Page 525

    nip-ht of the 25th and also on the 26th_ T was quit, a  ,,,rWxious to
get
    General Custer to aid me as I was to aid him,
Q  Was there any atterapt made under the cover o  rearL*es  n the slisbt
x  the
    25th to get any com-unlicatiori out?
A.- Yes, sir Q,
in  Were any volunteers called for to go on an undertaking of that kind?
A- No, sir;   I said in my testiinony I would not order anything of that
kind0
    I believed that sending a man out on a mission of that kind would be
send-
    ing him to his death. I would have sent an Indian out, because of his
    peculiar abilities in that direction, you know, which enable him to skulk
    along and get through the country without being seen, where a white man
    would be seen.,
H, fow many days rations had the men carried on their persons and horses?
A:. 'e started from the mouth of the ttosebudi with fifteen iays' rations;
 and
    I understood that there were four carried on the men's persons, and tche
    remaining eleven on the pack train0
'  How much rations had the men when they went into that fight in the bottom
    under your command?
A, They %ust have had two days' rations when we went into the 4ight on the
    morning of the 25th. Their rations were not used up until the moring
of
    the 27th4.
Q. You have stated that you would consider that the results of that battle
    have justified your every act?
A0 Yes, sir0
Q. Is it justified to the extent that you have made no mistake there whatever?
A.:. Well, sir;  I should do the same thing over again under the same circums
    stances, and with the same knowledge I had then,
Q. State whether or not some part of that result may have been brought about
    by your act, intentional or otherwise?
A. No, sir;   I an convinced now that there was no command down there when
I
    got out of the woods, that they were all dead,
<;. What command do you refer to?
A, The remaining five companies of the regiment,
' When you left the woods, that command had been annihilated at that time?
A,, Yes sir; that is my belief from after information; I did not know at
    the time, of course0
F. Pleace state what officer reported to you on the hill, after the pack
train
    came uLp that he had heard firing to his right?
A   I don't remember such a report being Made to me:.
e  - I f slch a re po rt had been made to you at; that time, would you then
have
    be leved that Gen. ts uster3s ac.mm.mand had. been annihilated, or that
it was
    engagerl?
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