The New York herald., 1876-07-29
AFTER CUSTER'S BATTLE.
HOW THE WOUNDED OF RENo's COMMAND WE'RE
CARRIED-RAwHIDE AMBULANCEs-rHE LOSS
OF BATTLE FLAGS.
BISMARCK, D. T., July "a, 1S'

OF BATTLE FLAGS.
BISMARCK, D. T., July a. 1876
After Custer and Rcho's great Indian battle the
Little Horn the removal of the sick and wounded boz
subject OF serious consideration. No ambu-
anccs could bc got into the country and tho nearest
point to water transportation was twenty-five miles
distant Rats advised. but tho Littla Horn Is SO
narrow shallow and RATS could bc got down
it, Then it was determined to carry the wounded BY
hand but tho soldiers six hours in making three
miles and It took $50 mon TO move the lItters man
is heavy burden and two could only carry about
ten minutes without resting The progress through
the sage brush was tiresomc in the extreme,
and 1t soon became evident II the wounded
to be got to tho boat in less than
three days better mode OF conveyance than hand lit
tors must be provided Lieutenant G. W. Doanc,
Second United states cavalry, was the man for ths
emergency and proposed to General Tory that II he
would halt for half day he Qeutenant Doane) would
provide horse litters for the sick and wounded. The
halt ordered and detail Of men placed at Lieuten
ant Doanes service He had no nails but horses were
shot and skinned for rawhide which Is tho Indians
substitute for nail he had rope, but the rawhide
answered also for this Two polo 13 feet long and
inches in diameter and laid side by side 3 feet aparti
then pieces feet apart tho length
Of bed) laid the poles and
bound to them with rawhidc Next net
work of rawhido woven from one pole
to another Just as we used cord bed with rope.
Two loops at the ends reaching like bent bow
from one pole TO another completed the litter
muc was backed in the front end between the poles,
which extended along his sides like pair Of shafts,
and the loop placed pack saddle. Another mua
was led into tho rear END OF tho poles with his
head toward the front mules tail and tha
loop of raw hides placed over tho pack saddle
and the litter ready for transportation soft
bed OF grass blankets and robes then madc tha
rawhidc cords and the man lard on it, with hi, head
toward the front mules tail and his feet under the rear
mules nose. II astonishing how these littcrs
would carry The spring OF the sidc poles and tho
giving of tte hide destroyed all jolt and
after n little travelling tho mules would take
uniform s,tp and even 1. tros ,s Without hurting % 'Go
half day and the wounded taken in six hours
distance it would have required three davs to carry
them by hand Even the sitting down and picking up
of hand litter the wounded said, caused them moro
pain than the trottng OF tho mules with Mr. Doanes
ingenious contrivance.
LOSS OF BATTLE FLAGS
Perhaps OF the btcrest regrets the officers and
men of tho Seventh cavalry will have for The unfor
tunnte result OF the battle OF the Little Big Horn will
be the loss OF their STANDARDS General Custer carried
with him into action on that occasion not only
his old division flag, but the ', regmenai tai
the Indians In addition to tho division and regi.
mental flags Custer lost 1--WE gudons carried by
the five companies that were with him. Colonel Reno
on his 6cld lost three Of the gudons carried into
battle Nothing is known OF the fighting around
Custer's flags but the battle on Renos side ragged
lercest whenever the smaller tailed Tags appeared.
Again and again the color sergeants were shot down
and their places immediately filled by others. About
ono flag three men werc killed and wounded.
but II was at last born OF the field In
safety Lieutenant De Rudio, seeing troop flag fall,
dismountcd and picked 1t up and carried It away
through volleys from the Indian line but he aftcrward
lost 1t in tho timber where 1t became entangled in the
branches OF tree and before he could loosen II u"
Indians charged and captured It. For this battle OF thu
Little Big Horn the Indians have no less than ten OF
our battle flags to show evidence OF their bravery
and prOweSs.