The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-02
.FRONT|ERSMAN TELLS y
Of Custer MASSACRE
Was on Ground on Day After
the Slaughter
TREATMENT OF VICTIMS
Indians Acknowledged bravery of Gus
Ter Bnt Butchcrcd Up Els Brother
riorribly--Laid His Heart
Across His Breast

Spokane, Wash, May 1.-(Special)-
Passing the evening of his eventful life
in peace and comfort at his orchard
home in Klickitat county, Wash, south
west of Spokane, is Benjamin Gallen-
| tine, frontiersman and Indian fighter
with the United States regulars in Da-
iota Montana and Woyming from 1870
to 1876. He enlisted at Wheeling, Va,
In 1870, and with a company of recruits
was sent to Camp Hancock, then located
at Bismarck, N. D., being afterward
shifted to Fort Lincoln, where General
| Custer was in command of the Seventh
| command not soul escaped death.
| Gallentine was on the battlefield the
day after the Custer massacre on June
25 1876, and this is his version 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 force of regulars
from st. Paul under Generals Terry and
Crook. There were Is companies of in
fantry in the command. | was placed
with the Seventeenth infantry.
1.-The Seventh cavalry and companies
of infantry left Fort Lincoln in June.
1876, with General Terry in command. for
the Little Big Horn country, where sew
eral thousand Indians, led by Sitting
Bull, were on the warpath, and crowded
back against the Big Horn mountains
and river.
1--WE crossed the Yellowstone river on.
a steamboat at a point where the North
err Pacific is now bridged, and went
into camp. There is where General
Terry ordered Custer and Reno to go
ahead with the cavalry and discover, the
rendezvous of the Indians. A day was
Sc. for the big battle. The. Seventh
cavalry was divided between Custer,
Reno and Bentine.
Being with Terry, I was not far from
thu scene of the Custer battle. Evidently
Custer was led into a trap. After ad-
vancine nearly the entire length of the
Indian camp, thousands of yelling Sioux
anG other tribes appeared from ambush
and started their deadly work against
the little band of cayalrymen. The battle
lasted nearly two hours. and of Clusters
command not a soul escaped 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 In
dians, carrying Clusters battle flags,
made a rush for the Notifications and
killed all but 10 or 20 cavalrymen in each
company.
II was on the battle-ground with Terry
the second day after the massacre. and
was detailed to help bury the dead
which took us two days. We found
every soldier stripped and mutilated in
the most horrible manner. Custer evil
IDENTIFY was not touched after he fell We
found a small riding whip placed across
his nose, probably an acknowledgment
of his bravery.
However his brother, Capt Tom Gus
ter, Jared differently. His heart had been
cur out and laid across his breast. 1t
was the belief that this act was perpe-
trated by Rain-in-the-face, Sioux chief,
ane thereby hangs tale:
"Rain-in-the killed an English lord
and a veterinary surgeon of the Seventh
cavalry in 1878. He kept under cover for
a year, but was finally captured by Tom
Custer at Standing Rock, S. D., and
taken 10 Fort Lincoln for trial. While
in the hospitallhe made the threat that
he would cut Toms heart out before he
died He escaped and two years later
undoubtedly made good his threat on the
historic battle-ground
while | was stationed at Fort LIN
coin in 1873, a man appeared who had
successfully impersonated a woman for
| 20 years, and not until q year afterward
was his identity discovered. -l
| "Joseph Newman, quartermaster-ser-
geant of the Seventh cavalry, with his
| wife. Jane arrived from Texas. having
| Travelled the entire distance on horse
back Jane was an ordinary looking
| working woman, \ and was made laun-
dress for the regiment, being also called
upon when nurse was required.
| Jane died in the hospital at Fort Lin
| coin in 1874. Before passing away she
asked to be buried in the garments she
| wore. Custer, however, ordered the reg
ulation burial, and was soon apprised OF
| the fact that Jane was man.
"Custer summoned Newman TO mead
quarters and asked him where the do
nestle felicity came in by having man
n,asouerading as a woman for 20 years
for a wife. Newman stubbornly main
| tanned that his dead wife was woman
This denial coming just after hearing
the verdict of a physician. so veXed
custer that he kicked Newman off the
porch.
"Three DAYS after this incident New
man was found dead in a stable; He
had committed suicide by firing bullet
through his brain. He left nothing ex-
planning his act hence it could not be
ascertained whether 1t was through
shame or the loss of his companion that
made life not worth the living
| --ss.