, 1876-08-07
LITTLE BIG HORN.


Army ana Nary Journal.
Headquarters SEVENTH REGIMENT CAvALr
M, CAMr ON YgLLowsToAE RIVER, Jnly5
1sT6.-Capt. Il. ". Smith, 4. D. c. and 4. A.
A, g.: The command Of the regiment having
lcrolvcd upon me, rs the senior surviving
officer FROM tho battle Of june Is anh22o, be-
tween the Seventh Cavalry anl Sitting Bulls
band Of hostile Sioux, on the Little Big ltosh
River, hare tho honor to submit the follow
inc report of It's operations from the time OF
leaving the main column until the column Was
united In tho vicinity or tho Indian village.
The regiment left tho camp at tile mouth Of
Rosebud River. after passing in review before
the Department Commander, under tho coin
mand of Drevct Maj. ..Gen. G. A. Custer, Licn-
tenant Colonel, on tho afternoon Of thu I'd OK
June, and marched up the Rosebud II miles and
cncampcl. 23l-Marchcd up tho Rosebud, pass
luz mnny old Indian camps, and following very
sGo tra bnt wna not rd,sa 'rsi aasapF n Fe ~
Rosebud, tho t1nil and siGns lrcsnenlhs Win
every mile, until VIC hatl made sS miles, anu VIC
tLcn cucat,lped and waited for Information from
the scouts A. 9s r m Castsr IT, eds1 nUso,! .He
doubt tic yillage VIVA Ia the valley Of thu Little
Dig Horn, and Tint TO reach L It was necessary
to cross the tllyilc between Rosebud anu Little
Big Horn, and It would bS iMposs,nlo to 10 =,
n
to the Indlans; that w would prepare 70 move
Mt ii n, III. ThEs was done, the l1l.e Of marcl'
turrll,c from the Rosebud to the right, up ono
Of is brat.ches, which headed neas thu summit
ot tho divide.
About q a. m. Of the 18th, tho scouts told
him tllat be could not cross The divide hefore
daylight. We then made eot!ce aud reatcd tor
three hours, At the expiration 81 which time tne
about a. NJ. thu command was in tase valley of
one OF the branches of tho Little Bly, Horn. By
this time Indians hal been seen. ,anl It was
ccrtaln that we could not surprise them, aud 1t
"''' MoyK Ar ONCE TO THE ATTACK.
Previous to this no division Of tho regiment
had been made since the order was Issued, on
the Yellowstone, annullsng wlng and battalion o.,
would ussgn commands on the march. was
ordered BY Lieut.. ". ~. Coolic,. .AdIutant, 70
asuilo command Of Companies M, \, and g;
Cart. Bcnteen. Of companea II, D, anl Is;
''ta lis immediate t communal, and Company .,
Capt. AtcDougall,, IN rear OF tne pack
train. / assumed command OF the coil.
panles assigned to u!c, and, without my
rust Of tic column, and well tn Ito left. ]
saw pontecn moving further TO the left, and,
~ they passcd, he told inc he lad ortiers to
moyo well " tic left, and sweep everything DC.
| $50 y. In. The command moved down tho
creek toward tho Little Elg norn Valley
Custer, With live compaltcs os.. Thy right BANK,
myself and three companies IN Tue lS1t nahRt
aud Dcntccu further to ts!e left, and cut Ok
| sight ,,,.,.
| A. We approached deserted vEllage, !a which
WIS standing QUE ttpts, about II y M, Guste1
| ul0tiouea me 10 cross TO hiIl, Wheh
did, and moved nearcr to hts colum!, until
ahout e 80 u. M, when LIEUT.. Cooke, Adjutaut,
came to INC and said ths village NUS only y
niles al,eaa and running away. To move
and 10 charge aftcrward, and that tho whcle
Quilt would support mes" think those "eft
Ills exart warl4. ut oure took fast ttot, a'lt
y ford ol the rsycr. crossed Immediately, ana
halted ubout ten mtnutca Of less to gather tht
battalion, sending word 10 Custer that bal
everything IN front Of INC, aud TINT
THET wEKE STRONG.
I deployed, aud, with this Rce scouts On my
Lett, clusged down tho valley, driving the III