The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-06-16
CUSTER DISASTER ON LITTLE BIG HORN As YEARS AGO PROVOKED
ONE OF THE BITTEREST CONTROVERSIES I'M HISTORY OF OUR ARMY

indians attacked the left flank
which was held by Arickaree
scouts. These broke, fled and never
stopped till they reached the supply
camp on Powder river, miles away.
AT the same time the Sioux and
Cheyennes turned Reno's left flank
and his whole force was slammed
back like a door into the timber on
the bank of the river.
Here Rene made a serious mis-
take. After rallying his men he
ordered them to dismount. He had
lost only n man wounded and two
troopers whose horses had run away
with them into the Indian village.
His duty was plain; it was to keep
his men mounted and hurl them
against the Indian village. Had he
done so, the result would have been
different.
Reno Loses Head Completely.
Reno then held a strong position
for defense, being sheltered by trees
with his flanks and real protected
by the river. However, he had been
ordered to attack, not to de'..nd any
position. Yet, after a few moments
of the feeblest kind of attack he
lOuuu nlIlbCil Oh the utlCliSlft. Ii
spite of the detection OF the lees, a
vigorous countercharge would have
extricated Reno and might have
saved Custer.
Reno's indecision was pitiful. AL
though he had suffered Practically
no loss and had no reason TO he
alarmed, he was in a state of pain
full uncertainty as to what to do
novf Tho ca1afar xrha bac,+toc f-
lost. Reno at last gave the order to
mount and retreat across the Little
Big Horn to the bluffs. Before he
could be obeyed he countermanded
the order. Then he repeated it but so
few heard it that it was not obeyed.
1t was then repeated for the third
time. Finally the mass of men broke
out of the timber in a disorderly
column of tours, striving to reach
the ford. The Indians massed attack
swept them into a confused mob
which was driven toward the river.
Many of Reno's officers and men
behaved with the utmost GOODNESS
and bravery. DIR. De Wolf, Lieuten-
ant Mcintosh, Lieutenant Hodgson
were shot down while making a de-
termined, but useless effort to rally
uutH. IlCHO was l6HOlHlniOQoiJ
driven into a funnel-shaped amphi-
on whose slippery hills his
command ~entrenched themselves
the attacks of the hostiles. He
had lost three officers and 29 men
and scouts killed including Clusters
noted scout, Lonesome
Charlie" Reynolds, who was shot
down while making a brave stand in
the timber.
Benteen's battalion, meanwhile,
had started to join Custer, but on
the plight of Reno's men,
Joined hat command, instead.
The Last of Custer.
AS soon as Reno's retreat began,
Chief Gall, who with Crazy Horse
and Crow King was principally
responsible for the Indian maneuver,
summoned a large body of warriors
and left the field crossing the river
further down. This spelled Clusters
doom.
What Custer did exactly will never
be known. Statements of Indians
we're contradictory and Investigators
who examined the field after the
disagreed. The popular under
standing is that Custer after seeing
Reno starting to attack the Sioux viii
age, attempted to ford the river at a
place now called Reno's creek (north
Of the Reno's creek referred to above
a different stream) with a view
% falling on the village and vas met
Gall and a great force of Sioux
Cheyennes, who drove him back
the hills, where the final tragedy
.ook place.
Colonel Godfrey, on the contrary,
'ays that Custer, from the point
where he was last seen by Reno's
men, had a view of the village, which
extended for several miles, but could
lot see all of it; hat he must have
confident that he had it below
him then, and that he made a wide