Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-01-03

,lster massacre in accordance with the
esolutions which passed congress two
kars ago, and, as singular as 1t may
~ ppear, interesting facts concerning that
81 erriple chapter in the Indian wars OF the
I'd aims are now developing. a aus rter of
ss century after the battle and when most
the principles in the sanguinary con-
Ist have passed beyond.
II is no secret that for many years af-
the wiping out Of Gen. Custer and his
rec companies not an Indian could be
~ hund who would admit having taken part
the battle. AS no white man survived
at terrible onslaught 1t was with the
teatest difficulty that the facts leading
~ TO the battle were learned. OF course,
% ON the position of the bodies strewn
Eer the plains the average plainsman
i |ould read
ri The Bisody Details Of the Fight
p1 bfHcient to show the desperate resistance
the troopers and show that the SOL
iay ers were o~utnunbered probably five
hN ,ndred to one, yet the truth could not
known except from the tongue OF the
an adams who participated in the fight. The
tng astness Of the victory they had won
etually frightened the Indians and pre-
pnted them for years from Boosting of
er part in the awful butchery.
iva Now. il begins to look as II the minute
AZ etails were about to be given TO the
I orld through Frank Gourard, the vet
ba. AN scout, Indian fighter and pioneer
ainsman. Gourard receives his in
rmation absolutely from ndian sources.
'ua fact, II is fitting that the public should
nmf arm the real story of the battle through
uE d Frank Gourard, because, as the
Fizzled old plainsman admits, by rights
VII bones ought to lie among the little
aE bite headstones that gllsten to-day in
thaq e sunlight on
Iua The Custer Battlefield.
hsS Frank Gourard was scouting for Custer
thaa that time and but for an accident
'ua build have been with Clusters forces in
BAD Of Reno's at the time of the fight,
d. d Of course Gourard would a been
gto, lied, as were all of Clusters men.
as Secretary Of Wal MeikIejohn had a long
.ary TX with Gourard on the subject Of in
WITH operating his story in the government
A y Dry Of the Custer affair, soon to be is
ed. The conversation occurred this
EEK and Meiklejohn met the veteran
,a-1 put and Indian fighter in Omaha. Gou-
MI, I'd had just returned from Pine Ridge
~ ency, where he had
Discussed the Custer Battle
th many of the survivors. The
dians have known Gourard so long that
~ BY trust him, even though they know
:, ~unerring aim of the swarthy scout
cHVa responsible for many of their braves
sua ng sent to the happy hunting grounds.
oasA was a happy accident that resulted in
auA o persons who participated in the cam
ui Ign which resulted in the tragic af-
; III r of the Little Big Horn meeting Secre-
ppcf y Meiklejohn. The other was Capt.
10 = rasmith. now on his way to join the
Eenty-second in Manila Gourard and
AM rasmith were with Crook through that
ty morable campaign, and their meeting
10 N Omaha was the first that had occurred
hst zee they met In converging columns
Gro, pr the Custer battlefield a quarter of
century ago. Gourard contributed ma
"a N tally to the story he had to tell to
in,ss representative of the wal depart
~ mt by narrating an experience he had
,.,, lew weeks ago on the reservation at
SMn be Ridge.
The Fight In Picture.
10 met an Indian who had fifty water
prs of the famous fighting indian
oheA ~iracters that could not be duplicated.
fa,u Indian who exhibited them to Gou-
tJo'V % said they had long been In posses
ereu OF the Pine Ridge Indians, and no
isAns ite man had ever seen them before.
hreM was a perfect picture story OF the ia
e res us battle. showing Custer through ALI
~ desperate charging, concluding with
taxa final struggle of a handful OF troopers
l. an the dramatic finale, with the brave
ore Y nerai blowing out his own brains rather
n submit to capture and torture at
lde y hands of his savage enemies.
gan ecretary Meiklcjohn has written the
n de- department suggesting that DR.. aIc-
shens lcuddy, the ex-Pine Ridge indian
II tbe Ent and the most likely person to ap-
v and Pacn the indians on such a delicate
Il two PJect' De commissioned to make an
PIT TO induce the Indians to permit the
, IN. pdrtnent TO copy this remarkable pic
,.a hi OF the fight that II may be incor-
q .I Fated in the government history.
-o-oey story OF the Fight.
: and Piscussing the subject, Frank Gourard
~. as TO the story. I can give IL 10 you
a "a prlet and tell you many things you
!. lin er heard before. You know. of course.
mi ne concerted effort made by the half
eh converting columns to hem the In
! sar, = N and COW them out OF their tellig-
In ~ attitude. You know of how Custer
!" uck the trail one summer morning in
~ anu now he, according to his usual
,es' divided his forces with Maj. Reno
'i6 VI lHe iSOSeDuQ creek,
rch' by the way, we old fellows call
INV. creek. His idea was to hem the
a an ians In. Custer never considered the
hpefs of his foe. He would have gone
ide : WITH a single company In Just the
. way to combat the whole bowling
MAD iah nation, dividing his forces and
,ssoud Ihs them from both sides at once.
soca gu Know the story of Reno's march
Ger ,he creek. his crossing Of the river
|, ,ss5 ms sudden appearance before the
avsrs Oh the Indians. as much a sur
70 MIN as to the Indians, of his
con- sort or an attack. his repuise and
/. srx = In disorder through the timber,
'.,oryl efossing of the river and his taking
,sssss saie position in the bluffs opposite
,sss seene OF the engagement, with but a
ri uu or Indians to watch him a few
"a - rs until night.
~ the Indians knew nothing Of the
nc - s.on or the forces. When Reno took
eu,,s position in the hills they intended