Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-05-06
INDIAN SCOUT
TALKS OF THE
CUSTER FIGHT
BEEJAMAN GAIiLENTINE OF
KLICKITAT COUNTY, WASH,
TELLS INTERESTING STORIES
OF long PAST INDIAN BAT
Tiles.

Passing the evening Of his event
ful life in peace and comfort at his
orchard home in Klickitat county,
southwest Of Spokane, is Benjamin
Gallentine, frontiersman and Indian
fighter with the United States regu-
lars in Dakota, Montana and Wyom-
ing from 1870 to 1876. He enlisted
at Wheeling, Va, in 1870, and with
company of recruits was sent to
Camp Hancock, then located at Bis
mark, N. d., being afterward shifted
to Fort Lincoln, where General
Custer was in command Of the Sew
enth cavalry, composed of 10 COM
panies.
Gallentine was on the battlefield
the day after the Custer massacre on
June 25, 1876, and this is his ver-
sion OF the affair:
When the Sioux broke over the
limits of their reservation and were
committing ravages in Wyoming and
Montana the government sent out a
force of regulars from st. Paul un-
der Generals Terry and Crook
There, were nineteen companies OF
infantry in the command. was
placed with the Seventeenth infan-
try.
"The Seventh cavalry and com
pshy of infantry left Fort Lincoln |
in June, 1876, with General Terry in
command, for the Little Big Horn
country, where several thousand In
dians, led by Sitting Bull, were on
the warpath, and crowded back
against the Big Horn mountains and
river
we crossed The Yellowstone
river on a steamboat at point
where the Northern Pacific is now
bridged, and went into camp. There
is where General Terry ordered Gus
Ter and Reno to go ahead with the
cavalry and discover the rendezvous
of the Indians, A day was set for
the big battle. The Seventh cavalry
was divided between Custer, Reno
and Bentine.
Near Scene of Massacre.
''Being with Terry was not far
from the scene of the Custer battle
Evidently Custer was led into trap,
After advancing nearly the entire
length OF the Indian camp thousands
of yelling Sioux and other tribes ap-
peared from ambush and started
their dealy work against the little
band of cavalrymen. The battle
TASTED nearly two hours, and of
Clusters command not a soul es-
capped death.
while the battle was going on
Reno and Bentine were fortifying on
the bluffs at the head of the Indian
village. After wiping out Clusters
band the Indians, carrying Clusters
battle flags. made rush for the for
tifications and killed all but is or
20 cavalrymen In each company.
Il was on the battle-ground. with
Terry the second day after the mas
saere and was detailed to help bury
The dead, which took us two days.
We found every soldier stripped and
mutiated In the most horrible man
ner. Custer evidently was not
touched after ne fell We found a
small riding whip placed across his
nose, probably an Acknowledgement
OF the Indian faith in his bravery.
However, his brother, Captain Tom
Custer, Jared differently His heart
had been cut out and laid across his
hreast Il was the belief that this
act was perpetrated by Rain-in-the-
Face. Sioux chief, and thereby
hangs a tale.
story of Rain-in-thc Face.
"Rain-in-the-Faoe killed an Eng
llsh lord and a veterinary surgeon OF
tho Seventh cavalry IN 1873. He
Ropt under cover for year, but was
finaliy captured BY Tom Custer at
Standing Rock, s d., and taken 10
Fort Lincoln for trial While In the
hospital he made the threat that la
would cut Tom Clusters heart out
before ne died lie escaped and two
years iaior undoubtedly made good
hts throat on the historic battle
ground
"Whiie ] WAS stationed "a Fort
I.lncoln. a 1878. a man appeared
who had successfully imperaonated