Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-10-14


rancher near Townsend.
of paper. He looked up from his writ
ing to appraiSe his position. Come on.
Big village" he resumed. writing again
with emphaSis-"Be quick"
There was something ominous In the
implied anxiety. Speed was necessary,
thought Custer-"Be quick" but some
thing else was revolving in his mind,
it was essential Bring packs. AS an
afterthought for emphasis, Custer
wrote: @P. S.-Bring packs" the mes
sage was handed to Trumpeter Martin
for delivery to Benteen, who was the
last man to see Custer alive.
New Angle to Story
These dummy tepeeS, TO which Two
Moons referred In his conversations
with White, provide a new angle to
the Custer battle herewith alluded to
for the first time in print. They were
a part of the strategy employed by
Chief Gall He defeated Major Reno's
ATTACK on the head of the village"
Reno's men retreated heller skelter
back across the stream, which previ-
ously he had crossed to carry out
Clusters plan of battle. 1t was Chief
Calls purpose to impress him with the
power of large force OF Indian
fighters.
big village" assumes more signtfi-
canoe in the light of what took place
on that fatal day for Custer.
Beyond the dummy tepees, but adj
jacent to them, stood the occupied
domiciles of the red skins who emerged
from them like leaping tongues of fire
to scar and burn the marching, living
souls of Clusters men.
big village"-more reserve Indian
power, consolidated by Chief Gall for
one gigantic attack which he knew
could not fail; confidence imposed
against a background of sham.
Reno remained on his entrenched
hin.
big village!"
Chief Gall was an Indian military
genius Crazy Horse was the bold and
magnificent Indian cavalry leader.
Rain-in-the-Face was the avenger. To-
gether they formed triumvirate the
equal of which has not been exceeded
In the whole history of Indian warfare.
The sound of battle ceased on that
hot June afternoon on the bank of the
Little Big Horn In Montana. Upon the
CORY field was Strewn the bodies of
many white soldiers. Running hither
and yon over the bloody terrain were
the Squaws and old men mutilating
bodies, removing boots and cutting off
the bottoms, striking with tomahawk
and bludgeon to bash In the heads of
the dead men, and gathering tr1nketS
and guns. The dust was slowly settling
down affording clearer view.
GhastIy Scene OF Carnage
Suddenly q pause ensued upon the
CHASTITY scene where carnage had Just
run riot. A figure appeared In the
short distance descending from an ele-
walton formed by the surrounding hills.
1t was Sitting Bull, the medicine
man.
sitting Bull wasn't in the fight at
ALL" Two Moons and Wolf Voice told
White He came down and danced
around before the squaws and Dragged
about what he had done with his
medicine"
This exhibition irked Chief Gall. He
listened to his Dragging, Two Moons
said. He heard Sitting Bull say it was
his medicine that was effective. The
pantomine and cultural announce
fnents of the excited dancer grew
monotonous to Chief Gall. Slowly he
approached Sitting Bull, gave him a
kick, and told him to go back to the
women where he belonged"
That is what Two Moons told White,
which he repeated to his wife In the
presence of bis stepson.
When General Terry and his COM
XI1dA1Q EtAl1E UkfJAA t1AE 1AEA1f 4AAA6OAA
with the blood of dead men lying scat I
tered over the area, he gazed upon a
grueSome sight. There was need for
Immediate action. The bodies must be
inferred where they fell. The task was \
undertaken Immediately.
Charles II. White was q member Of I
the detachment ordered to the higher
hill to bury the body Of Custer. The /
Indians left no arms Of any kind; they
- hal
remarked He spoke Of Wolf Voice and
what he had told him. He was really
q GroS Veatre, but had married q
Cheyenne squaw and Lived with this
tribe, and was part Of them.
Wolf Voice told White that when
Custer was killed, four Of five men
we're left standing on the summit Of
.he hin.
Custer went down; in a minute or
md surrounding him were killed also"
aid Wolf Voice.
who killed CUSTER" White asked
If Two Moons.
TWO Moons spit upon the ground.
Every time Two Moons was asked q
question, he gestured slightly with an
Inclination Of his head, and sptt upon
he ground as II In hesitation about
What he was to say.
indians there; all Indians can shoot;
maybe Cheyenne, maybe Sioux; no.
,ody knows: that Is what Two Moons
ayx.D IA
There Is no finaltty in such an
Inswer.
NOBODY knows" Two Moons was
light. Nobody does know: nobody has
tsen from che dead past, nor up from
be shallow graves Of dead men dm
Ygsmkeps fasl5 k.T AnE1 WIN k1IIeG fase&aw !