The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-12-30
LAST FIGHT.

The December National Guard mag
azine has en- interesting article on tn
representation of Clusters last fight a
Pierre this fall, the pictures Of which
will be presented at the Pleasant Hour
next Monday and Tuesday evening
The article says:
At Pierre. South Dakota, during the
week from October 4 to 9, was put
on a representation Of the Custer
massacre, each day, and sometimes
twice a day. This was a historical
and truthful reproduction of probably
one Of the most remarkable, If Got
the most remarkable, battles ever
known in the history of the world,
for of the pol men who o d with
General Custer in that fight not one
ever lived to tell the tale.
Pierre. which is the capitol city of
the state, was the registration point
for thousands of land seekers who
wished to draw for the homesteads on
the Cheyenne and Standing Rock res
eryations, to be thrown open for set
Element by order of the president.
In addition the city had a Gas Belt
exposition which was drawing big
crowds from all over the country. The
representation of Clusters Last Fight"
was the big drawing card, and it was
put on nine times during the week.
Other attractions, like wild west shows
and Sullivan and Kilrain in bouts
twice each day, where thrown in the
shade by the Custer fight, which drew
the crowd.
Five hundred Indians from the Chey-
enne and Standing Rock Indian reser-
yations and other reservations of the
state, were present. About seventy
fve of the Indians actually tool a
hand in the killing of Custer and his
command. and did the same stunt on
the company of militia which volun-
teered TO act the part of martyrs for
the occasion. The fight each day was
sensational and spectacular in every
effect. The crowds got their moneys
worth and never complained.
The Indians were led by old Iron
Lightning. one of the seven chiefs
who still survive and had a hand in
wiping out Gener ! Custer in the bat
tie Of the Little Big Horn river in
Montana, on April %. 1876. With him
were such warriors as Lazy White
Bull, who claimed to have been the
one who fired the last shot that killed
General Custer. The Sioux were tog-
ged out in their war pa'nt and feath-
ers. as in the olden days when they
went on the war path, and from the
actual knowledge of the Gutter battle
did their part exceedingly well.
The men in blue consisted of sep
arate company B, of this city, with
S. G. Dewell, who represented Gener-
al Custer, in each battle, captain COM
handing. First Lieutenant O. B. Lin
stad and Second Lieutenant w. B.
Grebing, also took heavy parts and
acquitted themselves with credit in
the slaughter, To this company was
day added detachmennts from
Company NJ, of Yanktor under Capt.
Ray and Liet. Gerby. Also from Com
pany c of Brookings, under Capt. Jen-
sen, and from Company d of High
more, under Lieut.. Van Camp. The
undertook the role each day of
Major Reno, and advanced on the
indian camp with his men as skirmisb-
ers, but was driven back to his de-
lenses on a hill, after which the Gus
ter commend advanced on the field,
and got wiped out entirely within
minutes.
and military inspector of this state,
had direction Of the fight each day
and proved he could handle it. With
him were Adjutant-General Englesby
and other general staff officers OF the
South Dakota National guard, to help
out wherever possible.
The moving picture trust Of the
States had two camera crews
here all week, one from Chicago and
one from Denver. They secured a
complete set of films of the event, and
it will only be a matter Of a month
or two until every moving picture
theatre in the country will be repro
ducing the scenes before crowded