The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-03-19
CAVALRY VISIT
LITTLE BIG HORN
m1sTER's REGIMENT WILL PASS
OVER TRAIL TO HATEFUL
BATTLE-GROUND
Sioux Survivors of Historic Massacre
and Surviving Members of Old
Seventh Also Will be Present at
Semi-C Centennial Observance

NNI nEhLNANAAAA AALA-A0CL8 IA VII
Seventh Also Will be Present at
Semi-C Centennial Observance
When the Seventh u. S. cavaI-
nv marches up the Rosebud from
its mouth to the Custer battlefield
next June to participate in the
semi-centennial anniversary Of
the battle of the Little Big Horn.
retracing the steps of General
George A. Custer and his Seventh
Of a half a century ago, it will be
a body of men contrasting strange
Iy with that pitiful remnant of the
ValOrOus Seventh which 5000
Sioux warriors left late the after
noon of June %, 1876, after in
fIicting the most terrible defeat
any unit Of the United States
army has ever suffered.
If plans for the observance of the
semi-centennial made by the National
Custer Memorial association mature,
Colonel Ftizhugh Lee, commanding
the Seventh now stationed at Fort
Bliss, Texas, will have IL troops of
cavalry, upwards of 1000 men, with
him as he follows the route taken by
Custer from noon of June % to the
afternoon of the 25th They will be
equipped with the weapons and ac-
cOutrements of an effective mount
ed unit in modern warfare. A regi-
mental band with shining instru-
ments of brass will accompany the
expedition. There will be facilities
for maintenance of constant com
munication between units of the
command, no matter what distance
separates them. Lack of facilities OF
the kind primarily was responsible
for the fate that befell Custer and
his immediate command.
Clusters Equipment
When Custer left the mouth Of the
Rosebud with his command SO years
ago he had II troops or companies
as they were called then, numberina
about 900 men, together with some
40 Arikara and Crow scouts, tradi
tiOnal enemies of the Sioux. His
: men were armed with the ancient
: single shot Springfield carbines, and
with single action reVOlvers. EacI
| man carried 100 rounds of rifle am
. munitiOn, and "a rounds for his re
vOlver. Reserve ammunition wa.
carried by a pack train, so far Il
the real that when it's actual neeC
was felt in the regiments great crisis
it was ineffective.
After the Sioux, outnumberin,
. Clusters command 10 to 1 and arme,
with repeating rifles of the lates
D pattern they had been acquiring from
the white traders, left the men o
: the Seventh on that fateful after
noon of June 25 and the command
of Reno and Benteen the followin.
morning, there remained alive les
than half of the regiment.
212 Fell With Custer
With Custer fell PIP, every ma.
in five companies. RenO's Iosse
during the fight in the valley and i
the course of his retreat and upon tn
. hill where he fought off the Siou
after McDOugall and Benteen joine
him Numbered Sc dead and 5
wounded of whom eight died.
Participation of the Seventh cay
airy is but one of many impressiv
features planned for the semi-cer
tennial. United States Senator T.
Walsh is nov pressing a bill for a
appropriation in the sum of $500
for a permanent Custer memorial o
the battlefield. If it is successful
the cornerstone will be laid durin
the semi-centennial. The house h.
passed Congressman Leavitt's bi
for an appropriation in the sum {
l$2,5OO to mark by tablet the spC
where on the morning Of the 26tl
Benteen and Reno stood off til
Sioux. 1t is planned to install tn.
marker and establish the spot as
national monument on the last {
the three days observance Of til
semi-centennial.
Will Bury Hatchet
Sioux survivors of the battle an
surviving members of the old 6,
Venth of Clusters day will deDi,
burial of the Ratchet in a ceremor
on the battlefield In all $500 7,
dams r expected to participate
the ceremonies and exercises whiC
Will constitute the three days pr
gram.
Members of three organizations
Indian war veterans will attend II
sem1-centennial as will General
s. Godfrey, one of four surviving n
flcers Of the Seventh, who is natiO
al chairman of the association viii,
10 SpOuSOI4H5 the observance. 1t
possible hat the other three survi
ing officres, General Edgerly. CC
onel Varnum and Colonel Hare. m
also attend.
A local committee, numbering ty
score Of the prominent citizens
eastern Montana is carrying forwa
plans for the celebration an da stro,
appeal is being made to the citize
of Montana, Wyoming and the n
kOtas as well as to eastern touri,
to attend.