THE LAST BATTLE.



his incapacity and utter demoralization during the attack of the
Indians. We have italicized the places of most importance, as
they tell the real story. " Advancing in their peculiar manner,"
-what does this mean in plain English? That the Indians
were all at full speed, crouching over the necks of their fleet little
ponies, flogging away with their short whips, and all the time
yelling out their "Hi h!-yp-yip-yip-y  ip-hi yak!! !"
firing random bullets in the air. These sights and sounds
seem to have deprived Reno of all presence of mind. This he
shows clearly by his repeated changes of policy, mounting and
dismounting four times in as many minutes, and finally charg-
ing out in column, firing pistols, said column speedily becoming
a huddled mass of frightened fugitives.
   As to the halt on the hill, this officer differs materially with
Reno and Benteen, in point of time. He admits hearin
shots down the stream but no heavy firing, and states that it
was an hour before Benteen arrived, and half an hour more
before the packs came up, whereas Benteen and Reno both
agree that they came together, almost immediately after Reno's
action. In this matter it is pretty clear that the recollection of
Major Reno's friend must deceive him, as he places Weirs ad-
vance almost immediately after the junction, and it is clear
from Reno's report that Weir must have started out after five
o'elock, for it was only fifteen minutes from his return to the
beginning of the siege on the hill (at 6 P. i.) on Reno's show-
ing. This officer, like Benteen, thinks that Custer had been
destroyed by the time Benteen arrived on the hill, whereas Kill
Eagle's evidence, subsequently mentioned, shows that this was
not the case till sunset. He makes one curious assertion in
giving his estimate of the Indian warriors, which he places at
3,500. It is this: in a village, standing, squaws, old men, and
boys, are as effecthve as the ordinary recruit." Endorsing such
opinions, is it any wonder Reno's battalion was beaten, when
they are ready to succumb to squaws, old men, and boys?
   Now let us return to Reno's report, and try it by the test



585