The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-06-07
Battle Hymns on Lips Of Warriors
ss.. rs THEY Went to Death Coonteo ~
r. -. Comrades in Indian Memorial Rites

Battle, songs which were on the lips
of their comrades as they went down
to death with Custer in the battle OF
the Little Big Horn were chanted,
one after another, by surviving mem
bers of Clusters corps of native scouts
at, Armstrong, in the vicinity of Fort
Berthold, in Memorial day exercises
which DR.. Melvin r. Gilmore, curator
of the State Historical society des-
cribes upon his return to Bismarck
as among the most unique IN the his
tory of the northwest. l. /
The exercises were held under the
auspices of the Indian Scouts asso-
citation. Three of their number had
fallen with their commander, General
Custer, at Little Big Horn. Each Of
those young men went into battle that
day singing his own individual battle
song, and now, on this Memorial day.
1917, their surviving comrades sang
their songs, one after another, in their
memory.
"As these scouts, now old men, sang
the songs of their comrades, snatched
away in their youth, the tears rolled
down their cheeks and voices broke, y
said DR.. Gilmore today.
After singing the death songs, they
sang hymn which they recently have
composed in memory Of Custer, their
old commander.
| Made Memorial Address
| DR.. Gilmore was invited by the
Scouts association of Armstrong to
make the Memorial day address for
them. The people came from. long
distances over the reservation, 80 they
assembled the day before, bringing
camp equipment with them and camp
ing for the night to be ready early
for the next days activities. The
celebration, Dr. Gilmore reports, in
conception and execution would be
credit to any community, Indian or
| white. .-~' 49,
Many Indians Served e,
In the early '6O's and '70's a con
siderable number of the young men
of; the three tribes, the Arikara, Man
dan and Hidatsa, enlisted in the
United States army as scouts in the
fighting against the western Dakota
and other hostile tribes. The. sur
vivors of this force formed themselves
some years, ago into an organization
called the Indian Scouts association.
The association has cemetery at the
site of "Fish-Hook village, called by
the whites Forth Berthold village.
Here the graves of their dead COM
rades are fittingly marked by govern
ment gravestones such as are used in
all military cemeteries. There are
in, all about, 12O graves of Indian
scouts in this cemetery, among them
being, those Of the three heroes Of the
Custer massacre 4
., New Indian Pony y
~ Al Arikara Indian driving his own
car was. sent by the association to
meet Dr.: Gilmore at the railroad sta
ti0fl at Garrison, and convey him to
the vicinity of the old village, where
entertainment was provided for him
until after Memorial day. r"5's' -'' 81,
The Scouts association engaged the
Garrison band to furnish music tor
the exercises the morning of Memcr-;
|sial day. ,3oA band concert was given
at the, place Of assembly, and when
America was played everyon, stood
up without prompting. There follow
ed. a prayer by the chaplain; Paul
Yellow-Bear. l.. Then the herald, SHOW
Bird, announced the orders of the day.
The parade formed and marched to-
the cemetery. the; band playing a dead
march :. The band rested at the north
east, while the scouts marched ny and
entirely around the cemetery, coming
Ito rest at the east and facing the
graves. The women and girls, carry
ing flowers for the graves, came to
rest on the north side.
Following the singing of the battle
hymns, the chaplain offered prayer,
sitter which DR.. Gilmore made an adj
dress in commemoration of the service
of the scouts, the dead and the living.
Flag Raised
The flag had been at half-mast all
forenoon. Now it was noon, and the