Evening star., 1930-06-22

Benteen talked, another heavy crash of rifles
came to them on the wind. Young Capt. Weir
cried out that Custer must be engaged, and, act
ing orders from Reno, he started north,
followed by his cImpany. Reno and Benteen,
after waiting for the pack train to come up,
moved after him.
No further sound reached them, and as they
started down stream, a great hDTde of Sioux
raced up the valley, yelling like ds7ils as they
forded the river and sprang to the attack.
Retreating to their former position Reno
and Benteen beat off the assault until dark
ness fell, but dawn brought the Indians back
and until noon the battle ragged At least 600
Sioux encircled the dwindled band but once
again, as they looked death in the face, the
Indians fell back, and soon the whole red army
winding over the distant hills like some
monster snake.
Not until the following morning-the 27th-
did Reno and Benteen learn that it was the
approach of Terry and Ribbon that had driven
the savages away. AS the blue column rode
into view a great cheer from men who had
counted themselves dead. but joy was short
lived, for news of Clusters fate chilled every
heart. Four miles downstream Terry and
Gtbbon had come upon all that remained OF
Yellow Hair and his men, their sightleSs eyes
staring into the sum- their naked mutilated
bodies twisted into shapes Of horror.
What happened to Custer after leaving Reno
can only be surmiSed for Of the 225 men who
rode at his side, not one returned to tell the
tale OF horror. He was about three quarters Of
a mile from the river when Reno'S messenger
reached him with the word that the Indians
were attacking in force. 1t is known that he
swung to the right at once, starting down.
stream, for it was shortly afterward that he
sent Sergt. Kanipe to speed up the pack train.
1t is known also, that he mounted a ridge
three miles down the river and caught his first
sight of the Indian village, seemingly asleep in
the hot sun of afternoon.
We've got theml" he cried We've caught
them mapping" So much was learned from
Trumpeter John Martin, who stood beside him
on the ridge, and then galloped back with the
imperative message to Benteen. 1t is at this
point that the curtain falls shutting off all that
followed, for Martin the last white man to
see any of that doomed company alive.
1t is obvious that Custer assumed that Reno
would be able to hold the Indians in check for
the whole campaign was based on the belief
that the redskin army did not exceed ], 500 in
number.
With Reno cutting them off at the south, his
bold mind figured that drive from the north
would catch the Sioux in trap, and it was to
carry out this plan that he raced downstream,
sending back his messengers to hurry up Ben
teen and the pack train. Even should the
Indians stand - and he did not think they
would-the outcome not to be feared for
throughout his years of Indian fighting the
odds had always been 10 to l against the
soldier.
WHAT he could not know that the odds
were 20 to 1, and that while corrupt War
Department had furnished his men with single
loading carbines and defective ammunition the
Sioux were armed with the latest model VIM
chester and copper cartridges, generously sup
piled them by traders low enough to put their
greed above patriotism. Nor did he know that
the deserted appearance of the village was
part of Chief Calls cunning plan, and that
hn nd
Horse and Two Moon were lying in wait like
tigers crouched for spring.
Down from the ridge charged Custer and his
men and as they neared the river, thousands
Continued on TuOenty- first PG0e