Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-12-28
and torture at. the hands Of his savage

and torture at the hands of his. savage
enemies.
Assista Secretar Mefklej john has
WRITTEN the war dep artment suggesting
that DR. Gillieuda the former IN
dian agent ait Pine Ridge, as the most
likely person to approach the Indians
on such a delicate subject to be com
nissioned to- make an effert to induce
the Indians to permit he depart
to copy this remaTk kable picture of the
fight hhat it may be incorp porated in
the government history.
FRANK G0URARD'S STORY
Discussing the subject, Frank Gou-
rard said G As to- the story, I can give
1T to you in brief and still tell you
many things you never heard before.
y You know, Of course. Of the concerted
effort made by the half dozen eonYerg-
ing columns to hem the Indians in and
sow Them out of their belli ligerent ajtti-
tude. You know of how Custer struck
the trail one summer morning IN 76,
and how ne according to his usual
tactics, divided his forces with Major
Reno: at the crossing of the Rosebud
creek which, by the way, we old fel-
lows call Reno creek. His idea was
to hem the Indians in. Custer never
considered the number TO his foe. He.
would have gone out with a single
company in just the same way
to combat the whole yoWling Indian
nation, dividing his forces and fl ghtt-3
ing them from both sides at once. 81
You know the story Of Reno's;
march down the creek his crossing OF
the river and his sudden app pearance
before the tepees OF the Indians, as.
much a surprise to him as to the In-
dians, of his weak sort of an attack,
his repulse and retreat in disorder
through the timber there crossing OF
the river and his taking up safe po-
sition on the bluffs opposite the scene
.of the engageme with but a hand
ful of Indians to watch him a few
hours until night.
oW, the Indians knew nothing of
a division off the forces When Reno
took up his position in THE hills they
intended TO wait until night and then
assault and finish him before daylight.
Right here is where am coming to
the meat ot the story as told by the
Indians and overlooked in the ohron-
icles Of tine battle.
Clusters route behind the bluffs and
down to the rivel. through the bed of
the creek was longer than Reno's.
Therefore 1T was some little time after
Reno had been penned on the top Of
the bluffs that Clusters command sud
denly appeared before The Sioux like
an apparition comm through the dry
creek bed to the bank OF the III ven. .83
INDIANS WE'RE SURPRISED.
The Indians were dumbf ounded.
for was not this bod Of men whom
they had left under guard of their
young men penned in the bluffs
AS for Custer it is undo oubtedly true
that he knew nothing Of the defeat or
even OF the engagement of Reno, the
bluffs having cut off all sound Of the
brief conflict
Still relying upon his subordinate,
Ihe had no fear of the Indians, al
though he could see that their tepees
extended down the valley for three
miles Neither did he know that the
Sioux in order to deceive as to their
lighting strength had crowded each
Itepee as full of young bucks as it
would hold This is how it is that
although the history writer's place the
numbers Of the Indians at about 5000
/ the Sioux say they numbered more
than s. 900.
tt was two hours past noon and
Clusters horses and pack mules. mad
Idened BY thirst, became unananage-
able at sigflt Of the Walter. One Of
the mules carr wing nearly all of the
lammunit tion stamp into the river
and, sinking almost Instantly in the
lsquick ksansd, was lost 18th all its pre-
Iciols burden, an accident which caused
the fight to end much more abruptly
than It otherwise would we done.
ffter aldIowing his horses to drink,
Custer halted his command in the
protected blow made by the inter
llseation Of the creek bed with the banks
lof the river, and reviewed the sitna-
tion. Strangely enough he could see
mo hostile demonstf ations on the part
lnf the Indians The women and chill
ldren having been hurried back from
the scene Of the nrst attack there were
none hut warriors in biie tepeps They
had not intended 70 attack the in
1trenched Americans before dark, and