Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-26

' Gibbons to come
up in connection with the plan Of cam
paign to join Clusters troopers and form
a junction to engage the hostile allied
Indians, Sioux and Northern Cheyenne,
known then to be camped somewhere to
the south on the banks of the Little Big
Horn.
Early in the afternoon Of June 81,
1876, these three men decided to 60 fish,
ing. No word had come from Custer,
and Gtbbon was yet to report to the
Far West that he had arrived at the
mouth of the Little Big Horn. The Far
Vest had carried the supplies as far up
stream as possible and was waiting COM
placently for developments. Time hung
heavily on the hands of the skipper n
crew while waiting for news from the
Gibbons command that expected to form
a junction with the Custer columns in a
joint attack on the camp Of the hostile
Indians.
The fishing party formed by Sipes,
Riley n Bales moved up the Little Big
Horn for q distance of about a mile. 1t
was later In the afternoon that their at
tention was drawn to a figure on horse
back, across the stream. 1t was Curley,
q Crow Indian scout attached to the
Custer command. He was enc OF six
Crows that were detailed to accompany
Custer when 1t was agreed on the night
"a odAiC 49, az tIlC lllOdtn VI t1e QtO06UQQ,
that he should go up that river with his
twelve troops OF the Seventh Cavalry,
while Gibbons marched west along the
Yellowstone river. II was agreed that
the two columns would meet somewhere
In the vicinity Of the Little Big Horn.
The other scouts were Goes Ahead, White
Man Runs Him, Hair Moccasin, Half
Yellowface n White Swan.
When Custer decided to divide his COL
IJYnn tnfn fhrnn fr{%r D~o y,nIa~ DA-@
and h other under Benteen, Goes
Ahead, White Man Runs Him and Hair
Moccasin were detailed to
Benteen, who had charge of the wagon
trail. When Benteen Joined Reno after
the latter's repulse when he ran into the
head Of the large Indian village and was
forced back across the Little Big Horn to
a hill where afterwards he made his
stand. Benteen informed his scouts tina
he would have no further use for their
services as scouts. They understood him
to mean that he was through with them
and they made a quick journey back to
their reservation.
The Curley appeared in the open
across the Little Big Horn opposite to
where the Sipes party was fishing, it was
noticed that with his carbine held aloft
in both hands above his head that he
came in peace. He wore a red blanket.
These red blankets were Issued to the
Sioux. The Crow blanket was white with
q blue line border. Reckoning to him to
come on across the stream, Curley ford
ed 1T with his pony n stood before the
three fishermen. Dismounting it was
seen that his c~ountenance was downcast.
He approached the men. Unable to make
himself understood in the English Ian
guage, he spoke in pantomime with ap-
propriate gestures.
Soldier; Absarokee," he said. Placing
his left hand on the side OF his head and
inclining his body to indicate a lying
down position on the ground, Curley gave
his three auditors the first account Of the
results OF the battle Of the Little Big
Horn. He succeeded In making his hear
ers understand that there was not a
white man left on the gruesome field Of
battle.
Taken at once to the steamer Far West,
in the presence of Grant Marsh and the
crew. Curley traced the line OF battle on
the deck OF that vessel. He illustrated
the movement Of the circling, charging
Indians. He pointed out In his drawing
where the little groups Of the white SOL
diers had been annihilated, and in his
pantomimic manner gave the informa-
ton that Custer and all of his men were
dead.
1t was also learned from Curley that
IN the thick OF the fight on that fatal
day OF June rs, he had remained with
the troops until almost the last man had
fallen. Sensing that the fortunes OF war
were going against Custer and that he
would be unable to stem the rising tide
OF the red mans wrath, Curley APP
preached a fallen Indian. a Sioux brave,
and removed shis red blanket. This he
donned, and lodging about In the climax
Of he fight managed to get to the out
skirts Of the conflict and mounting a
pony that happened to be riderless, he
departed quickly not knowing exactly in
which direction he was going. He rode
away fully aware that no white soldier
could come out Of the conflict alive.