The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-12-04
DESCRIBES Gus
TER'S BATTLE
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ward the bluffs where Custer had
last been seen. By good fortune he
CHANGED to strike wide pass leading
from the river up between the bluffs,
and through this his demoralized
command went laundering up toward
the hills above. l found this pass SO
steep that l dismounted to lead my
pony, but it is safe to say that there
was no dismounting when Reno's
men went surging up through it in
keadlong retreat. Quiet and lonely
enough it is today, but one can i'm
agine the pandemonium that reigned
here when a hundred perspiring
troopers came squirting up through
it, their foaming horses kicking up
choking clouds of dust, and thou
sand yelling savages swarming in the
rear. Out of that mad throng, one
man, an army surgeon, turned to
face the red tide behind, and today
a solitary gravestone standing mid
way up the slope, tells the story of
his heroism. 1t reads, 81. M. De-
Wolf, Asst. Surgeon, Fell Here June
25th, 1876"
On up the pass, on the summit of
bare hill, there is seen today a
trench two feet deep with bank of
earth in front, sweeping around the
crest of the hill in the shape of a
horseshoe. It was here that Reno
halted his perspiring command, hav-
ing now lost one-third of them in
killed and wounded. Just at this
time he was reinforced by three hun
dred men coming up from the rear,
which probably saved him from an
Inhalation. Dismounting his men, he
sent the horses down an adjacent
gully; today a pile of bones marks
the location of the horses, many of
them having been killed by the fire
of the Indians. Throwing themselves
TO the ground, his men encircled the
hilltop, replying to the fire of the
Indians, who now swarmed around
them.
The attack however, gradually sub
sided, most of the Indians withdraw
ing and galloping off in the direction
Custer had taken. Soon heavy firing
was heard in that direction, and they
knew that it could only be Custer
engaged with the Indians. Reno has
been severely criticised for not has
tening to join him at this time. Even
tually, the story goes { don't know
how true) the firing slackened per,
ceptibly, and then two heavy volley :
rang out in quick succession. AL
felt that this must be Custer calling
for help, and Reno's officers imploreC
him to let them charge to the rescue,
but he positively refused to leave his
position. As the day declined, the
distant firing gradually died out
then the Indians came racing bacl
over the dusty hills and once morO
furiously attacked Reno. Holding the
position he did, he was now able II
hold off; but not until darkness fell
did they abandon their fierce on
slaughts and go galloping down Il
their village in the valley.
Scarcely had they regained Their
camp when they burst INTO a wilC
revel which has perhaps never beer
equalled in the annals of the Siou,
nation. For miles tie broad vale!
glowed with their fires and resoundeC
with the shouts and yells Of the scaH
dance. The blood-curdling yells cam,
up distinctly to the beleagured gar
rison on the dry hilltop, but they die
not realize the terrible significance
of ibid not know that the red war
riors were beside themselves with 10.
and were celebrating their victor!
over TIE dreaded Custer, who at tina
moment was lying dead with all hi
men on the hills three miles away
All night long the pandemoniun
reigned, the sleepless white men OF
the hill toiling away caring for thei
wounded and barricading for the at
tack they knew would come at day
break.
It came at the peep of dawn
Swarming up out of the valley, tn
entire force Of warriors now sur
rounded the little band of four hun
dred as if to crush it by sheer fore
Of numbers. Reno, in his report de
clares that there were a number 0.
white men with the Indians. To us,
his own words: 1--WE could see Al