Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-12-23

Since the close or our civil war we
have had but one great and striking
battle fought upon the soil Of the re-
public. and that 10 known as q msssa-
ere. l refer to the extinction OF Gen
eral George A. Clusters cavalry COM
mand on the Little Big Horn, in Mon
taDa, June, 1876. by barbarous mob
OF Sioux and Cheyenne Indians under
the command OF Sitting Bull and Crazy
Horse. While this deplorable affair
was. 10 a sense, a massacre, IL was,
nevertheless, on the part Of our cavalry
q battle fought from beginning TO end
with intelligence and discipline and
with heroism that has not been ex-
celled since ThermOpylae. 1t was .
battle and a sacrifice.
The completion OF the railway be-
tween Sheridan. Wyoming, and Billings,
on the Northern Pacific railway, has
brought Clusters battlefield into touch
with tie outer world, ana tourists In
the Northwest will flock TO Ii hereafter
by the thousands. There is neat rail-
way station AZ Fort Custer, the cavalry
depot OF the Northwest. and the battle
field Is distant thirteen miles. An
easier Journey can be made from the
Crow Agency, which Is on the line OF
the railway aud only four miles from
the now historic field.
10 November last had the privilege
OF visiting the scene Of Clusters glory
in the company Of Colonel William +.
Cody and under auspices which were
most agreeable
Arriving at Fort Custer, we were met
by delegation Of officers Of the Tenth
Cavalry, prominent among them Lieu
tenant Malvern Hill Barnum, sou OF the
late General Henry A. Bsrnum, OF New
York-remembered as one OF the brav-
ess and noblest soldiers that ever
buekled on a sword belt. General Mer-
rift had kindly notified our coming TO
Colonel John Kemp Miner, command
ant OF the post, and every courtesy az
the command OF himself and his officers
was ours. Captain j. h. Mcdonald,
acting Qusrtermaster, was especially
zealous in his attention, as were also
Lieutenants Wright and Johnston and
Lieutenant Colonel Perry.
START FOR TIE BATTLEFIELD.
The start for the battlefield was made
at ten o'clock a. m. We had two am
balances placed az our disposal, one OF
them fairly stocked with rations for the
day, and Colonel Miner took charge OF
the expedition. He sent with Us de-
tail Of troopers, with led horses for our
use on the field. Besides half dozen
young officers Of the Tenth, we had
with Us the post scout, Mr.. James
Campbell, 70 whom the country is In
debted for the care OF the Custer Held.
He was in the vicinity OF the battle with
Gibbons command, and was one OF the
first white men TO reach the field after
the retreat OF the foe. He was familiar
with the Seventh cavalry and was able
TO Identify a number of the mutilated
bodias. He went carefully over the
deld, and wherever the body OF q SOL
der lay he placed a stake. From that
day he has been stationed at Fort Gus
ter, and be has watched over the held
as carefully and tenderly as "Old Nor
tally" guarded the graves Of his Cove
nanters IN the kirkyardS OF Scotland.
Through the late Senator Beck, OF
Kentucky, who visited the field some
years ago. be induced the government
TO fence in the battlefield and erect
neat stone lodge for the use Of super
Int ndenG Furthermore, he obtained
al appropriation for marble stones,
which be substituted for the wooden
stakes which marked the spots whereon
the troopers Of the Seventh fell, and
to-day these white sentinels, dotting
the field, tell the story Of the struggle
aud help 10 away to clear up the awful
shadow OF mystery which will ever rest
upon these solemn, blOod-dyed hills.
Each little marble sentinel tells that
here died a member Of the Seventh
United States cavalry, June %, 1876.
That is all.
At the highest point OF the field and
within q few feet Of where Custer and
his little group of devoted followers raj
lied and died there stands a monument,
consisting Of three massive blocks OF
granite, 10 pyramid form. On these
stones will be found the names Of the
uf6 GERS and men of the Seventh, who
we're inundated here AS read them
over was struck by the fact that fully
two-thirds Of them were American
names-a simple thing IN itself, but 10
refuted the common belief that our reg
ular army in time Of peace IS, and al
ways has been largely made up OF for
signers. The vandal had been here
with his Ratchet. aud great chunks OF
this commemorative pile have been
Clipped of and carried away. So heart
less were the relic hunters before the
government incloSed the field that IL
became necessary 90 take down the stone
which marked the SPOT where Clusters
body lay and substitute plain board
cross. They Clipped IL of until only a
couple OF feet remained.
FIELD OF BATTLE NATURAL GENE
terry
But all that is eAded now, for thor
ough supervision is maintained, and
this Geld is national cemetery now.
Tbs remains Of United States soldiers,
who had been slain in battle and scOGs
and massacre In that section are being
gathered here and properly buried, with
tombstone and monument. The VIC
tins of the Fort Phil kearney massacre
lie here now, aud many a poor, half-de-
faced stone, which told for years at
some spot on the plains OF the death of
some faithful bearer OF the national
arms, has been transferred with It's
bones to this mournful corner, 10 20 on
telling 20 the ages It's story OF heroic
ieath aud duty performed.
Our ride from the fort 10 the field WAS
through the pretty valley Of the Little
Big Horn. We passed one large Grow
village, and at one point witnessed
picturesque sieht. 10 wit-about a hun
ired Crow Indians engaged 10 actual
manual LABOR. Captain Watson, the
military officer In charge Of the Crow
Aoarrv hoc aefa hlishad hare an avDorf.. I