The age-herald., 1901-10-13
Marble Slabs Mark
 the Graves & <

N Montana, and no American
 - leaves this halowed spot with heart untouched. General Custer and the gallant Seventh Cavalry will ever have a place in memory as martyrs of Indian warfare, and the Custer battlefield will always be the mecca of the pilgrimage of the traveller who would really study the ''Wild West" and frontier life In the Indian country.
 The railroad is practically an advance agent of civilization and the creator of villages and towns In regions which once were battlefelds in the wilderness It is only when the battlefield Is located on an Indian reservation that the scene Is un- changed. The student may, in visiting the Crow reservation. study the battlefield of the Little Big Horn River with the scene unaltered by the advanced march of civ- ilization-
 The Chicago. Burlington and Quincy railroad has made direct connections be- tween Billings. Montana and Denver, with side trip into the Black Hills. This route crosses the Crow reservation and has station at the Crow agency, six miles from Custer's battlefield.
 had in & general way been following the line of march of Custer from Fort Abraham Lincoln. on the Missouri river, crossing his trail at Medora, N. D., thence going along the banks of the Yellowstone river, crossing the Tongue river, the Rosebud river and the Big Horn river, and thence from Billings, proceeded by the Burlington route directly into the heart of the Indian country.
 arrived at the Crow agency at o'clock in the afternoon, and went at once to the only hotel in the town. The only sign of life I saw when I entered was young woman, who, in response to my inquiry if this was the hotel, said Yep" and then disappeared slamming a door after her. waited patiently for five minutes for her to return, or for some one else to appear. but no one came.
 I bathed my face and washed my hands in the tin wash basin ana dried them on the family towel, hung my coat up on a hook and went out. There were sew eral teepees only a short distance away. and in the street were many Indians. deferred my visit to their camps until after had engaged team. When I had done so we drove to the end of the town, and began an inspection of teepees and a sork of wicki-up. a bower made of dead branches, the abode of several of the oldest members of the tribe.
 As was about to take my camera from the case Big Medicine, an Indian policeman, came up. Big Medicine" said. T want a picture of you," and when I added there was "something in it," he said. ugh" and called out his squaw, who was compelled to do valet duty. get ting his policeman's coat, putting 1t on him, and pinning an immense policeman's badge in the middle of his coat. He then seated himself in true country photo graph gallery style, gave one or two gruHts which interpreted to mean he was ready, and then I snapped the pie ture.
 Now, Big Medicine" said. T should like to take @ picture of your wife" .sUghl she no good" was the reply.
 It was evident then that this Indian proposed to have a monopoly of all pie lures taken here. had to use my cam era rather quickly in the next few min utes. with only fair results. As it was $ getting late in the afternoon I then con- cluded to proceed to the battlefield.
 We forded the Little Big Horn river and stopped to inspect an Indian burial place. a tree in the branches of which were the remains of an Indian rolled up in blanket, like mummy, and tied to the bough in horizontal position.
 On our journey to the battlefield found that all my driver knew about the A scene we were to visit could be very A asily remembered. He said he had no ,dSea where the battle began or where 1t ended, and that all he knew about 1t wAs that there had been battle there.
 A review of the incidents which cul- minated in the massacre shows that the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 attracted white settlers, and their in- vasion into what was considered by the Indians unceded country was regarded as violation of treaty rights, and was re- scented with bloody results. Each month found many new soalps adorning the belts of the Sioux warriors.
 General Crook, in March, 1S7e in the midst of Q snow storm, when the ther- mometer was 30 degrees below zero, made an attack on Sitting Bulls followers, and met with a signal defeat on the banks of the Powder river In the spring three expeditions started for this region, from the East. South and West. General Crooks attack on the Indians on the Rosebud river, among the cliffs, was successfully repeiled. Major Reno was later sent down the Rosebud river on an Investigating tour, and, discovering a broad Indian trail turning sharp to the westward toward the Big Horn river -' he returned and made his report, and ad- vised the commanding officer of the indi- cations that an immense number of In- dians had been assembled and were on the line of march.
 Custer. with the gallant Seventh cav airy was ordered to follow up this trail
  General Terry's command was to arrive by boat, going up the Big Horn river. Custer declined the services of the Sec ond from Gibbons command, just why seems to be question. Perhaps the fact that at that time Custer was out of favor at Washington prompted desire to re- est tablish himself and the Seventh by a brilliant exploit and a victory in which the Seventh alone would receive honors
 Custer started from what is now known as Miles City, Mont, and, proceeding up the Rosebud. came to the trail discovered by Reno and evidences that the Indians had been holding a sun dance. This was evidence to Custer that an attack by the soldiers was not expected.
 Custer proceeded by forced marches, and was ready for the attack a day be- fore the command going by boat could arrive. The Little Big Horn river, at the scene of the conflict, was known as Greasy Grass by the Indians, and is a rapid flowing stream from eight to forty Between the Little Big Horn and the Biz Horn rivers is prairie land. and between the Big Horn and the Rosebud rivers are the Wolf mountains. by which route Custer approached.
 It was from the divide that Custer and his scouts discovered smoke, and saw pony herds grazing in the valley of the Little Big Horn. In consequence of the high bluffs the village itself was screened from view, and it's size was a matter of conjecture. As a matter of fact 1t might be designated an Indian city. instead of