Billings Senior High School - Kyote Yearbook (Billings, MT)

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appeared with his troops, deploying them as skirmish- ers and withstanding the enemy's vicious attack. The Indians gradually slackened their attack and suddenly most of them disappeared up the valley, thus giving Reno and Benteen time to establish their positions. Having established their positions, they proceeded to make observations, and to decide what to do regard- ing the carrying out of Custer’s order to come to him. Accordingly at about five o’clock the command moved towards Custer’s position intending to join him. Hearing occasional shots from that direction, Benteen and Reno arrived at the conclusion that Custer had been repulsed and that the firing was by the rear guard. I he firing suddenly ceased and Indians in bunches were seen racing toward Reno's position. The com- mand was now ordered to fight on foot. Lieutenant Weir’s and Captain French’s troops were posted on the high hills and to the front of them with Lieutenant Godfrey’s troops along the crest of the bluffs next to the river. The rest of the command moved to the rear to establish a defensive position. The Indian attack on Weir’s and French’s positions compelled them to retire. They were seen retreating towards the main command at a rapid gait, followed closely by the Indians. Lieu- tenant Godfrev deployed his men of Troop K as skirm- ishers, sent his horses to the main command and re- treated slowly. Orders came to Godfrey to hurry his troop to the com- mand and as or- dered, his men made a run for it. The Indians now took possession of all the high points in the immediate area and opened a heavy fire which continued until dark (between nine and ten o’clock).f The night was spent in terrible agony by the soldiers who were obliged to listen to the war whoops, and shouts of their foes, as they wildly celebrated their victory in the village. At da break the fighting again broke out with a fury equal to that of the previous day. The Indians attempted to draw the fire of the soldiers, thus caus- ing them to waste their ammunition, but the order to hold the fire foiled this attempt. Benteen's command suffered more casualties than the cithers as it was in a position more exposed to the river. After much urging, Reno finally ordered French to take troop “M” over to support Benteen. The boldness of the enemy soon caused Benteen to make a charge and the Indians were dirven nearly to the river. 'Phis subdued the warriors for a short time, hut •Brads . “Indian Fights and Flghterp.1' tBrady, Indian Fights and Fighter».” Main-in-t he-Face, a renowned war- rior, a man of Importance, being brother of Iron Horse, one of the prin- cipal 1’iH-apapas chiefs. He had been previously overpowered by Captain Toni Custer. He made his escape and «wore vengeance on Custer. It Is rea- sonably certain, (according to Ids own story) that he killed Tom Custer in the Hattie of the Hit tie Big Horn. Sitting Bull, a Cticapapa Sioux In- dian. was the chief of the hostile camp, with about sixty lodges of fol- lowers. which whs known as '‘Sitting Bull Camp or Outfit. He was known as the great “medicine man. ’ He was a chief, but not a warrior chief. In the war councils, he had a voice and vote the same as any other chief. A short time before the battle he had “maCe medicine” and had predicted that the sold Jet-5 would attack them and that the soldi rs would all be killed. He took no active part in toe battle, but as was hi-» custom in time of danger, remained in the village making medicine.” Personally he was regarded by the Agency Indians as a great coward and a very great P.ar. a man with a big head ami a little heart.”

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reason for not proceeding further in the direction first mentioned. Upon reaching the trail just ahead of the pack train, Benteen saw Custer’s command, easily disting- uished by the troop of gray horses, traveling to the right at a rapid gait. Reno and Custer separated about a mile from tbe river, Custer going over the high rolling hills and Reno proceeding directly to the river. (See map.) Reno, following the Indian trail, crossed at a ford about two miles southeast of the Indian camp and marched di- rectly down the valley, coming shortly upon a few Indians who offered no opposition, but who kept just far enough ahead to invite pursuit. Reno followed them closely until he received orders to “move forward at as rapid a gait as you think prudent and charge the village afterward, and the whole outfit will support you. ' Reno, as ordered, moved rapidly forward in “column of fours' for about half a mile, then formed the battalion in line of battle across the valley with the scouts on the left. After advancing about a mile fur- ther, he deployed his command as skirmishers. The Indians, continually reinforced, fell back, firing occa- sionally, hut made no decided effort to check Reno's advance. Suddenly the Indians “developed great force, opened a brisk fire, mounted, and dashed to Reno’s left where the Reno scouts were located,”t The scouts fled and Reno im- mediately ordered his men to dismount and fight on foot. The command fell hack on the defensive until in the timber. Up to this time, Reno’s loss was one wounded. T he length of time Reno re- mained in this position is questionable. Some say “a few minutes, others say “about an hour.” While in this strong position, Reno's casualties were few. In time, a small number of Indians fired on the rear of the command and Reno ordered the men to mount and get to the bluffs. Reno led this retreat or “charge as he termed it in his report.% Striking the river at a fordable place, Reno's troops rushed in a straggling manner into a small cut in the hank and dashed madly up a steep bluff, losing a number of men. Lieutenant Don McIntosh was killed soon after leav- ing the timber. I)r. D. Wolf was killed climbing the bluffs a short distance from the command and Lieu- tenant B. H. Hodgson was shot and killed after his horse leaped with him from the bluff into the river. Reno’s casualties thus far were three officers, and twenty-nine enlisted men killed, seven enlisted men wounded, one officer, one interpreter and fourteen soldiers and Ree scouts missing. The Crow scouts stayed with Reno. Although Reno's men formed a defense, they w'ere fighting a losing battle. Benteen •Godfrey. Century, January. 1X92. ♦Godfrey, Century. January, 1x«»2. t Godfrey. Century. January. 1892 Brady. Indian Fight and Fighter . Curley wan on of the six Crow Indian scouts with Punter. Jt ■ claimed by many, that he wax with Punter in the battle of the Little Big Horn. According to his ntory hi escape was made | ossiblc by disguis- ing himxeir as a Sioux and passing through their lines. He was the first to report the outcome of the battle to Terry on the Far West. ' John Martin was a trumpeter of Custer’s command and was the last man to see Custer alive. It was he who carried Punter' last message to Benteen. to come at once and bring packs when he. Punter, had started his detour with the intention of strik- ing the rear of the Indian village.

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suddenly they increased their fire and gathered to at- tack. Henteen at once went to Reno, pleading with him to do something immediately. Reno gave or- ders to prepare for a charge and directed Benteen to command it. After driving back the Indian lines for 75 or 100 yards, the advance was halted and Benteen retreated to Reno’s position without the loss of a man. About 11 a. m. the firing slackened and volunteers rushed to the river, bringing back sufficient water for the time being. Several of these men were wounded in making this hazardous trip. About two o’clock the Indians again opened fire and drove the soldiers to the trenches. At about three o’clock the firing ceased. Late in the afternoon the Indians fired the grass in the river bottom and under cover of the smoke, gathered up their belongings and moved across the pla- teau toward the Big Horn mountains. On Tuesday morning, June 27, Terry arrived at the Reno camp and told of finding Custer’s entire command slain. On the morning of June 28, Terry, Benteen and Reno left the entrenchments to bury the Custer slain. With the exception of a few, the bodies had been stripped of clothing and nearly all were terribly muti- lated. General Custer was not scalped nor mutilated and it was said that his expression was natural. He had been shot in the temple and in the left side. The bodies of Dr. Lord and Lieutenant’s Porter, Harrington, and Sturgis were not found, or at least, not recognized. The clothing of Porter and Sturgis was found in the village. According to Godfrey, 212 bodies were buried. The killed of the entire com- mand was 265 and the wounded. 52. Gall was the big chief of the three— the leading spirit among the Indians in the Custer Battle. He was an Un- oapapa Sioux of humble parentage, who became ehief by foroe of his per- sonality. Gall later became reeonciled and was a powerful influence for good among the Indians, establishing: the final peace settlements. No one knows exactly what happened to Custer after he left Reno. John Martin, a trumpeter, was the last white man to see Custer and his command alive. Martin had been sent to Benteen with the mes- sage, “Benteen, come on. Big village. Be quick. Bring packs.—P. S. Bring packs.” Martin, accord- ing to his own account, gave this message to Benteen shortly after the latter had struck the trail just ahead of the pack train. Curley, a Crow Indian scout, claimed to have re- mained with Custer until shortly before the end of the battle. His escape was made possible by his disguising as a Sioux and passing through their lines. The In- dians who opposed Custer, claimed Curley watched the battle from a safe distance and upon seeing that Custer was defeated, fled into the hills. Curley reporting to Terry on the “Far West,” gave the first word of the disastrous result of the battle. Custer, from the point he was last seen by Ben- teen’s men, had a view of the field for several miles of the march. He made a wide detour in order to fall on •Godfrey. Century, January. 181 2. Brady, Indian Fights and Fighters. Crow King, one of the three big chief» in the bHltle of the L.ittle Big Horn. He led the Indians It» the at- tack on Custer's front, (’row King, a r tic a pa pa chief, was greatly admired by the Indians.