New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-12
MEMORIES OF CUSTER.
OF A SCOUT WHO WIT
MESSED TIE MASSACRE OF
LITTLE BIG HORN.

altered the scope Of warfare that warriors "
will depend more on their adcp'neSs III
uotbemo,ics and scientific capabilities than on
courage muscle and cleverneSs Win weapons, ~ !"
difficult 10 imagine In the next great war Tue pe'.
sno,r,v NJ any one Of the actual lighters participating
having any effect on the contest. Most people Oh
romantic turn OF mind who are prone 10 h'ro"ors"P
realize this condition. and enjoy more IMAM "ae Pe'
hans formerly the case bit OF human hhture GU
dowed with the qualities which made dArtashan inc
most admired and perhaps as well loved Oh an 'io
charming friends which readers have fonhu III ho"o"
Man killing in these days is at once associated VIII.
such UNPLEASANT features as policemen. courts '"'''
and an electrical chair; so TO meet man WI" ~, !"
largo norton OF his life has regarded the taking OF c
from a busnesslike point Of view as prch,"se'
does his bricks or carpenter his planks ana toois
Is. perhars. OF more than ordinary Interest. "h''
In addition TO his business OF slayer t"o NO"
possesses the heroic qualities personheo py t"o "".o
r,arlsman the modcsty OF young nrl Me 'ru''nu'
ness Of a child tho physique Of an athlete, ana has
assisted In the making Of history Wnat oNc has " '
OF hi, experiences Is worth recording
The man in question is known to soldiers' mherS
and Indians OF the Northwest and In CANADA as
q c,nt,in Dick, His surname Is Falconberg but lie
never uses that For years Captain UcR' mas leu
the life OF q fronticrsman, OF a scout anu do ~
won the regard Of General Custer OF WHOM i'''
fight he was n spectator unable 10 give aSs's''',o'
expecting every moment to be his last, ne Vc"eu .'o
carnage OF Little Big Horn the bio des' inoiah
I'm, eysr fue1, on American SOIL and he Is able 10
present some new and interesting features OF tnat
tragic event Captain Dick' is now IN sou'herh
California, engaged I'm mining In san D'ceo ''u"'
lie Is fond OF newspaper men, rs VIII DC re'i'e'o'
BY many New-York reporters and literary cu''cs
who may read this. for he IS as much az nome III
New-York as on the praires, ana can 'a'" Snop
with habitucs Of Printing House Square as read'iy
Ia xrf
rccenty permitted me 20 have access to MS diaes,
and from, Them as well ms from what he has toid
me- I an able to give YOU the following. III speah
ing OF Custer, Dick estimates him as brother.
poor George. he was tho most gallant cavarynah
who ever straddled horse, the greatest general IN MS
way the army possessed, and the bravesi souer
who ever pulled trigger. But for his terrible I'M
rrtnosty hc might be alive to-day. lie was porn
10 be cavaliy general-he hated restraint more than
ANYTHING else he knew no fear, and would nave al
tackled the Sioux with his handful Of men even II
he had known that they outnumbered nm hhnureu
10 one His example shows how well 1t Is 10 be brave
man. During all his battles In the Rebellion he In
variaby fought In front Of his regiment uniHo o'o'
generals. and he WAS wounded only once. lie gave
no time 70 the enemy to charge on hre twice. ITO anu
his men would be among them before they know H.
and this success Of surprising In fighting white men,
led him TO think he could practice the same tacucs
with INDIAN. Tbs IS where he made his fatai mis-
take Had Ne s'caked up on to the sionN-out thlS
was not In his make-up-he could have conquered t"e
lritos a. II was he was exposed without prote'uo3
-, any Kind TO their murderous attacks. II Major
Rcuo however had possessed the same spirit Us
Custer the Da.coials would undoubtedly all nave
been slain"
Tic story as II follows Is CLEANED from " DICKS
paIcrs The references TO himself ] havS had 10
constrlc, ron the slight mention find OF them In MS
diaries. for his modesiy is as great as bis fear Is
small. and he would not permit the amplheation
have given Of his own acts II he was aware Inc
story as a whole, however, is his own
In 1879 General Custer WAS sent 10 Montana to
rrotet the interests Of the Northern nidfc Railroad
lie went through the Yellowstone valley and strange 10
.ay IN. expedition wnS what decided MS Gfc m
1870 Hearing that several members Of his tzrfy had
l.r, saushtcrd by the Indians, he had one n the cu
nr,,s cau,h, and taken Fort Lincoln The prisoner
confessed his crime and NnS sentenced 10 be shot
The very day the execution was To have taken place
tho bncl escaped and mnde his way through all the
sioux village, trying TO persuade the Indians 10 take
The warpatA, IN which ne finally succeeded. surfing
ND "A grca, revolt. That young Indian WIS the afteT
ward famous Rainin the face. ON Clusters return 10
Dakota Gcnc.nl Terry ordered him 10 trail the D
co-tahs and make clean sweep OF them II possible
but he added the instructions that II the wnrri"s
,,ro foo numerous 10 visit for endorsements trorc
urococdne TOO far | find the following entry Ia
the diary: Isn't General Terry parting remarks TO
Cns.cr were hi, death warrant. They we're. as j
h,v,. heard them rs follows: The commander In
chief places too much confidence In your energy and
ability, 10 lmI.se precise orders which might binder
YOU I'm your advance when near 90 the enemy
IL is evidently Captain Dicks opinion that II
Terry had given Custer strict and we'll defined orders
The final tragedy might have been avcricd In fact the
oadui,a l. expressed that Terry did not like Cuscrs
lrdcpendcncc and we'll knowing that he would rush
ahead, Intentionally gave lnm no restrictions. The
on.cqnence was that Custer neglected 10 walt for
o;cnei.L Gibbons forces. and trusting TO his own
strength hi brave 9Th Cavalry and his ability. charged
the sioux camp If riding to parade on his fnvorlic
horse Daniy which had carried HIM safely through
many battles. Custer had only twenty eight officers
and about $50 men under his command, who were
easily equal to about 1900 Indians. and he ex'
pcci,I hnd about 100 indians,
whom hc could have defeated. lie went up through
the Rosebud Valley. marched To Little PIG Horn. and
discovered Indians In front Of him, aud al made
attack
Captain Dick was then with Custer as scout. He
wa, ut this lime known rs "Nck Dick from the
numerous little hicks on the stock Of his ride.
Dick was then a very young frOntcrsman, but the
stock fun Of these little notches, each one Of
which, according to this Western manner Of re
cording marked the death OF an Indian foe. Custer
had a warm affection for the Young fellow. and had
termed him the most reliable and brnvcst scout In his
command Eeforc making bis nnnl advance Custer
called up Dick, ard sent him n carrier with a fnll
statement OF the situation to Major Reno, who with
th,.e companies Of the 7th ordered 10 cross the
Rosebud on the left and AT attack the Indians In
the rear Mt the time that Custer would be engag-
Ing them In the front Because OF the immense number
Of hoses, swnrming all over the trails and tbrough
the woods Dick could not rnch Renos command.
but he came enough 10 see that officer. after
MAILING only the slightest resistance tO the Indians
retire with bis 225 across the Rosebud River
under II heavy fire. when he might by risk
Ing his skin have stood and fought, changing the
ending OF that day.
Captain Dick seeing that h. could not reach tho
living Reno determined 10 retrce his steps and, II
possible, join Custer. and take a hand In the srfm.
mage, and warn him not 10 make the attack. but 10
retreat. as Reno would not support him. He was
seen by n ndskIn, and rife ball poughed It's way
across his shOul Ter but his knowledge OF wDnIcIf.