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

had happened to the forces of Reno
M Benteen that Custer had sent
across the river. Reno. we were in
formed, had been engaged BY a greatly
superior number of hostiles. but after
hard fighting and heavy losses had
managed to retreat back across the
river. Benteen encountered no Indians
m eventually returned across the
river, uniting with Reno.
The question is still an open one
whether Reno should have gone to
Clusters rescue after Reno knew Gus
ter to be engaged and probably in need
OF support. Some army men say one
thing and some another. Reno was
tried for cowardice and neglect of dutv'
but acquitted. Nevertheless. my per-
sonal feeling is that he should have
made the attempt. 1t was a slim
chance and possibly a forlorn hope,
Dut such things are a part of the pro-
1esslon Of arms. Custer would have
done as much had the situation been
reversed.
Talked to Survivors
The following winter I was with the
escort that was marching two or three
hundre Cheyenne and Arapahoe pris-
oners OF wal from Camp Robinson to
old Fort Casper on the North Platte.
In the band were several C%heyennes
who had participated in the defeat Of
Custer. There was also an Arapahoe
whom | knew. His name was Friday.
He had been educated in st. Louis and
spoke English like a college student.
He had had the story of the Little
Big Horn from the C%heyennes and he
relayed it to me as we marched along.
TINS story contains amp~lifications Of
the Crows version, some of which l
have never seen in print.
He said Chief Gall, of the Teton
Sioux, was the warrior that killed Gus
ter and that n enlisted mar on a
white horse nearly escaped alive. This
trooper somehow managed to ride
through the encircling attackers and
dash up stream. He was pursued for
a distance and believing capture in
evitable, deliberately shot himself after
the hostlles had abandoned the chase.
He also told me a few things about
Sitting Bull which do not agree with
most recorded history. Sitting Bull
was mo- a warrior, as many D
but a medicine man, or priest, of Chief
Calls band. 1t was the duty Of medi-
cine men to accompany their warriors
into battle and invoke the aid Of the
Great Spirit to bring victory. At Little
Big Horn Gall assigned Sitting Bull
to the Cheyennes, whom he thought to
be in need Of spiritual assistance. But
on seeing the size of Clusters command
Sitting Bull took his family across the
stream, and was we'll on his way to
safer places when he saw that the
whites we're getting the worst Of it.
Then he turned around and joined the
Cheyennes in the mad rush to be in at
the death.
Treat Sitting Bull
The Cheyennes hooted him for his
coWardice, and when the fight was
over Gall tongue-lashed Sitting Bull
and slapped his face and kicked his
backsides.
I believe this story implicitly, al
though l know it may come as a shock
to many believers of the numerous leg
ends that surround Sitting Bull. Per-
haps no Indian of his generation is
better known. In the popular mind he
is given credit for the defeat of Gus
ter. He was quite a character, GER
talnly, but / think that he was a coward
at heart, which was a rare thing mons
Indians of that day and time. On the
other hand One scarcely ever hears Of
Crazy Horse. He has, I mean, left no
impression on the popular mind. Yet
Crazy Horse was the greatest strategist
among the western Indians, and Dull
and Gall, who are likewise de-
void OF popular regulations, were the
equal of any combat leaders, white or
red, OF that periOd-a statement which
is not intended to depreciate the ability
OF our army leaders in the least. But
other writer's, and very justly, have
given them their due.