El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-05
OLD BILLY is DEAD.
The Last Survivor OF the Custer
Massacre Passes Away.

| A Cheyenne, WyO., dispatch to the
Globe Democrat says: The death 10
this city last week of Billy, the old
cavalry horse, and the only survivor of
chapter in the story of the gallant
fight of Gen Custer and his brave band
on the Little Big Horn in 1876. Found
wandering around on the battlefield,
| badly wounded and shifting at the dead
/ bodies of the victims of Sitting Bulls
hordes in an effort to find his master,
Billy WAS taken in charge by an officer
| in Gen. Reno's command. At first the
| animal recovered slowly. and for time
1t was thought he would have to be
shot Medicine and kind treatment
| had the desired effect, however, and
| the horse was himself again. Maj
Thomas F. Talbot, of this city. saw
Billy and took great fancy to him,
and after much persuasion Quarter
! consented to sell the faithful old fell
low, and the major became his new
master.
Billy was about 81 years old at the
| time of death, and stood fifteen bands
high. A beautiful light bay, with
| long name and four white feet, he was
magnificent specimen of horsefiesh.
He was bred In old Kentucky, and
| while full of life until stricken down
| by the illness that resulted in death,
| he was ever gentle and was never
| known to- act up" He attracted stten-
| ton wherever he went, not because OF
| his history especially, but because of
his magnificent carriage and stately
| stride. Even in late years, when Maj.
Talbot participated in parade Bill
was always given q position at the
head of the column. and made the best
appearance of any of the other horses
in line.
During the early days of Cheyenne's
history Maj. Talbot was engaged in
hunting criminals, and always rode his
faithful steed. Being fleet of foot and
animal was very valuable in the chase
after bandits. On several OF these oc-
casions, when master and horse would
camp for the night in some lonely spot
in the mountains or on the plains. the
rider would sleep with his saddle for a
pillow and with the saddle blanket for
a covering, while Billy, being on rope
fastened to the saddle horn. would
Craze and keep faithful watch. If he
master by tugging gently at
the saddle with his teeth.
Maj. Talbot says Billy accompanied
him on many exciting trips into the
robbers country, and by his feetness
pulled him out of a number of tight
places. Ga one of these memorable
trips, when the officer was after thieves
who had stolen a team from Mayor L.
r. Bresnahen, of Cheyenne, he
started several hours behind them, but
by making the trip from Pole Creek to
Lanes ranch, on the head of Horse
Creek, distance of eight miles, in nine
hours, the thieves were caught as they
we're preparing to enter the mountains
where il would have been impossible
to catch them
The last trip Billy made after
criminals was in the early sos, when q
man named John Baird, who was
making his way to the Black Hills
with a horse and saddle he had stolen
In Denver, was overtaken at the
Nine Mile ranch, north of Cheyenne.
Old Billy is buried in secluded spot
in the garden at the Talbot residence
in Northwest Cheyenne, and stone,
suitably inscribed, marks the last
resting place of the only survivor of
one of the mem orabls events in
American history