The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-09-13
LONESOME CHARLEY"


battle on the Little Horn, have come;
now that the list of the dead is spread
out before US, and the story of their
terrible fate is told us with all its hor-
rors, the more we realize what an act
of awful bravery that ride of Gus
ter's was Linking facts with circum-
stances, and the truth is apparent
that oyer-confdence was the cause of
their death. Three hundred braver
men never died in war; there never
was sterner test of personal cour-
age.
| see in the list of the killed the
name of Charley Reynolds-"Lone-
some Charley" Reynolds. He was
one of those remarkable characters
sometimes met with in the rude life
of the frontier-more remarkable in
some respects than any it has ever
been my fortune to meet in a some
what varied experience and some
what wide association with people Of
this class; for under his rough exteri-
or there was a soul as refined and
gentle as ever reigned in woman's
breast, and, as is usual in such cases.
no amount of vulger association or
want of kindred sympathy could dull
its luster one degree.
When Custer was at the base of
Harney's Peak in 1874, and our camp
was ablaze with excitement over the
gold discoveries, Custer sent for
Bloody Knife, the chief of his scouts,
and asked for an Indian TO carry dis
patches to Fort Laramie, 200 miles
beyond us. Bloody Knife shook his
head solemnly, and said in reply:
"My warriors are brave, but they
are wise They will carry bag of
letters to Fort Lincoln, but / cannot
ask them to go through the Sioux
country to Laramie"
Fort Lincoln was 200 miles farther
than Larimie, although the route to
the latter place was bese. with ten
fold more danger. II led directly
through the Sioux hunting ground,
and just at this particular time of the
year the young men were all out in
hunting parties, so that the plains
were full of them. Bloody kaife's
braves were Rees-a tribe for which
the Sioux had a hereditary enmity,
and be was too wise to ask one OF
them TO take so suicidal a project.
But mails must be sent somehow,
and Custer was pondering what to
do. Charley Reynolds was sitting
by on the ground, with his legs cross
ed, cleaning a revolver, seemingly in-l
attentive TO the conversation. Gus
ter had been thinking but moment
when REYNOLDS looked up and said: |
"I'Il carry the males to Laramie,
General"
Custer was familiar with courage
in every form, but such a proposition
surprised even him.
Il wouldn't ask you to go Reyn-
olds," he said.
Al have no fear" responded the
scout. quietly; when will the mails
be ready2'
II was intending to send some
thing tomorrow night" replied Gus
ter.
"i'll 90 tomorrow night"
And picking up his piece of buck
skin and bottle of oil, Reynolds strobe
quietly away.
There goes a man. said Custer,
who is constant succession Of sur
prises to me. am getting 50 that
ieel a humiliation in his presence.
Scarcely day passes, and | have
known him three years, that does not
develop some new and strong trait in
bis character. l would as soon have
asked nv brother Tom to carry q
nail TO Laramie as Reynolds
The mex, day | saw Reynolds lesd,
IN old, ill-shaped. bonny, dun color
ID horse t. the farrier's. l was some
what curious to know whether he was
going to ride that animal to Laramie,
md asked him.
Yes said be, in his quiet way.
The General lei me pick my own
Mount, aud | got one that suits me-"
Noticing my surprise at his choice,
he continued:
Il suppose ! could have picked
,u, better looking one, bat this is
he sort for my trip" And scanning |
he beast over, he added: "He Knows
more than a man, If be is bony. Look
n bis eye"
The farrier took the borse's shoes
ID and pared his boots neatly. Reyn-
lids then went to the saddler's and |
lad Sc, Of leather shoes made to fit
be horses feet. so as to buckle around
he fetlccks.
What are those for?r l asked. Il
a little dodge of mine to fool the