Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-13

| within twenty-five feet Of the right Of my
Colonel Benteen's orders until my troop was
so reduced in numbers as TO make my
evacuation OF IL almost necessary. Ny men
who were still able to fight fully realized
their peril, and remained there only because
they, too, knew II that position was sur
rendered 1t would be a sorry day for us. ]
was in sore need OF both men and ammuni-
ton, but to send a man to the command was
almost sure death. We were not in commu-
n~ication with the rest OF the command, and
had no idea how II was faring.
Finally our situation became desperate
something had TO be done at once IL we hoped
to live many minutes longer. Just as l had
decided to send a messenger to Colonel Ben
teen Private McDermott spoke TO ne and
asked IL l would like him to carry a message
to the colonel. / hastily pointed out the
danger OF his going, but he again expressed
his willingness to go. So he carried my
message to Colonel Benteen that must have
men and ammunition at once. McDermott
miraculously got there and back without q
scratch. He said the colonel would be here
Immediately with achievements. He did not
arrive ct once and McDeTmott asked me IL
he should go back. l replied, No. that IL
Colonel Benteen said he would come he Ger.
tainly would. Sure enough he soon arrived
with about ten or twelve men. Considering
the smallness of the command and the losses
1t had sustained, twelve was quite a large
number.
THE CHARGE AND THE RETREAT.
Benteen took in the situation at once and
said we must charge them. This we did and
1t resulted not only disastrously to them, but
surprised them, so that they gave us a wide
berth after 1t.
Subsequently Colonel Benteen convinced
Major Reno that ours was the position to
defend, so we got more troops up there and
some spades and picks, and soon threw ny
very respectable earthworks. This strength
ened our position immensely, and, after hight
ing us until dark, the Indians with all their
belongings withdrew and left us in possession
OF the field.
This they did for two reasons; they had
had pretty hard fighting. had lost heavily,
and their runners had discovered General
Terry's command approaching in the dis
lance. About 8 o'clock on the morning of
the 9th Terry's command was in sight, and
from 1t We heard OF the fate of Custer and
his men. They, it turned out, had perished
In less than half an hour after they became
engaged, and the dead bodies of our com
rades were lying about two miles from us.
Thus the battle Of the Little Big Horn
ended.
1t carried many of our comrades, whom
we loved with almost a brothers affection,
to the happy hunting ground" and may
their souls be at rest.
Colonel Reno is now dead, but l do no,
think 1 do any violence to his memory By
stating most em0hatically that had 1t not
been for Benteens perfect GOODNESS and sur
passing judgment we all would have ended
our careers there.
These are some of the events that &C.
CURED from the day we left the mouth of
the Rosebud. on June 20, 1876, until the
close of the battle o. the Little Big Horn, on
June 26, 1876, as 7, after twenty years, re-
member them. There may be some mac
curacies, but, if SO, l am not conscious of
them. +. NJ. GIBSON, Capt. u. S. A.
Captain Gibson was appointed second lieu
tenant in the Seventh cavalry in October,
1867, was made first lieutenant on July IL,
1871, and captain on February 5, 1880. He
retired from the service on December 3,
1891, on account of physical disability.
you cannot denv f.cts md n ;s a foot tho,