The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-09-04
STORY OF CUSTER MASSACRE
As Told by Yellow Nose, an In
dian who Took Part


Somewhere In some Cheyenne In
dian camp In Oklahoma there should
be saber that belonged to an officer
Of the It'll cavalry, killed In the bat
tie Of the Little Big Horn, when Gen.
Custer and his command we're ami
hilated by the Sioux in June, 1876.
This sword was brought to Oklahoma
years ago by Yellow Nose, a Ute, who
was in the fight. II was seen many
times by oldtimers, such as George
Bent and ed" Guerrierre, both
widely known In frontier days. yell
low Nose believes that he left the ga
Der with Cheyenne friends in the
neighborhoOd Of Cantonment. He
was confident that the sword belonged
TO Gen. Custer. This Is known, how
ever, not to be true, as Mrs. Custer
wrote laJely that her husband carried
no sword In that campaign-says
correspondent of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat.
Yellow Nose lives with Guerrierre
on the North Canadian river, near
Oklahoma. He has been blind FOR a
number of years. He thinks that his
blindness Is due TO wound re-
ceived in the Little Big Horn fight.
He does not speak or understand
English, and In relating his exper-
ience in the fight his statements we're
translated by Guerrero. Yellow
Nose became affiliated with southern
Cheyennes when boy and has lived
with them ever since.
He left what Is now Oklahoma ear
" Ia the spring OF 1876 to visit the
Northern Cheyennes, to which tribe
his wife belonged, The plains coun.
try was filled with rumors of the APP
preaching Indian war. Yellow Nose
found 1t impossible to return home,
us small bands of Indians we're in as
great danger from white men as the
latter were from Indians.
About the middle Of June war par
ties reported the presence of troops
In the Tongue river country and Vel
low Nose went several times with
scouting parties to observe them.
The Indians gave battle ON the Rose
bud, repulsing the troops, and then
retired in the direction of the Little
Biz Horn. A few days before the
fght with Clusters command the
report spread that troops with Sho-
shone scouts were coming. Crook
had retired southwark after the Rose.
bud engagement and the Indians we're
keeping lookout for his return.
Custer came from the east, to the sur
prise of the Indians who were look
ing, not expecting an enemy from
that direction.
The Indian villages stretched for
miles along the west side of the val
ley of the Little Big Horn. Yellow
Nose went from village to village ON
the night of June "a to see the war
riors dancing. Strict orders had been
given by the chiefs against the firing
OF guns In camp, as the close APP
proaeh of troops was to be made
known by two mounted warriors, who
we're to ride at full speed and fire
two shots as they passed each village.
June 20, 1876, the day of the ba.-
tie was ON Sunday, The day was
warm and bright. Furtherest down
the river was the camp of the
oheynnes a number of whom, includ-
ing Yellow Nose and the great war
chief, Crazy Horse, went in bathing
about noon. Suddenly the firing of
guns was heard up the river. Reno
had crossed the Little Big Horn aud
was charging the upper villages, only
To retire later in disastrous confu.
sion.
Yellow Nose said that in his opin-
ion Reno's command would have
been surrounded and destroyed had
the Sioux, whose villages he attack
ed, permitted him TO advance further
down the river instead Of opposing
him as quickly as possible to protect
their women aud children, who
scrambled onto ponies and He'd west
ward.
ARRIVAL OF CUSTER.
Ascending a promontory the In
dams saw troops advancing tow@rdP
them along the crest Of . divide that