The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-26
His Story Of the

7 battalions. The advance battalion was
under Major Marcus A. Reno and consisted
OF three troops and the Indian scouts. The
battalion under General Custer was com
posed of five troops. and the remaining bat
TALON was under Captain Ben;een, and con-
sisted of three troops, and one troop glard
ed the pack train.
Ii Is almost impossible to comprehend the
movements of these troops. commanded by
one Of the most experienced Indian fighters
In the army. Major Reno marched down
into the valley Of the Little Big Horn River
and was immediat ely attacked and almost
surrounded by the Indians, though it does
not appear that his suffered TO
any extent until it had become panic
stricken and began It's retreat to the bluffs.
The battalion had dismounted to light on
foot. and when the order was given to
mount and get to the bluffs on the opposite
side of the river, it lost all formation, Of
fered very little resistance and was only
saved from humiliation by the discovery
by the Indians of the battalion under Custer,
which threatened the village on the other
side. The Indians withdrew from the at
tack on Reno and massed against Custer.
Reno got across the river and up the
biiS oSlH AldAy VI HIS IHeu, hllIeu anu
wounded. and there remained inactive until
joined by the battalion under Benteen. Just
before Joining Reno. Benteen received an
order from Custer to hurry up and bring
the packs. as there was no big village, but
there is no light on why he did not comply
with the order. Captain Godfrey said the
battalion was somewhat confused by the
broken condition of the country and lack of
information as to Clusters whereabouts,
and conveys the impression that Benteen
vas endeavoring to comply with the order
when he came upon the battalion under
Reno.
Several writers have testified to the fact
that the troops under Benteen and Reno re-
manned inactive while they could plainly
hear the firing where Custer was engaged
with a horde Of lemons encircling his
TANKS and rapidly annihilating his COM
mand. When orders were given to advance.
1t was too late: every man Of Clusters COM
mand was dead; and when Reno and Ben
teen arrived at q point where they could see
the Custer field 1t was full of horsemen
riding about shooting into the dead bodies.
Reno and Benteen were then besieged, and
for nearly two days the Indians kept I'D q
deadly fire. sometimes almost overrunning
the lines. Then they withdrew. and on the
2sth re-enforcements arrived and the COM
mands were relieved.
On the morning OF the 2sth the command,
then under General Terry. proceeded to the
Custer field to bury the dead, numbering
about 2l2. Most of the bodies were mutt
lated in a horrible manner, with one nota-
BILE exception, that of General Custer. He
was shot in the temple and side and his
body had not been moved from where it
fell. Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux warrior with
a long list of crimes against his name,
boosted that he had cut out and eaten the
heart of Captain Tom Custer. Captain Gus
ter had arrested him once. single-handed.
He was wanted at the agency, and Captain
Custer walked up to him, encircled his
body, fastening his arms, and turned him
over to the agent. For this he swore ven