East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-11-09
STORY OF CUSTER MASSACRE, .RET.0.LD t
BY ELBERT HUBBARD

bard in the Philistine and the East |
0regonian republishes the story once
more.
After a somewhat tedious intro |
duction, Hubbard says of the famous
battle with the Sioux:
The command of 1000 men en-
barked on six boats at Bismarck.
There banquet was held In honor of
Terry and Custer. "You will hear
from us by courier before July Al
said Custer. He was still moody and
depressed, but declared his willing
ness to do his duty. Terry did not
like his attitude and told him so.
Poor Custer was stung by the repri-
mand. He was only boy. 81 years
old, to be sure, but with the whim-
sical loving. ambitious and Jealous
qualities of the center rush. Custer
at times had his eye on the White
House-why not? Had not Grant
been soldier? Women worshiped
Custer, and men who knew him never
doubted his earnestness and honesty.
He lacked humor He was both sin
cere and serious.
The expedition moved on up the
tortuous Missouri. tying up at night
to avoid the treacherous sandbars
that lay in wait. They had reached
the Yellowstone river and were get
ting into the Indian country.
To tighten the boats, Terry divided
his force into two parts. Custer dis
embarked on the morning of the
25th of June with 443 men, besides
dozen who looked after the pack
train.
Scouts reported that the hostile
Sioux were camped on the Little
Big Horn, 10 miles across the coun-
try.
Terry ordered Custer to march the
10 miles in two days and attack the
Indians at the head of their camp at
daylight on the morning of the 27th.
There was to be no parley-panic
was the thing desired, and when Gus
ter had started the savages on the
run Terry would attack them at the
other end OF their village, and the
two fleeing mobs of savages would
be driven on each other and then
they would cast down their arms and
the trick would be done. To throw a
Gordon of soldiers around the camp
and hold it would be easy.
Custer and his men rode away at
about o'clock on the morning of the
25th. They were in high spirits-the
cramped quarters on the transports
made freedom doubly grateful. They
disappeared across the mesa and
through the gray-brown hills, and
soon only cloud OF dust marked
their passage.
After five miles had been turned off
on a walk. Custer ordered a trot and
then where the ground was level, a
canter. on they went. They pitched
camp at I O'Clock, having covered 40
miles. Horses were unsaddled. fed
and supper was cooked and eaten
But sleep was not to be-these men
shall sleep no more! The bugles
sounded Boots and saddles" Be.
fore sunset they were again on theii
way.
BY o'clock on the morning of the
26th they had covered over 10 miles
They halted for coffee. The night
waiting for the dawn, was doubly
dark
Fast riding scouts had gone or
ahead, and now reported the Indians
camped just over the ridge four mile.
away.
Custer divided his force into two
parts. The Indians were camped
along the river for three miles. Their,
We're about 1000 of them and the
women and children were with them
swing around and attack the villag,
from the south. Custer, with 10;
men, would watch the charge, anC
when the valiant Reno had started
the panic and the Indians were II
confusion. his force would thei
sweep around and charge them from
the other end of the village.
This was Terry's plan of battle
only Custer was going to make tn
capture without Terry's help.
When Terry came up the following
day he would find the work all don
and neatly. too. Results are the onl
files itself.
The battle would go down on tn
records as Clusters triumph!
Reno took a two-mile detour, an
just at the peep of day, ere the SUI
had glded the tops of the cotton
woods, charged, with yells and rapi
firing, into the Indian village Custe
stood on the ridge, his men mounte
and impatient just below on the othe
side.
He could distinguish Reno's soldier
as they charged into the underbrusl
Their shouts and the sound of firin
filled this fighters heart.
The Indians were in confusion-h
could see them by the dim mornin
light stampeding. They were runnin
in brownish masses right around tn
front of the hill where he stood. II
ordered the bugles to blow tf
charge.
The soldiers greeted the order wit
yell--tired muscles, the seeple
night, with its rs miles of hard rio
ing, were forgotten. The battle wou
be fought and won In less time tina
man takes to eat his breakfast.
Down the slope went Custer's me
to meet the fleeing foe.
But now the savages had ceased
flee. They lay In the grass and fire
Several of Custer's horses fell.
Three of his men threw up the
hands and dropped from their sa
dies, limp like bags of oats, and the
horses ran on alone.
The gully below was full of IND