The Reno Court of Inquiry: Day Seven

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: 9781310035142

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 Seven

Ethan E. Harris

Copyright 2013 Ethan E. Harris

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ISBN: 9781310035142

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SEVENTH DAY

Chicago, Illinois

Monady, January 20, 1879

11 o’clock A. M.

Present

All members of the Court and the Recorder, and Major Reno and his counsel. The proceedings of the Court up to date were read and approved. During the reading of the testimony of the witness Girard he made the following corrections: On page 133 he desired to change the numbers of Indians he thought would be encountered at from 1500 to 2000, instead of 2500 as there recorded. On page 139 – as to the time Major Reno’s command left the woods changed 10 minutes past 1 to 10 minutes past 2 o’clock. Also corrected the time General Custer gave Major Reno his orders to about 1 o’clock instead of about 12 o’clock. Major Reno then asked the court to empower the Recorder to subpoena Captain J. Scott Payne, 5th Cavalry and Sergeant DeLacy, Company I, 7th Cavalry, as witnesses in his behalf, stating that Captain Payne had made a careful examination and map of this whole country, and Sergeant DeLacy was present on the 25th and 26th days of June, 1876. The court indicated that it would act upon this application during the session today. The examination of the witness Girard was then continued by the Recorder as follows:

Q. State what order or instructions, if any, were given by General Custer at early dawn on the morning of the 25th of June in regard to halting or moving the command on that morning, and where did General Custer go after giving such order?

A. The command was halted and orders were given to make coffee with small fires, the first to be put out when the coffee was made; the horses to remain saddled, and we would go into camp after day-light. I had orders to communicate the same to the scouts. After coffee