The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-25
ONE MORE WITNESS OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE CUSTER FIELD

of time it will be seen that l am cor
rect.
General Terry started myself and an
other scout to overtake and Join Custer
After leaving the supply train and
headquarters on about June 90. 1876. we
reached the camp that night and de-
livered our message. My readers VIII
know that in these stirring times when
scout was given a message 1t was IN
duplicate, one for the perusal of the
scout, and one sealed for the receiver.
These precautions were taken for fear
one or both might be lost en- route. In
the first case the open one could be de-
livered, and in the second the scout
might deliver the message from MEM
ory l have yet in my possession the
extra copy of this message, but uafor-
tunately it is so old and pockeIworn
as to be only partly decipherable. From
this. aided by memory, give the mes
sage:
ITO Lieut-C Custer, 7th United
States Cavalry:
1.-THE brigadier general commanding
desires that you proceed up the Rose
bud in pursuit of the Indians, whose
trail was discovered by Major Reno's
scouts a few days ago. or course 1t Is
impossible for me to give definite in
structions with regard to this move
ment, and were 1t not impossible to do
so, the department commander places
too much confidence in your zeal, en-
ergy and ability to wish to Impose up
on you orders that would conflict with
your own Judgment and which might
hamper your actions when nearly in
contact with the enemy. He will, how
ever, indicate to you his ideas of what
your movements should be, and he de-
sires you to conform to them unless
your own judgment should give you
sufficient reasons for departing from
~, inly CHI nal
up the Rosebud until you ascertain def
initely the direction in which the trail
above spoken of leads. Should it be
found that it turns toward the Little
Big Horn. he thinks you should still
proceed southwark as far as the head
waters of Tongue river and then toward
the Rosebud and the Little Big Horn,
keeping scouts out constantly to your
left, so as to prevent the possibility of
the escape of the Indians to the south
or southeast by passing around your
left flank. The column of Col. Gibbons
is now in motion for the mouth of the
Big Horn. AS soon as 1t reaches that
point 1t will cross the Yellowstone and
move up as far at least as the forks
of the Big Horn and the Little Big
Horn. OF course its future will be con-
trolled by circumstances as they exist.
But it is hoped that the Indians, If upon
the Little Big Horn. may be so nearly
enclosed by the two columns that their
escape will be impossible.
THE department commander desires
that on your way up the Rosebud you
should have your scouts thoroughly en-
anime the upper part of Tullock's fork,
and that you should endeavor to send
scouts through to Colonel Gibbons COM
mand with the result of your eXamiua-
ton The lower part of this will be ex-
amined by Colonel Gibbons scouts.
'',The supply steamer will be pushed
up the Big Horn as far as the forks CT
the Big and Little Big Horn # the river
is found navigable that far.
1.-THE department commander, who
will accompany the column of Colonel
Gibbons, desires you to report to him