The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-07-01
cooLEMH RITES IN
MEMORY Of CUSTER
VESTS SADDEST MEMORIAL is
VIEWED BY THRONG
VILLAGE MASS OF HUMANITY
People Of All Part Of United States
Journey TO Indian Agency in
Tribute to the Slain

Crow Agency, MOnt.-At no time IL
the history of the Northwest has {
more solemn and impressive memorial
event taken place than the ceremonies
held at the Custer battlefield last
Thursday. Friday and Saturday In
| commemoration of that famous con
fllct, which took place just fifty years
ago.
Throughout the entire time, extend
| ing from Thursday morning until Sat
urday evening, this little Indian agency
village and for miles around was teem-
ing with humanity. Thousands came
| by automobiles and thousands by train.
| People were here from all sections OF
! The country TO pay tribute to the mem
ary Of General George Armstrong Gus
er and his five troops of Americas
raveA soldiers. 212 in all, who Just
% years ago were slain in combat with
warning Sioux and Cheyenne Indians
along the banks of the Little Big Horn
river few miles south of here. II is
conservatively estimated that during
| the three days no less than 100000
people visited the famous battlefield.
Flag Raising Opens Program
The program was ushered In Thurs
| day afternoon by the raising Of the
American colors on huge staff at the
national cemetery, directly partici'
pated in by veterans of the old Sew.
enth cavalry. when It was commanded
by Custer, and aged Sioux and Chey-
enne Indians who took part In the
deadly war fifty years ago.
The veterans. after the flag raising
joined Gen. E. s. Godfrey, who, during
the battle of the Little Big Horn, as
! first lieutenant. commanded Company
X under Major Benteen. In review OF
| the new Seventh, consisting of II Of
fieers and 235 men under Col. Fitz-
hugh Lee, detailed here for the cere-
mony by order of the War department
from TT Bliss, Texas, 900 miles away
Opposite the reviewing stand in full
war regalia stood a long line of Indian
survivors of the battle, including four
! Cheyennes and seven Sioux, who were
engaged against Custer. Following
the troopers came a long line of Grows
trailed by their women. gaily bedecked
horses, and all in their finery.
In General Godfrey's party on tbs
reviewing stand were Mrs. Godfrey
their grandson. Edward S. Godfrey III
Col. Herbert J. Sloeum, Col Charles F
Fates, Col. ]. II. T. Portfolio, retired
ID Commanders Luther Barker and
I'm H. Brandt of the Indian war vet.
Grams organizations.
Thursday evening the veterans paid
formal visit to Colonel Lees camT
and were greeted by the commander
who took much pleasure in contrast
| ing their facilities with those at theil
disposal 80 years ago They heard the
band of the Seventh play THE Black
Hills March," written by John Burri OF
Mandan, n. D., a trumpeter of the old
Seventh, who was on hand for the re-
union.
$4,000 View Friday Spectacle
Officials of the Custer Memorial as
ISOLATION, sponsors of the historical
event, estimate that $4,000 people
viewed the ceremonies at the battle
ground Friday. Some conception may
be had of the crowd by the fact that
people stood 200 feet deep in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the monument
which marks the last stand of Gen
eral Custer and his troops The mul
titude was so immense that thousands
were unable to witness the service
and had to be content to remain il
their automobiles.
The climax to the memorable peag
ant came when the great crowd wit
messed the marching of the Sevent
cavalry over the same ridge to tn
south of the battle ground, whenc
Custer is believed to have come. |
five troops they came-the same troop
that Custer led, but a new generatio
of men, dropping over the brow of tn
hill under guidons to which were al
tached streamers bearing the name
of Clusters commanders. Accompany
ing them was Gen. Godfrey. With hil
came seven troopers who were engage
in the battle under Reno and Benteei
They were Peter Thompson, Alzad;
Mont Dan Newell, Sturgis, S. D.
Theodore w Godin, Dansman, Wis.
W. G, Slaper, Los Angeles; John
Lockwood, Washington, D. c.; Ere
mont Kipp, Washington, D. c.
March to Dirge
Slowly they marched toward the M
tional cemetery to the strains of fur
eral dirge played by the band of tn
Seventh concealed in a nearby ravin
From the other side came n a ia
flung column the hundreds of indians
led by the nearly 80 Sioux and Gro,
survivors of the battle headed b
White Bull, who as a youth of 90 lie
a band of Sioux fighters under Rail-
in-the-Face. Near the monument til
two parties met. White Bull held u
his hand making the sign of peac
General Godfrey replied by droppir
his unsheathed sword into its scabbai
as he rode forward to meet the In
ians. They clasped hands, and to C
ment the friendship White Bull pr
soptad IN ho orar oro1 ,,ri1o1 ,ooa.o