Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-13

lnQlAnG ana from tnHl pOlnL DhlldllOu Uikdh-
~izations would cease and the column would
proceed from there in the order that troop
commanders reported them ready for action.
It SO happened that II troop, which | had
commanded ever since Colonel Benteen had
been placed In command OF q battalion, was
near the head OF the column that morning.
and after General Clusters remarks l has
tened to the troop and directed the men to
tighten up their horses girths. This done, |
reported to Benteen-he being my captain,
and being ordered to resume omman oil
his troop-that III" troop was ready for
action. He, in turn, made the same report
to General Custer, and, being the first cap
tain to report ready, we were given the
head OF the column on resuming
the march. We had hardly marched in this
order two miles when we again halted and
General Custer informed Colonel Benteen
that he had reconsidered his order breaking
up the battalions, and that Benteen could
take his again, which consisted OF three
troops, and added that Colonel Reno would
also have his old battalions, while he, him
self, would resume personal command OF
the original FIVE troops he had started with.
This accounts for eleven troops, the twelfth,
Troop "B," being designated the escort to
the pack train. The pack train was an inn
portant adjunct TO the command, as 1t coneti-
tuted the transportation for our supplies
and extra ammunition.
A RECONNAISSANCE.
lWUleQlHlely uDUu ltSuillhb "a -
ganlzation Colonel Benteen was directed to
take his out of column and proceed with II
across the hills to the left, which turned out
to be small mountains, and reach the val
ley of the Little Big Horn as soon as pos
sible. II Indians we're found trying to es-
cape up the valley we we're to intercept them
and drive them toward the village. 1t was a
formidable undertaking, getting over
these so-called hills, especially as
our horses were ~leg-weary and the
men very tired and much in need of rest and
food.
About half way over Colonel Benteen or
dered me to select half a dozen men on the
best horses, get ahead of the battalion, and
proceed as rapidly as possible to the valley,
and report to him without delay what |
found there; at the same time he handed
me his field glasses. His object in sending
me was to save unnecessary fatigue to both
horses and men in case nothing was there.
l got to the valley and found 1t as quiet as
the grave itself. UP the valley l could see
a long distance, but in the direction OF the
village only a short one, owing to the turn
in the valley and the broken character OF
the country. / hurried back to Benteen, and
told him there was no use going any further
in that direction. Therefore, in compliance
with General Clusters orders, in case no In
dams were seen in the valley, we were to
return by the shortest route to the trail of
the main command, and follow 1t up.
After we had gotten back on the trail we
had not proceeded more than a mile or two
before we met an orderly with a written
message to Colonel Benteen, which read as
follows: "Benteen, hurry on; bring packs"
This was signed "W. w. Cook" who was
the adjutant of the regiment, and under his
name he had again written, as If to empha-
size it, Bring packs" AS / said before, the
Importance Of a pack-train. when you have
no other means of transportation, cannot be
overestimated. Benteen asked this orderly
If the pack-train had passed, and he,
stupidity, did not know. Colonel Benteen
hereupon concluded that as his battalion
seemed to be needed at the front, and as a
troop of cavalry was sufficient to conduct
the pack-train to the battlefield, he would
hurry to join the balance of the command,
which was, or soon would be, holly engaged.
We had not gone far when we found the
cavalry trail separated. After a little hest
tation Colonel Benteen chose to follow the
right-hand trail, which led up to the top of
a high hill. When we got there we saw the
whole Indian village spread out before us,
down in the valley, and skirting the banks
of the Little Big Horn.
THE INDIAN VILLAGE.
We then thought possibly we had taken
the wrong trail, and that we should have
taken the left-hand one, leading to the
river. Colonel Benteen had the glasses, and
/ remarked that all those persons down there
could not be Indians, and he replied that
he could see nothing else. Well, we thought
IL they were all Indians, there were enough
of them to eat us up and cry for more. The
ridge we were on led off to the right, and,
locking in that direction and about 200 yards
away, we saw two Indians mounted and ap-
parently in doubt what to do. We had some
Indian scouts with us, and concluded these
were two of them, and after making friendly
demonstrations to them they proved to be
our Indian contingent. On reaching them
they greeted us with great joy, and, pointing
off this hill to the very broken and difficult
N,.,t, hnIAu, ~ sCD1ls@., - II-.
with our eyes the direction indicated by
them we saw cavalrymen using every en-
deavor and urging their tired steeds to their
utmost to get up the hill rapidly. They
were on the retreat, and proved to be the
officers and men who had not been killed
of Renos battalion. When they Joined us,
our first inquiry was of Custer. Reno said
his battalion had to take the left-hand trail
as Custer had detached him to cross the river
and open the engagement and to push
through to the other end of the village, and
that he, Custer, would support him.. He said
the last he saw of Custer was on the crest
of the hill we were then on, but that his
troops must have been behind the slope, as
he did not see them.
Custer, he said, after seeing him engaged
waved his hat, which Reno took for a token
of approval. There were too many Indians
for Reno to hold his own, and after losing a
number Of officers and men he was forced to
Itllthl W II lie biouiih, NhNiS hIo q
talon and Benteen's Joined. Benteen suE>
gested that We move in the direction of the
generals trail, and follow it with a view of
rejoining his command, adding strength to
the whole force.
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Reno ecauiesced in this, and accordingly
we proceeded in that direction. The coun-
try over which we had to travel was much to
our disadvantage, and We found 1t impossi-
bIa without suffnrinU n tprrihln lCSS IN nrO-
coed further in that direction. Benteen
again communicated with Reno, and it was
decided to return to the place we Joined
Reno after his repulse, and was considered
the best point to make a defense. After we
reached there the pack train arrived and
the several troops, seven In all, were placed
In position to fight for their lives. Troop II,
which / commanded, as 1t happened, was
posted along the crest of a hill that over
looked the rest Of the command, which was
located about 300 yards away, across a broad
slope which was somewhat protected, but
very little, from the constant and heavy cross
fire OF our willy foe. In this slope our horses,
pack mules, supplies and extra ammunition
found such poor shelter as 1t afforded. Many
of our animals were killed, and. as the
weather was hot, they decomposed rapidly,
which by no means added to our comfort.
When trooo IL was posted on this bare
hill | was ordered by Colonel Benteen to hold
that position at all hazards, as it was the
key 10 the situation. and If 1t was lost the
Gig" would be up for us all. At this time
we knew nothing OF the whereabouts or fate
of General Clusters battalion. We did know,