The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-20
d SILENT MAN.

this section Of the = est. remind the Atchi-
son Globe that the most noted OF them
al was an -Atchison county man; Charles
alexander Reynolds. better known as
Lonesome Charley. He was famous
western scout, hunter and trapper. ana
was killed on the Little Big Horn river.
in Montana. in 1896. in the Custer fight.
W-rn. Z. REYNOLDS. who now lives al
Cummings was bis brother
Charley Reynolds was born in Stevens
burg. Hardin county. Kentucky. IN ISs2-
His father waS a physician, Dr. J. Z.
Reynolds. who removed 10 Arlington.
H., in ISL There Charley Reynolds at
tended Arlington college for three years.
In 1855 the family removed to Pardee. in
this county. where ne father practieed
medicine. IN the summer Of 1S61, Charley
Reynolds crossed the plains as a team
ster. During the winter Of 1SSo-61. he
trapped in the Rocky Mountains. and for
q time carried mail across the snowy
range on snow shoes. The following
summer ne returned 10 AtchisoR county.
and enlisted in the Tenth Kansas. in
which he served three years. He was il
the battle Of Prairie Grove but did rot
see any hard service in the south. In 1he
fall OF 1854, in company with q German
he had known IN the army. he left for
Arizona, with two yoke OF oxen. a wagon.
and a lot OF goods with which they ex-
pecteG 10 trade. His brother, ". r
Reynolds. says Charley Reynolds had
been in Arizona and New Mexico as
soldier and had become acquainted
there.
Somewhere on the santa Re trail. Rey-
holds and his partner were attacked by
Indians. The German was killed at the
first attack, and Charley Reynolds stood
the Indians of until night, killing five
or six OF them. The Indians had sur
rounded the wagon. but Reynolds slipped
through them and escaped, finally reach
ing the wagon train. His entire outfit
was captured By the Indians. Reaching
d fort on the road travelled BY the wagon
train, he engaged as a government scout.
IN 1S65, he came home. but soon went
away again. and was never again seen
by his relatives.
He was always q quiet man. and little
could be learned Of his exploits in the
west. His disposition TO say little caused
the Indians 10 name him Lonesome
Charley. and this name stuck 10 him.
The brief faces above related are all his
brother knows about him; all Lonesome
Charley ever told. After he left home in
1850, at rare Intervals he sent his brother
newspaper clippings. From one of these
it was learned that he acted as guide
for the Grand Duke Alexis during his
memorable hunt in this country; also.
that he was employed at intervals as q
government scout.
He never married; his brother says he
used to talk of q girl he knew in New
Mexico. He was possibly on his way to
see her when attacked by the Indians.
his partner killed, and his outfit cap
tured. Mrs. Custer mentions him in her
book Boots and Saddles" as being a
character around Fort Lincoln, from
which point Custer left with his COM
mand for the memorable Indian cam
paign which ended in wiping out Clusters
entire command: about three hundred
men. Mrs. Custer greatly admired the
man, as did her husband. Mrs. Custer
speaks Of the romance OF Lonesome
Charley life, although she admits that
little was known Of him around Fort
Lincoln, and General Custer mentions him
in one OF his letters from the field as
brave. silent Charley Reynolds"
II viii be remembered that General
Reno was with Custer at noon on the
day of the Custer massacre. that Reno
was sent down the river. where he cross
ed, and had hard fight IN the river
valley finally being driven back across
the river, where he formed his command
in q circle. and fought the Indians until
they withdrew. It was in this fight across
Tie river that Charley Reynolds was
killed. General Reno wrote TO W. T.
Reynolds that Charley was wounded. and
that he killed his horse. and fought from
behind its body When Reynolds was
found. the Indians had stripped the dead
body naked. A great pile Of rife and
revolver shells lay beside him; he had
sold his life dearly. His name appears
on the monument erected 70 Clusters men
on the battlefield. as he was employed at
the time of his death as a government
scout.
Lonesome Charley spent twelve years
on the plains and in the mountains. but
little is known Of him. except that he
had the reputation Of being a silent man
Of great bra4ery, unusual sense. anc I'M
Improbable character. At intervals he
would appear at army posts. remain
awhile, and then drift away, no one knew
where, except that il was known he had
no partners; he hunted and trapped
alone. When a campaign against the
Indians was forming, his services were
always in demand as a scout. When
notable appeared on the frontier for
hunt. Lonesome Charley was secured IS
guide when he could be found. lie was
a noted character, but no one knew much
about him; he had no intimates For
months he lived alone in the mountains,
hunting and trapping. Romances have
been written about him: about his disap-
pointment in love, which led 20 his mel
ancholy. One story relates that he was
engaged to be married TO a southern
Eeahty, Out TINS II Oh inHiai4Nr' 4-t7
brother says he never heard him men
ton any woman in connection with love
except the girl IN New Mexico. referred
70 above and this was probably no more
than a boyish fancy. a slight acquaint-
auce. Lonesome Charley was quiet as
a boy: his brother is much like him, for
he has little TO say.
DR. Reynolds the father OF lonesome
Charley. died tn 1865. his mother diet
when he was fVe wears old He has two.
sisters living az Valley Falls. Mrs. Lydia
Hogan and Mrs Malinda Allen
When Lonesome Charley returned %
Atchison county. In 1851. he crossed the
plains alone: he early began the naoit
NJ being solitary. lot because he Uas
morose. or disappointed. but because h
was by nature a silent man.
Get Ri~h Quick
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