, 1897-03-13

eu at me 'front.'. n as a troop OF cav
airy was sufficient TO conduct the pack
train to the battlefield, he would hurr
which was. or soon would be. holly en-
gagged. We had not gone far when W
iound the cavalry trail separated. Aft
er a little hesitation Colonel Benteei
choose to follow the right-hand trail
which led up to the top Of a high hill
When we goI there we saw the who'll
Indian village spread II before US
down in the valley. and skirting tn,
banks of the Little Big Horn.
THE INDIAN VILLAGE.
We then thought possibly We hat
taken The wrong trail, and that w
should have taken the left-hand one
leading 10 the river. Colonel Benteer
had the glasses. and | remarked that al
those persons down there could not be
Indians, and he replied that he coult
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 looking in that direction and
about 200 yards away. we saw two In.
dams mounted and apparently in doub.
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 &c
be our indian contingent. On reaching
them. they greeted us with great joy.
and. pointing off this hill to the very
broken and difficult country below,
said. Soldiers" Following with our
eyes the direction indicated by them We
saw cavalrymen using every endeavor
and urging their tired steeds to their
utmost 10 get up the hill rapidly. They
were or the retreat, and proved to be
the officers and men who had not been
killed of RenO's battalion. When they
Joined us, II first inquiry was of Gus
ter. Reno said his battalion had to take
tle left-haId trail, as Custer had de-
tached 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 say 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 en-
gagged. waved his hat, which Reno took
FOR a token of approval. There were
100 many Indians for Reno to hold his
own. and after losing n number o: Off
GERS and men he IA forced to retreat
10 the high ground, where his battalion
and Benteen's Joined. Benteen suggest
ed 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 acquiesced in this and accord
ingly we proceeded in that direction.
The country over which we had to
travel was much to our disadvantage,
and we found it impossible. without sui
fering a terrible loss, to proceed fur
there in that direction. Benteen again
communicated with Reno, and it was
decided to return to the place we join.
ed Reno after his repulse, and was con
sidered the best point to make a de-
Tense. 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 H, which
| commanded. as it happened. wa post,
ca 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 some
what 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 it afforded.
Many OF u animals were killed, and,
as the weather was hot, they decompos-
GU inPFuis, "HlCl ny HO IledNS auueu
10 our comfort.
When Troop H was posted on this
bare hill | was ordered by Colonel Ben
teen to hold that position at all hazards,
as it was the key to the situation, and
if 1t was lost the Zig" would be up for
us all. AT this time we knew nothing
OF the whereabouts or fate Of General
Clusters battalion. We did know. how
ever, that we were surrounded by an
overwhelming number of savages and
the prospect did not look at all encour-
aging. The number of Indians engag.
ed in this battle has been estimated a
from $500 to 5000 and we vent into
the fight with less than 600 men in all
and, as Custer had nearly half of this
number in his battalion, all OF whom,
had been killed. consequently we, aboul
$50 men strong, were battling with the
entire, force of Indians.
Against such odds resistance seemed
almost hopeless. 1t must have been ir
the neighborhood OF noon when we took
up this position, and until after night,
fall the fight ragged %furiously, with !
constant crash Of carbines and musket,
ry on both sides. Reno had lost con.
siderably while in the bottom, but oul
casualties increased greatly during the
afternoon and evening.
THE SECOND DAYS FIGHT.
The next morning, before dawn. a