Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

THE BATTLE DESCRIBED BY A CHIEF WHO TOOK PART IN IT.

BY HAMLIN GARLAND.

THE CUSTER FIGHT. In a campaign in 1876 against a powerful confederation of hostile Indians, Brevet Major-General George A. Custer, lieutenant-colonel in command of the Seventh Cavalry, was sent by General Terry to hem the Indians in on the east, while General Terry himself and Colonel Gibbons moved round and came down upon them from

the north. On approaching the Little Big Horn valley, where the Indians lay, Custer divided his command into three parallel columns: one under command of Captain Benteen; one under command of Major Reno (the two comprising six companies); and one, consisting of five companies, under himself. At the same time he left Captain McDougall, with one company, in the rear, to guard the pack train. On June 25th, the day before Terry and Gibbons had appointed to arrive, Custer ordered an attack. Reno's column, which was the middle one, crossed the Little Big Horn, and advanced on the Indian encampment from the south. It was soon repulsed, and retreated with loss back across the river. It was here joined by the commands of Benteen and McDougall, and the combined force was able to entrench and maintain itself, though with difficulty, until relieved by the arrival of General Terry, two days later. Custer, meanwhile, proceeded with his column toward the river by a more northerly way, shut off completely from the view or knowledge of the other columns; and neither he nor any man with him was ever seen alive by the men of the other commands again. A large force of Indians rode hardily up the bare bluff against the column, encircled and simply swept it off the earth to a man. With Custer fell his brother Thomas, an officer whose record for personal bravery and daring was scarcely less remarkable than his own. Twelve officers were killed in all, 247 enlisted men, three Indian scouts, and several civilians.-EDITOR.

A

S we topped the low, pine-clad ridge and looked into the hot, dry valley, Wolf Voice, my Cheyenne interpreter, pointed at a little log cabin, toward the green line of alders wherein the Rosebud ran, and said:

"His house-Two Moon." As we drew near we came to a puzzling fork in the road. The left branch skirted a corner of a wire fence, the right turned into a field. We started to the left, but the waving of a blanket in the hands of a man at the cabin door directed us to the right. As we drew nearer we perceived Two Moon spreading blankets in the scant shade of his low cabin. Some young Cheyennes were grinding a sickle. A couple of children were playing about the little log stables. The barn-yard and buildings were like those of a white settler on the new and arid sod. It was all barren and unlovely-the home of poverty.

As we dismounted at the door Two Moon came out to meet us with hand outstretched. "How?" he said, with the heartiest, longdrawn note of welcome. He motioned us to be seated on the blankets which he had spread for us upon seeing our approach. Nothing could exceed the dignity and sincerity of his greeting.

As we took seats he brought out tobacco and a pipe. He was a tall old man, of a fine, clear brown complexion, big-chested, erect, and martial of bearing. His smiling face was broadly benignant, and his manners were courteous and manly.

While he cut his tobacco Wolf Voice interpreted my wishes to him. I said, "Two Moon, I have come to hear your story of the

Custer battle, for they tell me you were a chief there. After you tell me the story, I want to take some-photographs of you. I want you to signal with a blanket as the great chiefs used to do in fight.'

66

Wolf Voice made this known to him, delivering also a message from the age its, and at every pause Two Moon uttered de pvoiced notes of comprehension. Ai," “A-ah,” Hoh," these sounds are commonly called “ grunts," but they were low, long-drawn expulsions of breath, very expressive.

66

Then a long silence intervened. The old man mused. It required time to go from the silence of the hot valley, the shadow of his little cabin, and the wire fence of his pasture, back to the days of his youth. When he began to speak, it was with great deliberation. His face became each moment graver and his eyes more introspective.

"Two Moon does not like to talk about the days of fighting; but since you are to make a book, and the agent says you are a friend to Grinnell,* I will tell you about it— the truth. It is now a long time ago, and my words do not come quickly.

66

That spring [1876] I was camped on Powder River with fifty lodges of my people -Cheyennes. The place is near what is now Fort McKenney. One morning soldiers charged my camp. They were in command of Three Fingers [Colonel McKenzie]. We were surprised and scattered, leaving our ponies. The soldiers ran all our horses off. That night the soldiers slept, leaving the horses one side; so we crept up and stole them back again, and then we went away.

*George B. Grinnell, whom the Cheyennes, Blackfeet, and Gres Ventres love and honor.

[graphic]
[blocks in formation]

plenty

game, game, good water. Crazy Horse was head chief of the camp. Sitting Bull was camped a little ways below, on the Little Missouri River. "Crazy Horse said to me, I'm glad you are come. We are going to fight the white man again.'

"The camp was already full of wounded men, women, and children.

"I said to Crazy Horse, All right. I am ready to fight. I have fought already. My people have been killed, my horses stolen; I am satisfied to fight.""

Here the old man paused a moment, and his face took on a lofty and somber expression.

"I believed at that time the Great Spirits had made Sioux, put them there," he drew a circle to the right" and white men and Cheyennes here," indicating two places to the left. expecting them to fight. The Great Spirits I thought liked to see the fight; it was to them all the

66

GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER. From a photograph in the War Department Collection.

same like playing. So I thought then about fighting." As he said this, he made me feel for one moment the power of a sardonic god whose drama was the wars of men.

"About May, when the grass was tall and the horses strong, we broke camp and started across the country to the mouth of the Tongue River. Then Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse and all went up the Rosebud. There

we had a big fight with General Crook, and whipped him. Many soldiers were killedfew Indians. It was a great fight, much smoke and dust.

"From there we all went over the divide, and camped in the valley of Little Horn. Everybody thought, Now we are out of the white man's country. He can live there, we will live here.' After a few days,

[blocks in formation]

washed them off with cool water, then took a swim myself. I came back to

the camp afoot. When I got near my lodge, I looked up the Little Horn towards Sitting Bull's camp. I saw a great dust rising. It looked like a whirlwind. Soon Sioux horseman came rushing

into camp

shouting:

'Soldiers

come! Plenty

diers.'

"I got on my horse, and rode out into my camp. I called out to the people all running about: I am Two Moon, your chief. Don't run away. Stay here and fight. You must stay and fight the white soldiers. I shall stay even if I am to be killed.'

"I rode swiftly toward Sitting Bull's camp. There I saw the white soldiers fighting in a line [Reno's men]. Indians covered the flat. They began to drive the soldiers all mixed up-Sioux, then soldiers, then more Sioux, and all shooting. The air was full of smoke and dust. I saw

[graphic]
[blocks in formation]

white sol

"I ran into my lodge, and

RAIN-IN-THE-FACE, A SIOUX WHO TOOK A PROMINENT PART IN THE
CUSTER FIGHT; NOW AN INDIAN POLICEMAN AT ROCK CREEK, SOUTH
DAKOTA.
From a painting by E. A. Burbank.

said to my brother-inlaw, Get your horses; the white man is coming. for horses.'

Everybody run

"Outside, far up the valley, I heard a battle cry, Hay-ay, hay-ay! I heard shooting, too, this way [clapping his hands very fast]. I couldn't see any Indians. Everybody was getting horses and saddles. After I had caught my horse, a Sioux warrior came again and said, Many soldiers are coming.'

"Then he said to the women, Get out of the way, we are going to have hard fight.' "I said, All right, I am ready.'

6

were going to kill the women, and the Sioux turned back. Chief

Gall was there fighting, Crazy Horse also.

"I then rode toward my camp, and stopped squaws from carrying off lodges. While I was sitting on my horse I saw flags come up over the hill to the east like that [he raised his finger-tips]. Then the soldiers rose all at once, all on horses, like this [he put his fingers behind each other to indicate that Custer appeared marching in columns of fours]. They formed into three bunches [squadrons] with a little ways between. Then a bugle sounded, and they all got off horses, and some soldiers led the horses back over the hill.

[graphic][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed]
« AnteriorContinuar »