The Reno Court of Inquiry: Day Eight

By Ethan E. Harris

On June 25-26, 1876, five companies of the 7th U.S. Cavalry, led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, engaged Sioux and Cheyenne warriors at the Little Bighorn River, in what is now Montana. The battle resulted in one of the worst disasters in U.S. military history. The 7th Cavalry lost 268 men, including Custer himself. The second in command, Major Marcus A. Reno, who survived the battle, requested a court of inquiry to clear allegations of dereliction of duty. The Reno court of inquiry was held at the Palmer House in Chicago, from January 13 through February 11, 1879. The original transcript of these proceedings, heavily consulted by military professionals and historians alike and beginning to deteriorate, was retyped in 1933 under the direction of Colonel William A. Graham, Military Affairs Section Chief of the Judge Advocate General’s Office.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ethan E. Harris
• Release date: Jun 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310041952

Ethan E. Harris

Ethan E. Harris graduated from Corban University in Salem, OR with a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and studied at Reformed Theological Seminary. He completed the Educational graduate program at the University of Kansas where he received his Curriculum and Instruction degree in December, 2011. He is a member of Golden Key International Honor Society, a Bronze Star recipient and was an Army Medic for 13 years.With extensive travel throughout the United States, Egypt, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, the Bahamas and Hawaii, his multicultural experiences give him a greater depth of knowledge and humility of many peoples and lifestyles. He has a keen interest in languages having studied Greek, French and Cherokee.He lives in San Antonio, TX, with his wife and six children.

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The Reno Court of Inquiry: Day Eight

Copyright

Eighth DAY

About the Author

PROCEEDINGS OF A COURT OF INQUIRY IN THE CASE OF MAJOR MARCUS A. RENO CONCERNING HIS CONDUCT AT THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN RIVER JUNE 25-26, 1876

The Court of Inquiry of Major Reno

Day Eight

Ethan E. Harris

Copyright 2014 Ethan E. Harris

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 9781310041952

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EIGHTH DAY

Chicago, Illinois

Tuesday, January 21, 1879

11 o’clock A.M.

The court met pursuant to adjournment.

All members, the Recorder; and Major Reno and his counsel were present.

The proceedings of the last session were read and approved.

WITNESSES GIRARD CORRECTED THE RECORD as the same appears on page 174 in answer to the question, Have you been married to an Indian woman, by making the answer read - l never was married to an Indian woman: I have had Indian women.

THE EXAMINATION OF THE WITNESS GIRARD BY MAJOR RENO WAS THEN CONTINUED AS FOLLOWS:

Q. I wish you would fix on this map the place where Charley Reynolds was killed.

A. Reynolds was killed at a point back of the point 1 and in a southeasterly direction from it, at about the point I now mark 3

Q. Where were you at that time?

A. At the edge of the hill.

Q. Would the letter C indicate about the point you were, as well as any other?

A. Yes sir.

Q. Reynold’s was killed trying to overtake Major Reno’s command, was he not?

A. Yes, sir: I suppose so.

Q. How far from the ford A was the point on the top of the hill or mountain where General Custer went and on returning found the command had been moved?

A. I judge it to be between 12 and 13 miles.

Q. When he came back the command was already in motion without any order being given by himself?

A. When he returned from the mountain top the command had moved from where we had made coffee that morning, about 3 miles.

A. In the same direction in which it afterwards continued to move?

Q. Did you mean to infer or to have the court to infer that it was by Major Reno’s order the command moved forward?

A. Not at all, from my testimony.

Q. Do you know whether there was any aide-de-camp to General Custer there?

A. Lieutenant Cook w s his adjutant.

Q. Do you know whether there was any officer acting as aide-de-camp?

A. No sir.

Q. Do you know in what capacity Captain Tom Custer was acting?

A. I don’t know: I suppose he was in command of his company.

Q. Do you know whether he had any other