Evening star., 1926-05-27
SIOUX AND CAVALRY
TO HONOR Custer.
Descendants of Old Enemy
and Soldiers to Join
in Tribute.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DENVER, May 27.-A half century
has seen the signal fires of the once
mighty Sioux burn low and die in
the valley sof the Little Big Horn.
Time has erased the lodge pole
trails from the plains of the Rosebud
and the passing years have quenched
the flame kindled at word of Clusters
crushing defeat. But the story OF
that heroic struggle remains one OF
the romantic chapters in frontier
history.
Next month in the valley of the
Little Big Horn River. in southern
Montana, where on June 2o. 1876,
Gen. George Armstrong Custer led
five companies of the 7th Cavalry to
slaughter. the new 7th, under COM
mand of Gen. FitZhugh Lee. will face
5000 descendants of those Sioux and
Cheyenne warriors who r1ddled Gus
ters battalions. But these Indians
and cavalrymen will unite in solemn
tribute to the memory Of the red and
white mans dead. The ceremony.
under the auspices of the Custer
Memorial Association. will be in COM
memoration of the semi-centennial OF
the famous battle.
Crow to Camp Nearby.
A thousand Grow, allies Of Custer
by reason of their hatred of the
Sioux, who poached upon their buff
falo hunting ground. will be encamp-
ed nearby. They will participate in
the revival of dances. tribal cere-
monies. sports and customs of half a
century ago.
From this Indian village. a repro
duction of the one Custer encounter
ed. the cavalry. with regimental band
blarinS forth Garry Owen the this
famous fighting tune. will swing on
to the historic battle-ground. AS the
troopers approach the knoll where
Custer with his five detachments
made his last stand the band will
play funeral dirge. From the valley
below will come .the Indians. chant
ing their death songs. At the crest
of the hill, near a great monument,
on which has been carved the names
of the fallen whites. these two forces
will meet In friendship.
Gen. Lee and Chauncey Yellow
Robe. a nephew Of Sitting Bull will
tomahawk. Memorial addresses will
follow, with Gen. f. S. Godfrey, one
of the four surviving officers of Gus
ter's 9TH, as one of the speakers. A
message is expected from Mrs. Gus
ter. the generals widow, who has
always declined to visit the battle
ground because Of the emotions she
has feared it would arouse.
At the field where Reno's two bat.
talions stood off the willy Chief Gall
and his Hunopapa braves, memorial
will be dedicated to the men who fell
there. Then taps will sound once
more down the valley.
7th Cavalry Formed.
At the close Of the Civil War Custer.
DAWN and Merritt, Sheridan's d.
visional commanders. were commits
stoned lieutenant colonels and brevet-
ted brigadier generals in the United
States Army. On July 2S, 1866, the
7th Cavalry was organized. with Gus
ter as lieutenant colonel. A. J. Smith
colonel, Alfred Gibbs major. and such
names as Benteen. keogh. West.
Barnitz. Moylan, Commagere and
Thomas w. Custer among the com
missioned personnel.
Following an expedition into the
Black Hills to protect the hundreds
pouring lnLO Ine new EIQOTdOO III
1874, an outbreak Of Sioux claimed
Clusters presence in the field. In 1875
his services on the northern plains
began opposite the mouth Of the
Tongue River in Montana. On June
%, 1876, he set out from old Fort
Lincoln on his ill.fated expedition in
search of the village of hostile Sioux.
moved II miles up the Rosebud and
camped. The next day the march
continued for SO miles, passing many
dim lodge pole trails.
On June "a the column again
moved forward, making camp at "a
miles. Indian signs were growing
fresher. At II o'clock that night the
column was called out and ordered
ahead, turning to the right near the
divide between the Rosebud and
Little Big Horn. About am. June
25. the column halted for three hours.
made coffee. then resumed it's forced
march. 1t crossed the divide and by
8 am. was in the valley Of one of
the branches Of the Little Big Horn.
BY this time the Indians had been
sighted, and as it now was certain
that they could not be surprised. 1t
was determined to attack.
A