The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-19
WAS WITH RENO IN
CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT
The Story of Government Scout William jackson. the First Man to
Visit the Scene Of the Little Big Horn Massacre
Where the Gallant Custer Fell.

u TO8T, 80Q tuen u OleQ
away until there was only the scat
tered reports Of single shots. All this
tool place in the q Of two hours.
and when the June sun set behind the
Little Big Horn mountains the Custer
command q been entirely wiped out.
"Of course we did not know this at the
time, but wondered how the fight had
gone. Soon we suspected that some
thing was wrong, for the Indians again
turned their attention to Reno. and
from that time there was no opportun-
ity to think of anything save what we
saw going OF about US. n in which
we were vitality interested. For the
onslaughts of the painted warriors be-
came desperate. Infiamed by their mas
sacre of the Custer command. they now
determined to sweep away the rest of
their enemies, and time and again they
charged up the hill to capture Reno.
Only the strength of u position pre-
vented our meeting a fate hk that of
Custer. and 1t was after dark before
h hostiles gave up their attempts to
dislodge and slaughter US. My personal
interest in the fray was strong. / had
been in the skirmish line, and when we
were driven back by the hostiles we
retreated slowly, protecting h with
drawal of the main body of Reno's COM
mand. In doing this IA of us were cut
from the command, and had to tax
to the brush n hide. Before we
could conceal ourselves 10 of the IA had
been killed, leaving only Lieutenant
Gerodio, F. F. Gerard, Tom O'Neal and
myself. Although born an ndian and
accustomed to scenes of death. this was
the nearest I had ever approached 1t
from a personal point of view, and l
confess that as I lay there in the brush
with the hostiles charging all around
us, and expecting every m to be
- zAnan-
ton vas anything save agreeable. 1
suppose my nerves, thanks to my early
training, were more stoical than those
of the average human being, p~articula-
ly IL he is a white man, but that was a
time when they Quivered unpleasantly.
Fortunately we were not discovered,
and at midnight. after all danger OF the
return of the enemy was past, we
slipped from our covert and made ready
to Join our command. We stripped the
blankets from the bodies Of dead In
dians, which were plentifully strewn
through the timber, and wrapping these
about us we filed Indian fashion up the
bank of the stream. We did not know
just where Reno was camped and u
first desire was to get outside Of the
dead circle" or picket line, of the
Sioux. We advanced cautiously and
making as little noise as possible, but in
spite Of that we suddenly ran into a
body of Is Sioux pickets. To hesitate
was to be suspected and suspicion on
their part just then meant death to us.
We advanced steadily and without ex-
hibiting surprise. We had partly
passed the party when one of them
demanded who we were. / could speak
Sioux as well as my own tongue, and
without delay replied U.s.
"'Where are you going? was the
next question, and my answer ITO this
was For our horses This satisfied the
interrogation and we had escaped u
first danger.
I'VE had succeeded in crossing the
stream and following the trail along the
bank, faint in the dim moonlight, when
we came to an opening in the dense
growth of cottonwoods, and there we
ran into a camp Of several hundred
Indians. Gerard Immediately took them
to be our friends and belonging to Re-
nos command. He shouted: Don't
shoot, boys; we are friends. The
startled Indians cried out: Lay non;
wa-se-cha ah-he-pe ah-lo!' Ut is the
enemy. The evil bad-snows are upon
us!) At this I dropped my blanket and
made a run for it. getting into the brush
and away from the trail. Someone fol-
lowed me closely, and I made up my
mind that IL ever he caught me there
would be a fight to death between us.
/ could actually feel the knife thrust
between my ribs in my highly excited
Imagination, and when I reached the
river bank I turned to face my pursuer.
I found that 1t was none other
thar Gerard, who had chosen the same
path as myself. We waited a minute or
two and listened. Then we heard four
shots, and we were sure that our COM
p~anions were lost.
I'VE waited no longer but plunged
into the stream and gained the oppo-
site bank. following it as far as we
dared. Dawn was breaking, and
through the day We lay hidden in the
willows, watching the battle which fol-
lowed between the Indians n Reno's
command. AS the sun arose we could
see the Indians circling about the camp,
occupying every adjacent hill. A scat
tering fire was maintained until 8
o'clock in the forenoon, when the In
dams made a v a assault upon the
a side of Reno's position. The sol
diers appeared to be very cool and
poured in a murderous fire, which
forced the hostiles to fall back with
heavy loss. An our later they made
a second desperate charge and so fierce
the soldiers over the breastworks, hand
to hand. But again the discipline of
the soldiers was more than q match for
the ~fanatical frenzy Of the Sioux. and
they were driven back n second time.
The soldiers had lost but few in this
conflict, while their savage Toes were
strewn all over the side of the hill.
From that time until LOG there was
only firing at long range. Then came
q third charge, easily repulsed. From
that time until Z o'clock in the after |
each side rested on its arms.
About that hour. sheltered by a hill
and not more h 1000 yards distant
from h soldiers, the Indians held a |
council of war. In a few minutes there
were evidences of departure in the In
dian village. n II was then that the
strength OF the foe appeared. They
could be seen by the thousand. scurry-
ing about through the camp. taking
down the lodges loading the ponies
with packs and with travels. md when
the baggage train was finally complet-
ed. hurrying on to the North under a
escort of warriors, making for
the Big Horn mountains. At sunset all
Of them had disappeared and we dared