The Washington herald., 1908-04-26

made Of an upright piece of wood, rough,
five feet high. an inch hick. and couple
OF inches wide. VIII a cross piece Of
the same width two feet IN length,
roughly nailed on. No marking or letter
ing of any kind. That's all for Custeri
True. grateful government did erect
a white stone slab TO mark the place
where the gallant cavalry leader fell but,
as Garrett said. II had been hacked at by
vandals and all but carried away three
tirues so that no vestige Of the last and
thifS 4tone, even, could be seen.
Near Clusters cross stood what was left
OF an officer slab. but so greatly chipped
and hacked that not more than jagged
piece OF foot in height stood above the
ground.
Rain-in-fhe-face Carried Out Threat.
Only four or I'VE feet from Clusters
cross stands a white stone slab marked,
1T. w. Custer, Captain Company C. Sew
enth L. S. Cavalry. fell here June 18th.
1876. This is where poor Tom Custer
fell, and where the Sioux subchief Rain
in-the-Face, who had been arrested at
Pine Ridge Agency for murder by Capt.
Custer a few months before, and who
after his escape from prison. had threat
ened to kill Tom Custer some day and
eat his heart, literally carried out his
threat
Near debonair and handsome Tom Gus
ters marking stone is that Of another
officer, which reads w. ". Cook,
Lieutenant, Adjutant, Seventh United
States Cavalry, Fell Here June 18th,
1876" Also nearby is stone marked:
"A. f. Sweet. Lieutenant. Seventh Unit
ed States Cavalry. Fell Here June 18th,
1876 few feet distant is another.
bearing the words ''W Van ". Reilly,
Lieutenant Company f, Seventh United
States Cavalry. Fell Here June 18th, 1876 3"
Tom Clusters marking stone is Clipped
and battered, seemingly as If with a
hammer or an ak.
A short distance from Clusters cross,
perhaps ten or twelve feet. Is a stone
marked &c. w Yates. Captain Company
z, Seventh United States Cavalry. Fell
Here June 18th, 1876. This marks the
closing scene IN the life of one who was
one of the most popular officers in the
army and once a great social fav0rite In
Washington.
The marking stones OF a number Of en-
listed men and noncommissioned officers
are close by those of Custer and the other
officers.
shaft of stone and Cement.
Immediately behind the place which
marks the final and eliminating point In
the battle of the Little Big Horn stands
the monument shaft, made OF cement and
stone. Beneath It lie the remains Of the
enlisted men and noncoms who fell in the
fight, and also that of Lieut. Crttenden.
whose father. Gen. Crittenden. a retired
officer OF the regular army. preferred not
TO have his sons body removed TO his
former home for burial.
The shaft. which is surrounded by a
square iron railing bears the names OF
every officer and enlisted man who fell
In the fight, as well as Of those civilians
who lost their lives on that DAY. IL also
has the following inscription; In
Memory Of the officers and Soldiers Who
Fell at This Place Fighting With the
Seventh L. S. Cavalry Against the Sioux
Indians on the eth ana 10Th OF June,
1876 a. d"
Thirty feet from where Custer fell two
old battered. weatheT-beate wooden
| crosses mark the spots, il is said, where
hElAtkk anu DbSktN AA1tNA 4EAs- II - 4Abt
known If the New York daily newspaper
which Kellogg represented as CORE
spondent ever caused his body TO be dis
Inferred
Five hundred yards from the scene OF
/ Clusters fall, and just over the brow OF
the ridge from there. in the direction
OF where the craven Mai Reno was To-
Gated with several troops OF the Seventh
/ the gallant Capt Miles Keogh and four
4 teen of his men OF Troop / fell.
| Ii is said they were coming up from
Ren0s command to join Custer and take
| pot luck" with their commander, buf eOl
| Northern Cheyennes, under Two Moons
/ headed them of before they could reach
their objective, and the end was soon al
hand.
| The Sioux and Cheyennes admit thai
/ Custer fought like a demon until the end
/ The Sioux were anxious to capture hin
alive for the purpose OF tOrturing him
/ but the Cheyennes, who feared him more
than any other American soldier living
insisted upon finishing him. for he was
evidently determined not to be captured
alive"
The admiration which they held for his
! bravery is proved by the fact that he wa!
not scalped nor his body otherwise mutt
lated The bodies OF the other men killeS
( in the fight, soldiers and civilians. Wer'
so badly mutilated. il is said, that tn,
actual conditions have never even beer
printed In private official reports to tn
War Department, so inexpTessible WeTi
they.
When Gen Terry's column arrived OF
the scene a day or two after the battl
the officers and men were Mortified at tn
sights they beheld.
And now the proper authorities seem
ingly care not enough for the memory o
those who died that the government nigh
live to keep the spots where they fel
from being defiled by relic hunters.