The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-31
WHERE SCORES OF MEN FELL FIGHTING

was no more a butchery than was
Thermopylae. 1t was a battle, a mis-
taken one, but nevertheless a battle,
fought technically and with intelligence
on Custer's part We talk of Balak-
lava and its records of heroism, but of
the six hundred of the Light Brig
ade who charged the Russian batteries
on that day more than one-half re-
turned unscathed. Two hundred and
sixty rode with Custer and two hun
dred and sixty died, overwhelmed. With
the last shot was silence. The report
might have been written None
wounded; none missing: all dead" No
living tongue of all that heroic band
was left to tell the story.
As to the duration of the battle It-
tie is known. One Indian told Scout
Campbell that the fight lasted about
as long as it takes a hungry Indian to
eat his dinner and another said that
it lasted as long as a candle would
burn about a quarter of an inch. From
this it is inferred that the struggle
lasted about twenty five minutes
And every man fought The empty
shells from the carbines found around
! the field showed that every trooper
| fought fiercely and followed his leader.
| At one part of the field where Clusters
! detachment first became heavily en-
gagged 1 saw hundred yards across
| ravine q little white stone, telling
where troopers body had been found.
| 1t was far from the other fallen COM
rades, and as horribly lonely as all
these white stones seemed, this one was
sadly So
| There is no evidence that anybody
| else tried to get away. Near the high
ground, and not far from where the
| monument stands. the body of Kellogg,
| special correspondent of the New York
! Herald, was found. He was bravely
! following the gallant Custer, and the
guide points out the little wooden slab
which marks the spot, for he died like
| a hero too, in the line of his duty.
1t will always be an open question
| whether Major Reno purposely failed
| Custer or erred on the side of caution.
He knew that his chief had set out to
attack the foe and he should have been
ready to lend assistance. 1t is claimed
| by many that he might have heard the
firing. l do not think so. The fornna-
tion of the hills would have prevented
that. Had Custer had a couple of pieces
of light artillery he might have notified
| Reno that the fight was on, but owing
to the bad roads he carried no artillery.
There was no volley firing, and the
Indians did no more shooting than was
necessary, for they didn't want to kill
or wound the horses. which they COW
eted
As / stood on this field. which will
ever cradle the memory of Custer and
his glorious band-the great brown hills
| flooded with sunlight and the silence
as oppressive as the mystery whchs sur
rounds their deaths--I tried to form
some idea of the awful sensation which
must have come to each of these brave
fellows when he realized the sickening
hoororr of the situation on that dread
day. That death awaited every man
was evident after the first ten minutes.
But my eyes rested on the little white
marble sentinels which marked the
steady, compact advance, and on every
hero's cenotaph I seemed to see carved
the word Duty
The lesson is there for all who may
read-a lesson which will be ever re-
membered by the brave men of our
regular army. There is not a trooper
who follows a guidon of the Seventh
to-day who does not feel proud of the
little band which rode to death fighting
herocally on those barren hills. The
requiem of the winds over the graves
there can never be sadder than on that
golden evening when l turned my back
upon this battlefield at once the most
pathetic and most mysterious of all
that our sun shines on.