The Dickinson press., 1914-09-05
WAS
WITH GEN, CUSTER.


summer, there is an other reminder
of those interesting times, when the
red men contended with the out-posts
of civilization for the possession Of
these regions, more nearly at hand.
In the person of Sergeant Walter
Sterland, one Of the prominent citi-.
zens Of Dickinson, serving for many
years as an honored justice of the
peace, assessor, clerk Of the legisla-
ture, and in other positions Of trust
we have one Of the survivors Of the
celebrated Seventh United States
Cavalry, the regiment that was made
so famous by the massacre of five Of
its troops, led by the redoubtable
Major General George A. Custer, in.
the lamentable battle with Indians of
the Little Big Horn, in Montana. Sum
day, June 25th, 1876. The enemy who
surrounded and slew the picturesque
cavalry general and his squadron,
were the Sioux, Of all the tribesmen
Of the northwest the fiercest.
Mr.. Sterland readily remembers all
the stirring scenes through which he
passed as member of the devoted
Seventh" from the time that he en-
listed at St. Louis in '73 till he was
mustered out by Colonel Otis at Fort
Rice, Dakota, at the end Of his term
of enlistment. " ~,
He followed the fortunes of the
"Seventh" as they left the railroad at
Yankton, Dakota Territory, which
was then the terminus of railroad
building in the Dakota region, and
after enduring the fearfully trying
circumstance Of a spring blizzard
that struck them as they left the
themselves on the citizens for "a a
couple of days until the wind and
snow abated, throughout their long
march to Bismarck (Fort Abraham
ldne Se aSs ee Seer uasbeS ssa EeS
ern Pacific as a guard for the sur
veyors, on to the Yellowstone region
and back again, then down to the
Black Hills, on summers reconnoi-
sance, then scouting over these west
ern regions during rs, returning to
winter at Forts Rice and Abraham
Lincoln, until the spring Of rs, when
the increasing hostility Of the Indians
induced the authorities at Washing
ton to organize a force that should
either force them onto the reserva-
tions that had been allotted to them,
or follow them to the death.
The Seventh Cavalry, about six
hundred strong, led by Custer, left
Fort Abraham Lincoln the 18th of
May, 1876, bound for the Yellow
stone, near the mouth of the Powder
river. Mr.. Sterland was member
of Troop "M," commanded by Cap
tain French. They followed the trail
to the west, touching on the Heart
river now and then for watering pur-
poses, and passed the present site Of
Dickinson, just skirting the north
edge of what is now the city limits.
The regiment was followed the first
day out by paymaster from the
St. Paul headquarters and were CIV
en- their pay for the previous several
the paymaster returning to
Bismarck the next day. The march
ing column carried with them only
provisions enough to last until they
reached the Powder river, where they
were to be met by supply steamer.
These provisions were carried in
wagons drawn by mules, and there
were also taken along several hum
dred pack saddles for use when the
active campaigning should begin.
The troops reached the Powder on
June 7th, where they found the
steamboat, "Far West" waiting for
them. There was also being concen-
trated there as a support for the
cavalry movement a strong infantry
column under command of General
Gibbon, while General Terry, was in
charge of the whole expedition.
\ General Custer was at this time in
the prime Of life, and was striking
figure. Having risen rapidly in the
Civil War to the command of divis-
ion Of volunteers, and having made
many spectacular raids on the enemy
in which he was singularly favored
by fortune, he had become enamored
Of dashing and scenec display. a
trife too much so, Mr.. Sterland
thinks, for the best type of Indian
fighter.
He always dressed in picturesque
modification of the regulation uni
form, with flowing tie, usually of
red, wide-cOllared campaign shirt,
and broad felt hat, which gave him,
with the graceful abandon Of his
carriage and horsemanship, the air
Of half soldier and half border scout.
He was straight and slender, quick of
speech and restless Of movements.
He had been accompanied with his
wife as far as Fort Abraham Lincoln
and but for the refusal Of the captain
af tho ttEsar Wesf0 tn hrino fe,s.
would have had her with him as far
as the rendezvous on the Powder. He
had as one Of his troop commanders
his brother, Captain Tom Custer, and
also as a guest, another younger
brother, Boston Custer. All three
brothers went down on the barren
hillsides Of the Little Big Horn to-
,gether, battling with the savage
enemy till the last. KS sss
IL Mr.. Sterland thinks that some Of
the eager inc entive that drove Gem
eral Custer into the jaws o, the gi-