Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-08-15

ne had to save it out for himself
troopers often did this, but with tn
PACK train it was considered too mucl
bother. We were seldom hungry
rating three times a day is simply
habit.
Sioux Lose Leader
The tranquility of our life was in
terrupted n day when one of on
Feconnalssance parties was attacked b,
q large band of Sioux, which lost it
leader, White Antelope, at the fir
exchange Of shots and pursued our mel
TO the verge of the encampment t.
avenge his death. Three days afte.
mat, on the tenth of July, Scouts Loui
Rlchaud and Ben Arnold rode int
camp with dispatches which threw tn,
camp into the. widest commotion
nave ever witnessed among Unitet
states soldiers.
Eight days after OH fight with hin
ON the Rosebud Crazy Horse had faller
on Custer and destroyed his command
We only knew there had been a grea'
disaster. No details. Groups of me-
rushed about to learn the particulars
How many killed? How many had es-
capped? How had it happened? A
party galloped off to find Genera
Cfook, who was on reconnaissance. Nc
sooner had they gone than a party OF
proving Sioux set fire to the grass
about the camp.
News Is Confirmed
General Crook came in that night
ana on the following day three en-
listed men Of the Seventh infantry ar
rived with more dispatches confirming
the news OF the previous day. Two
days after that, on July 13, four Grow
scouts came in with the same story,
but IN detail. These Grows had either
witnessed the fight from places of con
cealment on overlooking buttes or had
talked to others who had. At any rate,
they had the whole story as completely
and exactly as it has ever been put to-
gether after SO years Of investigation.
Moreover, they put in some details
which | have never seen in print. /
wrote their story down as they related
it.
Ask About Fight
1t was in the evening of the day, of
the Crows arrival. We had finished
supper and with some others / walked
over TO the camp fire of the Crows to
find out what l could about what had
happened to Custer. Baptiste Fourier
was along. The Crows were sitting
in a circle about the fire discussing
the fight with some Of their tribesmen
and with the S~ltoshones who were
standing about. Big Bait addressed
them in their language and asked them
to tell US what had taken place.
One OF the Crows squatted down and
smoothed Oft a space on the ground
about a yard square. Across the cen
ter OF this he drew a crooked line, and
said something to Big Bait, who ex-
planned that the line represented the
of the Little Big Horn.
Then the map-maker drew another
line to the right Of the stream and
roughly parallel with it, and held a
stick in a horizontal position about
feet from the ground. This
meant that the new line represented
The bluffs which followed the stream.
Then he drew a series Of lines from
bluffs toward the stream. These
little ravines which ran from
the crest OF the heights toward the
river.
The battlefield topography was COM
olete. Dun informant peoples the scene
How Story Was Told
He made a series OF imprints on the
along the right bank of the
stream. At each imprint he would
Sioux, Sioux" or Cheyenne, Chey-
bringing his right hand from
The crown Of his head to his shoulder
and again in a curving manner in
of his body. This Indicated that
lodges OF the squaWs and children
we're placed along the edge Of the
He then took a handful of ashes
rom the fire and distributed it along
ravines that ran from the bluff
ops to the stream, saying, Sioux,
and Cheyenne, Cheyenne"
This meant that the Sioux and Chey-
warriors were concealed in the
'avineS.
Then back of the line Of bluffs he
placed IL tWigs, and said, "Soga," at
he same time placing the first two
OF his right hand aStride the
our fingers of his left. The Shoshones
landing by grunted their understand
ng. This pantomima meant that Gus
er, with IL troops Of soldiers, mounted,
vas approaching the line of the bluffs
which the Sioux and Cheyenne
warriors were ambushed.
Crazy Horse Observes
Then our narrator indicated the bluff
inc, and shading his eyes. as if from
he glare Of the sun, looked from right
0 left, saying "Tash-unco-nitco," which
n Sioux means Crazy Horse. Thus
We learned that from the top of the
bluffs the Sioux chieftain was observ-
ng the approach of Custer and his IL
rOOpS OF cavalry.
Again saying "Tash-unco-nitco," he
picked IN a DlnCl of ashes from each
avine and put them in a pile in the
enter of a series of ravines. He drew
ines from each ravine to this spot.
This meant that Crazy Horse had called
lis Sub-chiefS to a council of battle.
Next he placed the back of his hand
.gainst his mouth, and touching the
humb and second finger opened and
losed the hand in a series Of jerks.
his was the sign for a talk. Then
retraced the lines running from the
Onveyed that Crazy Horse had COM
nunicated his plan Of battle to his
and sent them back to take
barge OF the warriors hidden IN the
ifferent ravines.
eeS along the bank of the stream,
nd drew a series OF lines from them
n the direction of the flow of the
liver. This meant that the women and
hildren had been moved to places OF
afety.
Tells Of Custer
Crazy Horses disposition for battle
vaS now complete. Our historian now
transferred his attention to Custer.
Directing his attention to the IL
r{-r -o~~nrorfinn thu tvoN~c IF C,1c-l