River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-02-05

The Battlefield of the Little Big Horn-A
Mules Midnight Frolic.

Gen. Brlsbin, who was Win the
Yellowstone command when Custer met
his fatal defeat, gives to the San Fran
cisco Call narration of incidents at
tending the disastrous battle with the
Sioux:
| was on the steamer where Gen.
Terry had his headquarters and heard
him, on the evening of the Dist of June,
1876, give Gen. Custer his last orders.
Later in the evening saw Custer on
the forward deck of the steamer and
had quite loEg talk with him about the
campaign. Lieut.. Low, young in
fantry officer, who had battery of
Calling guns, wanted to go with Gus
ter and asked me to speak to him about
it. did so, and at first he said Eyes,
but on reflection came to me and said
he was afraid Lows guns would delay
the march Of the column, and he would
not take them. 1t was bitter disap-
pointment to the young officer, brave
and ambitious soldier. During the ev-
ening Iasked Custer il he felt perfect
ly sure his column was strong enough
to handle the Sioux should he meet
them. He replied:
"The Seventh Cavalry can handle
anything it will meet"
THE MARCH TO THE LITTLE BIG HORN.
Next day Custer started up the Rose
bud, and Gibbon marched up the Vel
lowstone, to opposite the mouth of Tul
lock Greek, where he crossed his entire
command over from the north to thu
south bank of the Yellowstone.
The Indians had left the Rosebud and
gone no one knew exactly where, but
we had pretty good idea through our
Grow scouts. The Sioux were ON the
Big Bend of Little Horn. Custer was
to go up the Rosebud above the In
dams, cross over to Little Horn, and
to go up Tullock Horn, cross over and
go up the stream, thus inclosing the In
dams between his own and Clusters
column, should they be found ON Little
Big Horn, rs it was confidently expect
ed they would he. The Goth of June
was the day fixed for our being on the
Little Big Horn.
Gibbon was very sick and confined to
his bed on the steamer. Terry orr
dered me to take command of the coll
umn and push it up the Tullock.
We marched very hard on the oath and
25th of June, but on the Goth found our
selves still some distance from the
mouth of the Little Big Horn. Terry
was uneasy and wished TO go on for he
had promised Custer he would be on
the Little Big Horn June Goth, and it
was now the evening of the 25th. The
doctors said the infantry could go no
further that day as they were complete
ly tired out and their feet much swollen
and blistered. | left the infantry under
Maj. Freeman in camp, and taking four
companies of cavalry and the gatling
guns pushed on with Gen. Terry for
the mouth of the Little Big Horn. The
night was very dark and it soon began
to rain. Those who were on that fear
full night march will not soon forget it.
All night long we toiled through the
mud and wet. At one time we were on
a big precipice over the Big Horn, at
another the column was so wedged in
on hog back we could not counter
march 1t and had to pull it out by the
tail. Toward morning company OF
cavalry and the battery of gatling guns
got lost from the column, and although
we sounded the bugles and halloed Wig
orously, we could not find anything of
them. An old Grow Indian said just
ahead of MS was a little valley with some
grass and stream. Gen. Terry put
him in front of us and we followed his
white pony, it beng barely visible
through the dark night. In q little
while we came to the valley, and filing
the troops into it, sll lay down in the
wet and mud to wait for daylight.
CUSTER DEAD.
As soon as it was light enough to see,
/ sent some men up on the hill in our
front, and when we reached the top
there was the Little Big Horn in the
valley beyond. Gen. Terry had kept
his promise and was at the Little Big
Horn on the Goth, not at noon or in the
evening, but on the morning of the day
he promised he would be there, and
Custer was too; but he lay dead With
his command, having fought the battle
on the 25th of June.
At sunrise we began to move for
ward, and soon learned from friendly
Grow Indians that great battle had
been fought, and Custer and tho COM
mand killed. The first thing we did
was to send word to Gibbon, who was
on steamer coming up the Big Horn
krpr, INF hoItnH
cavalry to wait for the infantry. Maj.
Freeman, an able officer, who had been
left in command of the infantry, with
orders to break camp at o'clock, was
soon coming up the valley at q swing
ing gait.
Gibbon was still very sick, but tho
old hero rose from his bed, landed from
the boat, aud mounting his horse, came
up and Joined us. assuming command of
the column and relieving me from that
responsible and unpleasant duty. We
could see a great smoke about eighteen
miles up the valley where the Indians
SAID the battle had taken place, and
where Custer had been killed with his
whole regiment. Gibbon determined to
move with great caution for Custer had
more men than we had, and it was
reasoned that if the Indians were strong
enough to defeat Custer they might al
so be strong enough to wipe us out.
Glbbon is consummate general, and
every care was taken to guard against
surprise or disaster We crept steadily
up the little valley of the Little Big
Horn in three columns, our infantry,
cavalry and artillery ready to be
brought into action at moments notice.
At dark on the Goth we were still
two miles from the smokes, and
the river bending to the north com
PEELED us to enter the hills. The In
dams had been showing in our front IL
considerable numbers, and Gems. Terry
and Gibbon wisely decided not to enter
tho hills at night with a small column.
Forming a square and placing the ami
mails and packs in the center, we lay
down on our arms to wait for morning.
The night passed without incident ex-
sept mule tied to q cracker box pulled
1t out of the pile, throwing down the
pyramid with crash and, becoming
frightened, darted through camp. ham
mering his cracker box on the ground
at every jump and making us think the
whole Sioux nation was coming down
upon us. 1t makes me laugh yet when
/ think of the racket the mule raised,
but if ever / hoped for anything it was
that the Sioux might get the mule
and carry him off; however, next morn
ing there he was with his clacker box,
and looking as innocent as lamb, and
not Sioux in sight.