Reno Court of Inquiry:Truth or Consequences

[joewiggs]

It serves no purpose to denigrate the combat actions of each participant of the battle; Indian or White while attempting to understand the combative processes that developed during this engagement.

We are not here to judge the meddle of the individual players in an arbitrary matter. Such a tactic will not prevail towards comprehending the truth. Any negative remark of specific soldiers made by me on other forums were in the context of defining how the failure to partake in ordained, tactical movements could result in needless deaths.

However, a legal, documented, and historical artifact presented to the public as "truth"must be perused with great intensity as many students believe in the sanctity of the findings of the Reno Court of Inquiry. Thus, it becomes necessary to show that this "hollowed"endeavor to ascertain the "facts" of the battle was actually a shrewd plan, by the military, to transform mis-information into an "acceptable" explanation as to why they failed to subdue the "savages."


I will present a series of incidents that are generally unknown and, emphatically, prove that the "Officer's Corps" did not solely consist of gallant "knights of the Round Table" who were above not telling the truth.

After the Battle, Charley Vincent was found with a stick jammed down his throat. When struck by an Indian bullet, Charley fell to the ground and, called out to soldiers who rushed pass him.

Eventually Lt. Edgerly rode up and heard Charlie's plaintiff plea for assistance. The Lt. did not dismount but, told Charlie to climb into a ravine nearby and he would return with reinforcements to save Charley.

Edgerly, he reported at the Reno Inquiry, was denied reinforcements by Weir to go back for poor Charlie. Nine days after the battle, Edgerly wrote to his wife he:"regretted more than any other thing that happened to me, for I had promised that wounded man I would get him out and wasn't able to raise a finger for him."

Thus was Weir straddled with the responsibility of Charlie's painful demise.

The problem with this scenario is why would Edgerly request help for a man he knew to be dead when the request was made?Sergeant Thomas Harrison stated, "After going a piece they looked back and saw the Indians finishing up Charley." Harrison's statements to Camp proved that the both of them knew of Charlie's death. (Camp on Custer,98)

[stumblingbear]

Joe, is it possible that Sgt. Harrison assumed that Edgerly saw what he did? if so you may have come to the wrong conclusion.

[joewiggs]

I guess anything is possible. In this case, however, it appears that Edgerly actually saw the demise of Vincent. I don't wish to condemn the Lt. so much as I would like to stress that his testimony at the inquiry was tainted.

Edgerly was an outstanding officer who,eventually, achieved the rank of General. If I were in his shoes I do not claim that I could have done better. What I believe is that we have to recognize the fact that in the hell that is war, men sometimes fail in their duties, experience shame for doing so and, naturally, attempt to camouflage their failings.

A perfectly understandable position. What needs to be remember is that other officers stretched the truth to cover their failings as well. The result of all this is the Albatross that was placed around the neck of Custer. For any failings he may have generated in this battle, Custer does not deserve this stigma.

[melani]

I have often wondered why they didn't just sling Vincent Charley on a horse and take off, but I wasn't there. Maybe the Indians were coming too fast and too close, and it would have taken too long to do it. Edgerly had trouble mounting his spooked horse, as I recall. I'm sure he did intend to come back for him, but if the troop was retreating behind him, I can understand why he felt it necessary to go with them. And I certainly believe he regretted that he was unable to save the guy.

[joewiggs]

Melani, the warriors were so close that the very fact that Vincent was the only casulty (according to Edgerly's orderly) is that they were terrible shots which allowed the others escape. of course poor Charlie had a higher opinion of their marksmanship. Had Edgerly paused a second time to recover Vincent, he probably would have shared his fate.

I completely understand his dilemma and I realize that self preservation is certainly a tremendously strong urge to overcome.

The only problem I have with this incident is Edgerly's testimony at the R.C.O. I. in which he blamed his inability to rescue Vincent on Capt. Weir's refusal to allow him to return to succor him. An allegation that occurred, conveniently, after the death of Capt. Weir.

[joewiggs]

"That each company commander was at Weir's Point on his 'own hook' is very plain. No one in authority (Reno) ordered their forward movement. Reno tried to deny that he ordered the withdrawal, and no officer was assigned for a rear guard. It was a familiar formula for Reno, but this time he was lucky.

Hare tried to cover for Reno on this last point and stated Reno had ordered Weir and French to cover the retreat, and they did so almost right up to Reno Hill. This was a complete falsehood, as we shall read, for hare was with Godfrey's company the whole time. french was headed to safety at a gallop, and Weir was with Reno moving back to the position on the bluffs,

In 1910, hare confided to Camp that he, in effect, had not told the truth to the Court of Inquiry. He admitted that these two companies , 'came along (so fast) and passed Co. K who had left ten minutes before. So much for a rear guard."

Vanishing Victory, p. 134

Once again, sadly, a confirmed example of a stalwart soldier who admitted that he did not tell the truth at the Inquiry. It is so important that this kind of information is made know so that "truth" can,eventually, prevail.

[stumblingbear]

it seems to me that quite a few of the soldiers committed acts that they were not very proud of nor did they want their failures to be publicized.

[melani]

Can't hardly blame 'em. It wasn't exactly anybody's finest moment.

[joewiggs]

Melani, you are so absolutely right! I know I often sound judgmental but I really don't mean to be. Facing death is a monumental fear that overwhelms the senses. My beef is that some of the dead were totaly blamed for this fiasco when there were so many others equally responsible for this travesty. No one more so than the United States Government that orchestrated this entire affair.

[whitebull]

It seems to be that the only purpose of the Reno inquiry was to place the blame of failure on those who could not defend themselves. Not so much out of hatred or maliciousness but to cover the ignorance of the Army big boys who came up with the bonehead idea Indians rather run than fight.

Just because they were practical and would not fight unless it was to protect their families or if they could win, it seems that the army just assumed they were cowards. Guess what? They was wrong!

[joewiggs]

I understand your position White bull although it may be slightly mis-directed. Reno was the butt of vicious innuendos every year since the battle. His request for an "Inquiry" was reasonable when one realizes that the rules for an inquiry are different from those of a Court Martial.

Reno's actions although deplorable, questionable, and exceedingly inexplicable did not quite fulfill the parameters of "Cowardice." therefore his actions were mitigated to that of a "Poor" soldier who did the best he could under the harsh circumstances he was forced to work with. The truth? Drunkenness deprives all of us of our best endeavors to do what is right!

[Cutter]

Let's not forget this was his first time in going against, forgive the politically incorrect, indians...

[strange]

I think I agree with you Mr. Wiggs. Coward is a bit heavy to use against Reno. I would not object if someone felt that way about him (and I think I may have also used the term against him aswell), but there are probably some much better words which could describe his overall disposition.

I would call him unreliable, out of place (in a war he was not particularly enthusiastic about but achieved a high ranking simply because he was in the army for quite a long time), panic prone, and not very bright. Coward may still fit in there somewhere, but its anyone's call. All we can say for certain is that he was the weakest officer to fight at Little Bighorn and the primary root of the disaster.

[Cutter]

I think a good term may be "over his head". He didn't have what it took as a commander in fighting indians, he'd never done it before. Three companys charging that big of a camp, with no real idea what the size was, with promise of support that didn't come fast enough in his eyes, he freaked.

Again, what if Benteen had that mission, and Reno did the scout?

Reno was cook'n when he was scout'n.

[joewiggs]

Excellent point! Benteen's coolness under fire may have prevailed and saved the day. he may have stayed in the timber a bit longer which would have made a difference I'm sure. would that difference changed the fatal outcome? Who knows?