The Reno Court of Inquiry: Introduction, Day One and Day Two

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: 9781311001238

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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Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Preface

Introduction

Maguire Map

FIRST DAY

SECOND 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

Introduction, Day One and Day Two

Ethan E. Harris

Copyright 2013 Ethan E. Harris

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 9781311001238

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Preface

  Not a military court martial, the Court of Inquiry adjourned in 1878-1879 under pressure from Frederick Whittaker’s biography on the life of George Armstrong Custer. Accusations against Marcus Reno’s behavior at the Battle of the Little Bighorn were prominent in the press of day and Whittaker’s work only served to fuel the outrage.

  Reno initiated the Inquiry by his own request in an attempt to clear himself of the popular allegations, including cowardice and drunkenness during the fight. Unfortunately for Marcus Reno, the Court of Inquiry served to fuel the flames of conspiracy and government cover up.

  My understanding of the proceedings is that a General Courts Martial could be called within two years of the event, but by demanding a Court of Inquiry, Reno effectively demonstrated that the government did not have the evidence to proceed to a court martial, nor did they have the allowance of time under military law to proceed with a formal trial.

  Much of the testimony during the Court of Inquiry was not adequately preserved and over time degraded to such a poor state that some estimates by researchers suggest that up to 40% has been lost to history. The official military records even include newspaper clippings of the period as part of the record due to popular interest and the lack of reliable court reporting. In our present