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.

GRAHAM, COLONEL WILLIAM A. [TRANSCRIBER].

Publication: 1933, NP

One of four copies authorized by W. A. Graham, Colonel J. A. G. D. Chief, Military Affairs Section in 1933. Tall, thick quarto. Red buckram, gold stamping on spine, 676 pp. "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." R. S. Ellison's personal copy with his name and the title stamped in gold on the spine. Laid-in is a seven-page article, RENO COURT OF INQUIRY by Bruce R. Liddic, that provides a great deal of insight and understanding of this book. Bruce Liddic says "There are only two sources upon which to base the transcriptions of the Inquiry's stenographer: 1) The official longhand written record now stored in the National Archives, and 2) The Chicago Times' account which was printed in that newspaper during the inquiry. All other copies, editions, versions or variations, no matter the accuracy or the end product, are merely a reprint/retype of number one or two or a combination of number one and two above." Prior to being given to the National Archives in 1941, the "Official Record" of the Reno Inquiry was kept by the Judge Advocate general from 1879 until 1941. During this period Colonel W. A. Graham [1919-1920] received permission to make a longhand copy of the Official Record of 1879. In 1921 Graham produced ten copies of the 125 page abstract. Then in 1933, due to the original document deterioration, Graham had four more copies typed. Graham retained one copy, one was given to the National Archives, and two were given to the Judge Advocate Library. From these impressions, three more copies were typed under Graham's direction, by Miss Helen Bury, his secretary, and Miss Frances J. Burke. One of these is in the Newberry Library, one is unaccounted for, and one copy given to R. S. Ellison in 1942. Ellison, a Western Americana historian, is best remembered as being involved with Brig. General William Carey Brown in obtaining the Camp notes from Mrs. Camp after his death. Written in Ellison's hand in pencil are the words, "Received 3-11-42," on one of the preliminary.

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