The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-16

known, the government sent enough
troops to handle the situation without
difficulty. Savage as were the Sioux, it
would have been folly under ordinary
circumstances for them to resist the big
force sent to overawe them. The plans
of the government were to swoop down
upon the hostiles in three columns-one
under General Terry from the east,
one under General Crook from the south
and the other under General Gibbon from
the west. This practically would sur
round the Indians, preventing their es
cape in any direction but the north, and
pursuit would be easy Terry's column
was the strongest, and included the IA
nous Seventh cavalry, which General
Custer commanded No one doubted Gus
ter's courage, but some persons have
questioned his judgment. He had been
suspended for year for cruelty to his
men in a former campaign and was under
cloud when this one opened. Eager to
wipe out the stain, anxious to win the
good opinion of General Grant, his old
chief, who had censured him at the time
of suspension, he exercised less caution
than was wise. Crook had been delayed
by hostiles. Terry had moved up the
Yellowstone as far as Rosebud, where he
fortified his camp. From this camp Gus
ter rode forth on June %. 1875, with the
Seventh cavalry, intending to go to the
north of the Indians and drive them down
the Little Big Horn and into the clutches
of the strong force moving from that
direction. He came upon the main trail
of the hostiles on June rs, and followed
it into the valley of the Little Big Horn.
Little did he know he was being led into
trap. That there was going to be a
| fight he was certain, but he was conf
dent of his ability to crush the force he
would encounter. More determined to cut
off the hostiles than to hold all his COM
mand together, he sent Major Reno with
three troops to cross the river, scout for
the enemy and attack the Indians from
| the west.
Poor Custer! Not long after Reno, with
1923 troopers, had departed, Custer came
suddenly upon the camp of the Sioux. He
had only S15 officers and men. The Indians
numbered thousands. Every move Custer
had made from the day he left Rosebud
had been watched by the savages. Every
preparation had been made for driving
him into the trap. When Custer came
upon the Indians he did not hesitate a
minute. The charge was sounded, and
soon Indian and white man were in a
struggle to the death. The details of that
fight will never be known, for not one
man of all the 315 whites lived to tell the
tale. How long they fought can be esti-
mated only. The bodies of 314 of the 3l5
were mutilated by the Indians. Clusters
body was spared.
| De Rudio was with Reno. Within a few
hours of leaving Custer, and before he
could get to the west Of the Little Big
Horn. Reno was attacked. He, too, was
led into trip. Crafty fighters are those
Sioux. Reno managed to retreat to some
timber, where the troops dismounted in
order to fight on foot, the horses. for bet
ter protection, being placed among the
trees. The Indians sent a party around
to enter the wood from the rear to kill
the horses. Some of the animals had
been slain before this new danger was
|
| the troopers to make rush into the
woods, mount, and dash for higher
ground But when the men endeavored
to carry out the order there were not
enough horses to go around. Those who
could reach horses jumped into the sad
die, and then, led by Reno, made glo-
rious run through the ranks of the In
dams, raced to a nearby elevation, and
then hurriedly entrenched themselves.
But Lieutenant De Rudio and fifteen
other men were left In the woods, there
being no horses for them to mount.
| Reno, when he had opportunity to look
over his little force, found that in addi-
ton to the men left in the woods he had
lost three officers and 20 men killed and
seven wounded.
De Rudio and the Is In the woods were
| in a desperate plight. They were sur
rounded by perhaps 1000 Indians. De
Rudio took command of the little force.
| He formed his men in a circle SO they
could fight to the best advantage. Their
ammunition was short, they had no water
or food and they were outnumbered 100