The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-09-09
HOW DeRUDIO al BY EA. BR1N1snoo

gress of the fire; but fortunately
for us, the wind subsidized and q
| little rain fell, which, thank God
was sufficient to arrest the
flames and revive our hope that
we might be able to remain
there until dark. It was now 3
O'Clock p.m., 6 more hours to
wait, and you can imagine how
immensely long we found them.
During this time we could
hear, and often see, Indians a.
round us, and could hear them
talk quite near us. I cannot
find words sufficiently express
i've to describe my many
thoughts during those six hours
of suspense. Many times I asked
myself if it was possible that l
should end my life in so bar
barous a manner. Sometimes l
would answer myself that it
could not be. I had gone through
so many dangers, had made so
many sacrifices for my adopt
ed country, I could not think I
should die in such a way. 1
had been preserved so long, to
end in so unjust and obscure
a manner.
Finally the time came when
under the protection of night
Git was very cloudy we were
able to come out of our hiding
place and take the direction of
the ford, which was two miles
to the south through an open
plain. Mr.. Girard and the scout
mounted their horses, and the
soldier and myself took hold,
each one, of a horses tail, and
followed them. Mr.. Girard pro-
posed that in case he should be
obliged to run and leave us, and
should succeed in rejoining the
command, he would notify
Major Reno, the commander, of
my position. During our transit
through the open plain, we
passed many Indians returning
to their village, and could hear,
but not see them, as the night
was very dark.
I'VE reached the wood near
what we took to be the ford we
had passed in the morning, but
J We were mistaken, and had to
hunt for the crossing. Once we
forded the stream, but found it
was at a bend, and that we
would have to ford it again.
When we recrossed the river we
Ian full into a band of eight
or ten SavageS. The two I'M
mounted men ran for their
lives; the soldier and I jumped
into the bushes near us. Icock-
ed my revolver, and in kneeling
position was ready to fire at the
savages if they approached us
They evidently thought, from
the precipitate flight of the
two men, that all of us had es-
capped, and began to talk among
themselves. In a few minutes, to
my surprise, they continued on
their course, and soon went out
of hearing. I raised from my
position, approached the bank of
the river and called to the SOL
dier, who Immediately answered.
We then saw that all the fords
were well guarded by the saw
ages, and that it would be very
dangerous to attempt to cross
any part of the river.
"Of course we did not know
the condition of our regiment,
and knew nothing as to the ex-
tent of their defeat, so that we
hoped, if we could find a good
hiding place for the night, we
could wait for the probable re-
turn of our command in the
morning, and then could easily
join them. We also hoped that
the Indians would leave during
the night. Accordingly W e
searched for a good place in the
thick underbruSh and briars a
long the river, and there wait
ed with much anxiety our fate
on the morrow.
The night passed, and in the
dim dawn of day, we heard an
immense tramping, as of a large
cavalry command, and the
splashing of the water convinced
me that some troops were cross
ing the rive-. I imagined it was
our command, as I could dis
| tinctly hear the sound of horse
shoes striking the stones. I eau
tiously stepped to the edge Of
bushes to look out Il was no
more than three yards from the
bank of the river, and thought
I recognized some gray horses
mounted by men in military
blouses, and some of them wore
white hats. They were, I thought
going out of the valley, and
those that had already crossed
the river were going up the
steep bluffs, while others were
crossing after them. I saw one
man with a white hat, and felt
quite sure I recognized him as
Captain Tom Custer, which con-
| WINGED me that the cavalry men
were of our command.
with this conviction I step
ped boldly out on the bank and
49,