The Dickinson press., 1902-06-07
K, Custer's Last Battle.

Custer's Last Battle.
We reproduce this week the gradua-
ton Grafton Of Hubert Dehlinger, know.
ing that several Of our readers had per.
sonal knowledge of Clusters campaign
and that as a matter of history intimately
connected with this section Of the coun-
try it will be interesting and Valuable:
NEARLY half a century has passed since
the Sioux took up arms against the
whites. For twenty-five years they con-
t~inuously de6ed the western progress Of
American civilization, and the world will
never know the truth concerning many
of their battles on the plains and in the
mountains.
According to the treaty of 1868. the ter
ritory of the west Plat and the Little
Bighorn were to be "unceded Indian, ter
ritory" and no white man was to settle
or ven travel through it without the
permission Of the Indians.
A great rush of whites to the Black
Hills was caused by the discovery Of
gold in that country. The Black Hills
were on the Indians territory, conse.
quently the inpour Of whites was not in
accordance with the terms of the treaty
or the wishes of the Indians, and the In.
dams resolved to defend their rights with
their lives il necessary.
As this part of Indian territory was
rich in the production of gold, the whites
wished to treat with them for its posses.
sion. Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, two
Sioux chiefs, we're called to Washington
as representatives of their tribe. They
would not listen to the terms offered
them by the whites.
The actions of the two chiefs pleased
the tribe very much. The Indians we're
now prepared to kill every white who
should come on their territory as we'll as
those already there.
On learning of the hostile prepare
tons of the Indians, the government sent
three expeditions to suppress them; one
from Fit. Fetterman, Wyoming, under
Gen. Crook; M from Fl. Ellis, Montana,
under Gen. Gibbon, and one from Fl.
Lincoln, North Dakota, under Gen. Terry.
The expedition left Fl. Lincoln April
II, 1876.
The steamer Far West" went up the
Missouri with supplies for 'Terry's divi.
sion. At this time there was not a ranch
or white man between Fl. Lincoln and
Bozeman, Montana.
On the arrival of the army at the Lit.
tie Missouri, a few miles above Medora,
moi an Indian had been seen. Here the
army remained in camp while Gen
Terry went to communicate with hi.
supply steamer which was now or
the Yellowstone. He also went, up tina,
river to communicate with Gen. Gibbon
When Terry returned to the army, be
ordered Major Reno to scout down tn.
Powder river, a tributary of the Yellow
stone, to Pumpkin creek, then cross tt
the Tongue river and join the army a
the mouth of that stream.
On the 31st of May word came from
Reno that he had struck a trail leadin,
up the Rosebud, a tributary Of the Pow
der river, and he estimated from tn
number of camp fires that the India,
strength was not over five hundred.
Generals Gibbon, Terry and Custe
held a conference and decided that Gen
Custer with the famous 9TH cayalr,
should follow the trail found by Reno.
Gen. Terry offered Custer a battalion
of the and cavalry. Custer feeling sur,
he would not meet oyer fifteen hundred
Indians and feeling equally confident h,
would overcome that number declined
the reinforcements.
Early on the morning Of June 23rd
Custer with his command started up tn,
Rosebud. Several camping places wsr,
found during the DAYS march and the,
estimated from the size of the Camping
places that the Indians numbered ibou
twelve or fifteen hundred.
The next morning the march was re
sumed; many more camping places were
found which they supposed to be tn.
successive camping places of n band
but they were in error, for these were the
camping places of several differen,
bands travelling in the same direction.
Owing to the intense heat and lack o.
water the march was tedious, conse
consequently an early bivouac was made
under cover Of a large bluff.
AS the enemy were supposed to be
close at hand and the camp fires were
extinguished as soon as supper was
over, and the army was ordered to BIZ
ready to march at any time. At clever
o'clock the order came to prepare I o ge
forward at once. The march was con
tined until two o'clock the following day
This night march was made 10 as L
conceal the army, to give time for the
ground TO be studied, the strenth of the
enemy to be estimated, and to get ,nea,
enough to make a surprise attack atday
break the next morning. If the Indians
learned Of the presence Of the army they
would prepare for the attack and Custei
would not be able to surprise them as he
wanted to do.
Clusters scouts reported the village tc
be in the valley of the Big Horn twelve
or fifteen miles distant.
Orders were given to march at eight
O'clock. The march was begun as or.
dered and continued until they were
within a few miles of the valley. Here
the army camped for dinner while Gus.
ter and several other scouts went to get
the exact location of the village.
From the top of a hill Custer could see
part Of the village but the remainder was
hidden from his view by a range of hills.
1t was impossible to follow the trail
farther so as to obtain a position where