The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-07-13
HERE is NEW VERSION OF CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT WHICH
is TOLD BY JOHN RYAN, TOP SERGEANT UNDER MAJOR RENO

] We marched through the town down
to what was then known as Whisky point,
town on the north bank of the Missouri
river, about one mile from Bismark, and
opposite Fort Abraham Lincoln. | under
stand that there is a magnificent bridge
built over the Missouri on the line of the
Northern Pacific railroad. This point con-
sisted at that time, of few rum shops
and gambling halls, and many soldier
was fleeced of his hard earnings at this
point and the town of Bismark, and many
! a soldier and citizen went to their happy
hunting ground" in short order with their
/ boots on.
We remained there for several days
and were Joined by General Sturgis, who
was colonel of the Seventh at that time.
Sturgis was on recruiting service at st.
Louis, Mo-, at the time of the Custer
battle and applied to be relieved of re-
cruiting duty, and Joined his regiment at
Fort Lincoln.
The generals son was lieutenant of my
company, and was killed with General
Clusters five companies. and I do not think
his body was ever recovered. He was at
tached TO Company E. Lieutenant Smiths
company, and was very handsome, brave
and intelligent officer, and the company
mourned his loss very much.
General Sturgis took command, and here
we received about $50 to 600 recruits in
one body, my own company receiving 90.
We also received some new officers from
West Point and officers, by transfer, from
other regiments to replace those who were
killed. We also received large number
of horses and much equipment.
There We're two more expeditions or
ganized to go down both banks Of the
Missouri river, along the Indian agencies
to disarm and dismount all the Indians
that could be found. General Sturgis
took part of the Seventh cavalry and
battery. and marched down the north bank
of the Missouri.
Major Reno took the balance of the
regiment and some infantry and marched
down the south bank of the Missouri
The first QfruQk ahOuf 40
miles from Fort Lincoln, known as the
Standing Rock Agency. This was the
agency where Rain-in-t he-Face was cap
tured by Tom Custer some years before.
Here we disarmed and dismounted what
Indians there were. We proceeded still
further down to the Grand River agency,
here.
We took away about 1890 ponies and
several hundred stands of arms. But the
Indians probably knew that we were COM
ing, for what guns we got were not their
best ones. They consisted of a good many
old patched-up shotguns, old muskets and
old patched-up rifles They had probably
their camps, as we searched them very
thoroughly.
l do not know what success the expedi-
ton that marched down the other side
of the Missouri, under Major Reno met
with.
Fort Rice Barricaded
In some instances the Indians made
some slight resistance in regard to turn
ing over their ponies and arms and we
had to use some force to secure them,
although we never FLASHED with them.
We returned, marching up along the
Missouri by easy marches, there being
considerable snow and ice on the ground
at the time When within two days
march of Fort Rice. Thomas French,
captain Of my company, sent me ahead
that was rowed by boats crew OF
six soldiers detailed from Fort Rice,
and rowed across and swan our horses
We went to the Fort and got things in
readiness ratfons and quarters straight
ened up for the companies when they
came back. In a few days the troops to
be stationed at that Fort for the winter,
arrived. They were: Company NJ. Capt.
Thomas H. French; Company ID. Captain
Weir; Company II, Captain Benteen; and
we relieved the infantry who were sta
toned there.
During our absence the stockade around
Fort Rice was turned into a regular line
of rifle pits, and barricaded in the best
possible manner, as they probably expect
ed an attack on the fort in the absence
of the cavalry.
The balance Of the troops marched up
the Missouri from Fort Rice to Fort Lin
coin Some of them went into winter
quarters at Fort Lincoln, one company to
Fort Ripley, Mimi, a couple of companies
to Fort Wadsworth, on what is known as
DEVILS lake, one to Fort Totten, and one
to Fort Stevenson.
The arms which were taken from the
Indians were carried on wagons and were
turned over to the ordnance department
at some of the forts
The ponies that were in charge of the
infantry officer whose name | have for
gotten, and the herders who drove the In
dian ponies were transfers who were on
our summer campaign, and turned in their
teams to the quartermasters department
These ponies were to be driven overland
from Mismark to st. Paul. Mimi, to be
sold, and the proceeds turned over to the
Interior department for the use Of the
Indians
had but a short time to serve after
being settled down at Fort Rice, and /
took couple of teams and proceeded
to Bismark and bought supplies for the
company, consisting of several bushels of
potatoes. several bushels of onions, and
sundry other articles of food, such as was
not furnished by the commissary depart
ment for the troops, and among them 10
1o-gallon kegs of lager beer. In addition
Continued on Agricultural Page)