The Reno Court of Inquiry: Day Five

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: 9781311761484

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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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 Five

Ethan E. Harris

Copyright 2013 Ethan E. Harris

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ISBN: 9781311761484

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FIFTH DAY.

Chicago, Illinois

Friday, January 17, 1879

11 o’clock A. M.

The court met pursuant to adjournment.

Present

Members of the Court, the Recorder; and Major Reno and his Counsel.

The proceedings, as far as they had been copied were then read and approved.

The examination of Lieutenant Wallace by Major Reno was then continued as follows:

Q. Did Major Reno lose any time in moving from the hill-top in the direction in which General Custer was afterwards found, after the packtrain came in?

A. No sir, I don’t think he did. The ammunition had to be distributed after the train came up, and it is my impression now that he moved on as soon as it could practicably be done.

Q. Bearing in mind the belt of timber from which you retired, the river you had to cross, and the hill you had to rise, was that point on the bluff that major Reno occupied as well suited for protection as any other he could have taken under those circumstances? I don’t ask you to swear to a geographical fact, but to give your opinion.

A. In my opinion it was.

Q. Since yesterday I have read this letter of Mr. Whittaker, and there is one point about which I wish to ask a question. What opinion have you, as a soldier, of the wisdom of separating the 7th Cavalry Regiment into battalions? The Recorder objected to the question because it is shown that the separation was made by General Custer, and it is not for this court to give any opinion upon the conduct of General Custer, much less this witness. Major Reno replied – We wish to call the attention of the court