Post by fred on Feb 5, 2014 10:27:12 GMT -6
Andy,
I believe the following pretty much summarizes everything Maguire had to say. I doubt I left out any important items in the summary.
1LT EDWARD MAGUIRE
CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DAKOTA COLUMN
1LT Edward A. Maguire—b. TN, August 31, 1847 – d. October 11, 1892. Engineer Officer (EO). He was the chief of engineers for the Dakota column, but his reports were sent directly to Washington. After the battle of the LBH, he wrote two reports, a preliminary one sent to Gen. A. A. Humphreys from a camp at the mouth of the Big Horn River on July 2, 1876, and an official report to Humphreys sent from a camp on the Yellowstone dated July 10, 1876. USMA graduate, 1867. Had a distinguished military career, but never rose past the rank of captain.
• Heitman’s register: Maguire, Edward. TN. TN. Cadet USMA 29Sep1863 (9); 2LT engineers 17Jun1867; 1LT 15Feb1869; Capt 14Jun1881; died 11Oct1892.
1876—Carroll, John M., ed., General Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn: The Federal View. J. M. Carroll & Company, Bryan, TX, and Mattituck, NY: 1986. Annual Report (Appendix OO) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, dated July 10, 1876, from the camp on the Yellowstone River near the mouth of the Big Horn River.
1. Maguire reported for duty to BG Terry in St. Paul, May 8, 1876. [25]
2. A Sergeant Wilson and privates Goslin and Culligan accompanied Maguire on the expedition. [25]
3. Maguire was furnished with a four-mule ambulance for his men and instruments and odometers were attached to the ambulance’s wheels. [26]
4. Bridging was necessary every day until they reached the Powder. [26]
5. Custer’s “instructions were supplemented by verbal information to Custer, that he could expect to find Gibbon’s column at the mouth of the LBH not later than the 26th.” [27]
6. Maguire reported that both men and horses were in excellent condition when they set out on the 22nd. [27]
7. Gibbon’s infantry joined up with the advance cavalry about 11 AM on June 26. [27]
8. There were two tepees in the abandoned village. They were filled with dead warriors. [28]
9. LT Wallace was the one who met the relief column. [28]
10. He estimated the number of Indians at 3,000. [29]
11. There were 28 bodies found in a ravine; he thought they were dismounted when they got there. [29]
12. One of Maguire’s conclusions: “The number of Indians was underestimated at the outset of the campaign.” [29]
1877—Annual Report (Appendix OO) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, and dated June 30, 1877, Headquarters, Department of Dakota, St. Paul, MN.
1. Maguire described the Arikara tribe and their scouts and felt they knew more about the hostiles than they let on. He said their reputation was that of a very brave tribe, yet during this campaign the Ree scouts refused to get too far in front of the command. Maguire felt that might be because they knew there were more Sioux out there than believed, but no one knew where they were. [36]
2. LT Wallace was selected as the Seventh Cavalry’s itinerist on June 15 as Custer moved his column from the Powder River-Yellowstone camp. [42]
3. All that remained on the Indian village when Terry’s column approached on June 27 were two tepees full of dead Indians. [43]
4. They met LT Wallace who gave them the news of Reno’s siege. [43]
1879—RCOI, Tuesday, January 14, 1879.
1. With Terry from mouth of Tullock’s Creek to within about 8 miles of the battlefield, June 25 and 26. [7]
2. Arrived at Reno Hill, 10 AM, June 27. [7]
3. Ford B: “empty shells lying all around and the marks of ponies or horses having been ridden all around.” [9]
• Shells found on a little rise: government shells, Winchesters, and a small brass shell, “… which was supposed to belong to General Custer’s pistol.” [9]
4. Probably Calhoun Hill: “… as we advanced up further we found dead bodies in a circle around the crest of a little hill and quite a number of empty shells.” [9]
5. Deep Ravine: “… and in the ravine ‘H’ there were 28 dead bodies found.” [9]
6. Timber around Ford A. [9]
7. Timber was 150 yards wide by Reno’s skirmish line. [10]
8. First body was found alone, 6/10-mile from Ford B. [Description of exactly where is not clear: “… second little hill to the left of the first ravine beyond ‘B.’”] [11]
9. Distance from Reno’s hill position to the right of the skirmish line (C on Maguire’s map) was 1.2 miles. [12]
10. First met Wallace and Hare, riding toward Terry’s command. Both officers and EM seemed to have been crying when Terry and Maguire reached the top of Reno Hill. [12]
11. Saw two lodges and some wickiups when he arrived on the 27th. The lodges contained some dead Indians. [12]
12. Estimated the length of Reno’s skirmish line as 8/10 – mile as measured by the “line” he drew on his map. Did not intend for this “line” to be definitive. [14]
• Q: “I find a dotted line from ‘C’ to a line on the bluff [the western foothills] marked ‘RENO’S SKIRMISH LINE,’ what is the length of that line?”
• A: “Eight-tenths of a mile.” [14]
13. Trees on the right bank—across from Reno’s timber—were sparser than the foliage in Reno’s timber. [15]
Best wishes,
Fred.
I believe the following pretty much summarizes everything Maguire had to say. I doubt I left out any important items in the summary.
1LT EDWARD MAGUIRE
CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DAKOTA COLUMN
1LT Edward A. Maguire—b. TN, August 31, 1847 – d. October 11, 1892. Engineer Officer (EO). He was the chief of engineers for the Dakota column, but his reports were sent directly to Washington. After the battle of the LBH, he wrote two reports, a preliminary one sent to Gen. A. A. Humphreys from a camp at the mouth of the Big Horn River on July 2, 1876, and an official report to Humphreys sent from a camp on the Yellowstone dated July 10, 1876. USMA graduate, 1867. Had a distinguished military career, but never rose past the rank of captain.
• Heitman’s register: Maguire, Edward. TN. TN. Cadet USMA 29Sep1863 (9); 2LT engineers 17Jun1867; 1LT 15Feb1869; Capt 14Jun1881; died 11Oct1892.
1876—Carroll, John M., ed., General Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn: The Federal View. J. M. Carroll & Company, Bryan, TX, and Mattituck, NY: 1986. Annual Report (Appendix OO) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, dated July 10, 1876, from the camp on the Yellowstone River near the mouth of the Big Horn River.
1. Maguire reported for duty to BG Terry in St. Paul, May 8, 1876. [25]
2. A Sergeant Wilson and privates Goslin and Culligan accompanied Maguire on the expedition. [25]
3. Maguire was furnished with a four-mule ambulance for his men and instruments and odometers were attached to the ambulance’s wheels. [26]
4. Bridging was necessary every day until they reached the Powder. [26]
5. Custer’s “instructions were supplemented by verbal information to Custer, that he could expect to find Gibbon’s column at the mouth of the LBH not later than the 26th.” [27]
6. Maguire reported that both men and horses were in excellent condition when they set out on the 22nd. [27]
7. Gibbon’s infantry joined up with the advance cavalry about 11 AM on June 26. [27]
8. There were two tepees in the abandoned village. They were filled with dead warriors. [28]
9. LT Wallace was the one who met the relief column. [28]
10. He estimated the number of Indians at 3,000. [29]
11. There were 28 bodies found in a ravine; he thought they were dismounted when they got there. [29]
12. One of Maguire’s conclusions: “The number of Indians was underestimated at the outset of the campaign.” [29]
1877—Annual Report (Appendix OO) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, and dated June 30, 1877, Headquarters, Department of Dakota, St. Paul, MN.
1. Maguire described the Arikara tribe and their scouts and felt they knew more about the hostiles than they let on. He said their reputation was that of a very brave tribe, yet during this campaign the Ree scouts refused to get too far in front of the command. Maguire felt that might be because they knew there were more Sioux out there than believed, but no one knew where they were. [36]
2. LT Wallace was selected as the Seventh Cavalry’s itinerist on June 15 as Custer moved his column from the Powder River-Yellowstone camp. [42]
3. All that remained on the Indian village when Terry’s column approached on June 27 were two tepees full of dead Indians. [43]
4. They met LT Wallace who gave them the news of Reno’s siege. [43]
1879—RCOI, Tuesday, January 14, 1879.
1. With Terry from mouth of Tullock’s Creek to within about 8 miles of the battlefield, June 25 and 26. [7]
2. Arrived at Reno Hill, 10 AM, June 27. [7]
3. Ford B: “empty shells lying all around and the marks of ponies or horses having been ridden all around.” [9]
• Shells found on a little rise: government shells, Winchesters, and a small brass shell, “… which was supposed to belong to General Custer’s pistol.” [9]
4. Probably Calhoun Hill: “… as we advanced up further we found dead bodies in a circle around the crest of a little hill and quite a number of empty shells.” [9]
5. Deep Ravine: “… and in the ravine ‘H’ there were 28 dead bodies found.” [9]
6. Timber around Ford A. [9]
7. Timber was 150 yards wide by Reno’s skirmish line. [10]
8. First body was found alone, 6/10-mile from Ford B. [Description of exactly where is not clear: “… second little hill to the left of the first ravine beyond ‘B.’”] [11]
9. Distance from Reno’s hill position to the right of the skirmish line (C on Maguire’s map) was 1.2 miles. [12]
10. First met Wallace and Hare, riding toward Terry’s command. Both officers and EM seemed to have been crying when Terry and Maguire reached the top of Reno Hill. [12]
11. Saw two lodges and some wickiups when he arrived on the 27th. The lodges contained some dead Indians. [12]
12. Estimated the length of Reno’s skirmish line as 8/10 – mile as measured by the “line” he drew on his map. Did not intend for this “line” to be definitive. [14]
• Q: “I find a dotted line from ‘C’ to a line on the bluff [the western foothills] marked ‘RENO’S SKIRMISH LINE,’ what is the length of that line?”
• A: “Eight-tenths of a mile.” [14]
13. Trees on the right bank—across from Reno’s timber—were sparser than the foliage in Reno’s timber. [15]
Best wishes,
Fred.