Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-06-25
70 YEARS TODAY SINCE INDIANS
 KILLED CUSTER
Gallant Stand of Seventh Cavalry to Be Commem-
 orated at Billings.


 years will have passed tomorrow since General George A. Custer and the gal liant men of the Seventh United States cavalry went to their death in the Indian battle on the banks of the Lit tie Big Horn river. Today arrange ments were completed for an impress sive observance of the anniversary to take place on the battlefield.
 Starting with the modest intention of including only Montana and -Wyom- ing in the celebration, it was later discovered by the arrangements com nittee that the affair had taken on national scope and was attracting at- tention in every section of the coun- try. Five thousand persons are ex- pected to attend the commemoration, and arrangements have been made to care for that number.
 Special trains are to leave Billings and Sheridan for the battlefield at an early hour tomorrow morning. The trains will arrive at the battlefield at about 9:30 o'clock The Indian will lage will be pitched on the banks of the river at the foot of the hill where the Custer monument stands-near where Custer made his first defensive halt. The village will consist of about 15O teepees and 2,OOO Indians. At II o'clock Gen. E. S. Godfrey, survivor of Reno's command, will ar- rive with his party after covering Custer's trail from the mouth of the Rosebud At a convenient point he will be joined by guard of veterans. General Godfrey will approach the will lage in the manner employed by Gen. eral Custer. From the village he will proceed to the monument, followed by the soldiers and Indians. At the monument General Godfrey will de- liver a brief memorial address and letter will be read from Mrs. George A. Custer, widow of the general. The i formal ceremonies will conclude with 1 the firing of salute over the graves of those who fell in the battle, fol- 1 lowed by the sounding of taps by an army bugler.
 The afternoon program will be car ried out at the fair grounds. A feature will be a big Indian pow-wow and dance to be participated in by Crow Indians under the leadership of the aged Scout Curley, survivor of Gus ter's division, though he did not take part in "the last fight" and Chief Plenty Coos of the Crow tribe. The music for the occasion will be fur nished by the St. Xavier mission band of Indians and Crow Indian tomtom band.
 Display of Desperate Valor.
 The celebration is to commemorate in American history and likewise the most disastrous defeat ever suffered by United States troops at the hands of the Indians. It was in the spring of 1876 that General Terry's expedi- tion, which included Busters com mand, was sent against the Sioux tribe. Custer was directed to take his regiment up to the Rosebud river to the head waters of the Little Big Horn to co-oferate with General Gibbons command sent up the Big Horn, another tributary of the Yellowstone. The plan was to surround the Indians and prevent their escape.
 At o'clock on the morning of June 25, 1876, General Custer had made 75 miles and had crossed the divide between the Rosebud and the Little Big Horn rivers, then he separated his force into three commands, one under Major Reno, another with Cap tain Benteen in command, and with the five remaining companies he moved up the right bank of the Little Big Horn, expecting the other com mands to operate on either flank of the Indian village when discovered.
 He struck the Sioux village of 5000 warriors in the centre and it extended one and one quarter miles to his right and left. Reno's division had reached the villafe on the extreme left, yiven battle and retreated before Custer came up, and the Sioux greatly out numbering his little force drove him from point to point, annihilating com pany after company. Finally, left with only 40 officers and men, Custer fought the unequal battle three ho1rs and all were slain. With the excep- tion of a single Crow scout, horse and dog, not single person or animal in Busters charge escaped the fearful slaughter The victims of the massacre were buried on the battle field. Subsequently the remains of General Custer were removed to West Point, N. Y., and buried in the ceme- tery of the United States Military academy.
 Deafness Cannot Be Cured