Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-23

but the wind blew u down three times,
and many OF us believed Il 20 be warn
ing Of disaster" CThat prophesy came true
only too well and today the Seventh cav
airy IL known as the "colorless regiment"
having lost all its standards in the en-
gagement OF the Little Big Horn.
Referring to the battle itself. which took
place next day. Martin writes:
The orders for the movement were Ma
jor Reno TO march down the Little Big
Horn valley and charge everything before
him. keeping well to the left. General
Custer on Major Reno's right. Colonel
Benteens battalion was ordered to the
left and froRt-to line OF high bluffs
about three or four miles distance. and
to attack all he came across.
"Trumpter vose called back to me to
report as orderly TO General Custer, and,
although again II was not my turn, / did
as commanded General Custer told me
to keep close behind him, and we began
the march which took us to the top OF
high HILL from which we saw all of
Sitting Bulls village. II seemed deserted,
we could only see a few sduaws,
papooses, ponies and dogs. (Thfs was the
ruse that lured Custer to his fate. for they
were really ready and awaiting for us).
Custer thought the Indians were out buff
falo hunting, and. after a consultation, he
addressed the men, saying: Boys. have
courage! Be brave and as soon as we get
through with these Indians we will go home
to our winter station
How different from the thrilling
speeches history puts into the mouths OF
its generals!
Three cheers were given and the march
down the ravine began"
sent to Hurry Reuteeu
Here came the turning point in Martins
llfe-the luck Of chance deciding he should
live-and It was Custer who threw the
dice.
Calling to his adjutant, the general told
him to send a dispatch to Benteen and
Reno notifying them OF the position at
the front. Adjutant Cook wrote on IL
piece of paper; 'Benteen, come on, Big
village! Be quick! Bring packs (sgned)
Cook, adj General Custer read it. then
called for an orderly. One man stepped
out, but the general said: No, no, the
other man. So I stepped out and was
told to ride as hard as 1 could to Benteen
and report to Custer again on Benteen's
arrival. 1t was the last word l ever
heard the general speak, but at the, time
I didn't know It. Riding fast 1 soon
reached the crest of a hill, and looking
already attacked, and our boys were acting
very excited. I rested my horse on the
brow of the hill a minute and sat watch
Ing the action in the distance. At the
time l did not think II was the last time
any one Of those men would ever be seen
In life. Turning my horse l hurried away.
and. though my horse was wounded, and
later l had to kill him, l finally reached
Benteen with the message. / told him
Custer was about three miles distant and
had already attacked the Indians. Benteen
hurried forward. Joined Reno, and we
pushed to Clusters aid But we were
caught on a hill and had to retire TO
position where we could form square
for our own protection.
The Indians kept at us for day and
night, till finally we heard shots in the
distance. and at the same time the Sioux
packed their tepees and papooses and
moved swiftly to the mountains. The noise
we heard was the approach of Generals
Terry and Gibbons. who had come up from
the yellowstone to aid-for we were about
400 against 5000. The massacre of Clusters
men had lasted from II 80 a. M, June %. to
1888 p. m. When we got to the place
where they had made their stand, we found
everything dead. except Captain Keogh's
horse. The men had been cut and man |
gled badly. heads all smashed in, arms and
legs twisted like rope and twenty or thirty |
arrows, stuck in each body. 1t was the |
worst sight imaginable. Toward thesmiddle !
of the battlefield we found the body Of |
Clusters gray horse, with the generals |
head resting on its stomach. There was a |
bullet hole in his left breast and one other |
In his right temple. His clothes, except !
hat coat and boots, were on him, but his
watch was gone. About ten yards away |
we found the body of Tom Custer. brother
Of the general. which the Indians had
taken for that Of the general. 1t was per-
fectly naked and badly mutilated.
''The Indians, In taking their scalp locks. |
had even twisted off boards from some NJ
the men, taking part of the flesh from the |
Jaw-and the sight OF the bloody faces !
was awful"
The diary further relates how the troops |
ransacked the deserted Indian village in |
the hope of getting some vengeance. but |
finally had to march back 10 Fort Abraham
Lincoln.
Chopping Tickets.
And the man who jotted those entries |
into the book OF his own life-who fought |