thing that could
be done under the circumstances and If we had to- go
| over it to-day would follow the same trail
NO cowARDlcE EXHIBITED


On the cr0ss-examinaton, conducted by MIR. Gil
bert witness said that he had been soldier since
tive of cowarce on the part of Major Rcno on one
the hill he cautioned Major Reno against
exposing his person to be shot


After brief at this point the redirect
examination resumed but chiefly interesting
not so much the evidence adduced for the in
terestna manner in which Mr.. Gilbert let out the
favorable 10 Reno. The Court adjourned until
~ o. clock Monday morning There are about half a
dozen witnesses to be examined yet and the invest
gat.on will probably last the greater part Of next