The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-04-17
CHAPTER xxxIV.

IL was shortly after two O'Clock IN
The afternoon when that compact col.
umn Of cavalrymen moved silently
forward down the concealing coulee
toward the more open ground beyond.
Custers plan was surprise. the sudden
shifting Of that village I'm the valley
from the rear by the quick charge Of
his horsemen. From man TO man the
whispered purpose travelled down the
ranks. the eager troopers greeting the
welcome message with kindling eyes
IL was the old way OF the Seventh,
and they knew II well.
With Custer riding at the head OF
the column, and only a little TO the
rear Of the advance scouts. his adult.
ant Cook, together with a volunteer
aide. beside him. the five depleted
troops filed resolutely forward. dream.
ing not Of possible defeat Suddenly
distant shots were heard far of TO
their left and rear. and deepening into
a rumble. evidencing a warm engage.
ment. The interested troopers lifted
their heads. listening intently, while
eager whispers ran from man TO map
along the closed files
Reno is going in. boys: II will b.
our turn next"
Close up, Quiet there. lads
quiet" officer after officer passed the
word of command
Yet there we're those among them
who felt a strange dread-that firing
sounded so far up the stream from
where Reno should have been by that
time Still IL might be that those
overhanging bluffs would munle and
defect the reports. All about them
lowered death in dreadful guise. None
among them saw those cruel. spying
eyes watching from distant ridges.
peering az them from concealed ra-
vines; none marked the rapidly mass
ing hordes. hideous in war paint.
crowded into nearby coulees and be
bind protecting hills.
II burst upon them with wild yells
The gloomy ridges blazed into their
startled faces. the dark ravines hurled
at them skurrying horsemen. while. !
wherever their eyes turned. they be |
held savage forms leaping forth from |
hill and cou.ee. gulch and rock shad. |
Ow. Horses fell, or ran about neigh. |
ing; men flung up their hands and !
died in that first awful minute Of con. |
sternation, and the little column
seemed to shrivel away as II consum.
ed by the flame which struck IT, front |
and flank and rear. Ii was as If those
men had ridden into the mouth of
hell.
Yet II was scarcely for more than a
minute. Men trained. strong. clear OF
brain. We're in those stricken lines
men who had seen Indian battle be
fore. The recoil came. swift as had
been the surprise. Voice after voice
rang out old familiar orders. steady
ing instantly the startled nerves: dis
cipine conquered disorder. and the
shattered column rolled out. as III by
magic, into the semblance of a battle
line
II was magnifcently done Custer
and his troop commanders brought
their sorely smitten men into a posi-
lion OF defense, even hurled them
cheering forward in short. swift
charges, SO as to clear the front and
gain room in which to deploy out OF
emerged discipline, conf
lence. esprit de corps
Safe beyond the range OF the troop
IT'S light carbines. the Indians. with
heir heavier rifles. kept hurting a
constant storm OF lead. huggIng the
sullies, and spreading out until there
vas no par toward which the harass-
ID cavalrymen could turn for safety
)ne by one. continually under heavy
Ire, the scattered troops were form
ID into something more nearly re-
battle linc-Calhoun on
he left. then Keogh, Smith and
Yates. with Tom Custer holding the
Extreme right Thus they waited grim
y for the next assault
CTO BE CONTINUED