personal memoirs-2-第36章

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junction　of　Beaver　and　Wolf　creeks。　　He　was　expected　to　reach　his

destination　about　the　20th；　and　there　unite　with　the　Seventh　Cavalry

and　the　battalion　of　infantry；　which　in　the　mean　time　were　on　the

march　from　Dodge。　　A　few　days　later　Carr　and　Evans　began　their　march

also；　and　everything　being　now　in　motion；　I　decided　to　go　to　Camp

Supply　to　give　the　campaign　my　personal　attention；　determined　to

prove　that　operations　could　be　successfully　conducted　in　spite　of

winter；　and　bent　on　showing　the　Indians　that　they　were　not　secure

from　punishment　because　of　inclement　weatheran　ally　on　which　they

had　hitherto　relied　with　much　assurance。



We　started　from　Fort　Hays　on　the　15th　of　N6vember；　and　the　first

night　out　a　blizzard　struck　us　and　carried　away　our　tents；　and　as　the

gale　was　so　violent　that　they　could　not　be　put　up　again；　the　rain　and

snow　drenched　us　to　the　skin。　　Shivering　from　wet　and　cold；　I　took

refuge　under　a　wagon；　and　there　spent　such　a　miserable　night　that；

when　at　last　morning　came；　the　gloomy　predictions　of　old　man　Bridger

and　others　rose　up　before　me　with　greatly　increased　force。　　As　we

took　the　road　the　sleet　and　snow　were　still　falling；　but　we　labored

on　to　Dodge　that　day　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　many　of　the　mules

played　out　on　the　way。　　We　stayed　only　one　night　at　Dodge；　and　then

on　the　17th；　escorted　by　a　troop　of　cavalry　and　Forsyth's　scouts；　now

under　the　command　of　Lieutenant　Lewis　Pepoon；　crossed　the　Arkansas

and　camped　the　night　of　the　18th　at　Bluff　Creek；　where　the　two　troops

of　the　Nineteenth　Kansas；　previously　detailed　as　my　escort；　were

awaiting　our　coming。　　As　we　were　approaching　this　camp　some

suspicious　looking　objects　were　seen　moving　off　at　a　long　distance　to

the　east　of　us；　but　as　the　scouts　confidently　pronounced　them

buffalo；　we　were　unaware　of　their　true　character　till　next　morning；

when　we　became　satisfied　that　what　we　had　seen　were　Indians；　for

immediately　after　crossing　Beaver　Creek　we　struck　a　trail；　leading　to

the　northeast；　of　a　war　party　that　evidently　came　up　from　the　head…

waters　of　the　Washita　River。



The　evening　of　November　21we　arrived　at　the　Camp　Supply　depot；　having

traveled　all　day　in　another　snowstorm　that　did　not　end　till　twenty…

four　hours　later。　　General　Sully；　with　Custer's　regiment　and　the

infantry　battalion；　had　reached　the　place　several　days　before；　but

the　Kansas　regiment　had　not　yet　put　in　an　appearance。　　All　hands　were

hard　at　work　trying　to　shelter　the　stores　and　troops；　but　from　the

trail　seen　that　morning；　believing　that　an　opportunity　offered　to

strike　an　effective　blow；　I　directed　Custer　to　call　in　his　working

parties　and　prepare　to　move　immediately；　without　waiting　for

Crawford's　regiment；　unaccountably　absent。　　Custer　was　ready　to　start

by　the　23d；　and　he　was　then　instructed　to　march　north　to　where　the

trail　had　been　seen　near　Beaver　Creek　and　follow　it　on　the　back

track；　for；　being　convinced　that　the　war　party　had　come　from　the

Washita；　I　felt　certain　that　this　plan　would　lead　directly　to　the

villages。



The　difficulties　attending　a　winter　campaign　were　exhibited　now　with

their　full　force；　as　the　march　had　to　be　conducted　through　a　snow…

storm　that　hid　surrounding　objects；　and　so　covered　the　country　as　to

alter　the　appearance　of　the　prominent　features；　making　the　task　of

the　guides　doubly　troublesome；　but　in　spite　of　these　obstacles

fifteen　miles　had　been　traversed　when　Custer　encamped　for　the　night。

The　next　day　the　storm　had　ceased；　and　the　weather　was　clear　and

cold。　　The　heavy　fall　of　snow　had　of　course　obliterated　the　trail　in

the　bottoms；　and　everywhere　on　the　level；　but；　thanks　to　the　wind；

that　had　swept　comparatively　bare　the　rough　places　and　high　ground；

the　general　direction　could　be　traced　without　much　trouble。　　The

day's　march；　which　was　through　a　country　abounding　with　buffalo；　was

unattended　by　any　special　incident　at　first；　but　during　the

afternoon；　after　getting　the　column　across　the　Canadian　Riveran

operation　which；　on　account　of　the　wagons；　consumed　considerable

timeCuster's　scouts　（friendly　Osages）　brought　back　word　that；　some

miles　ahead；　they　had　struck　fresh　signs；　a　trail　coming　into　the　old

one　from　the　north；　which；　in　their　opinion；　indicated　that　the　war

party　was　returning　to　the　villages。



On　the　receipt　of　this　news；　Custer；　leaving　a　guard　with　the　wagons；

hastily　assembled　the　rest　of　his　men'　and　pushing　on　rapidly；

overtook　the　scouts　and　a　detailed　party　from　his　regiment　which　had

accompanied　them；　all　halted　on　the　new　trail　awaiting　his　arrival。

A　personal　examination　satisfied　Custer　that　the　surmises　of　his

scouts　were　correct；　and　also　that　the　fresh　trail　in　the　deep　snow

could　at　night　be　followed　with　ease。　　After　a　short　halt　for　supper

and　rest　the　pursuit　was　resumed；　the　Osage　scouts　in　advance；　and

although　the　hostile　Indians　were　presumed　to　be　yet　some　distance

off；　every　precaution　was　taken　to　prevent　detection　and　to　enable

our　troops　to　strike　them　unawares。　　The　fresh　trail；　which　it　was

afterward　ascertained　had　been　made　by　raiders　from　Black　Kettle's

village　of　Cheyennes；　and　by　some　Arapahoes；　led　into　the　valley　of

the　Washita；　and　growing　fresher　as　the　night　wore　on；　finally

brought　the　Osages　upon　a　campfire；　still　smoldering；　which；　it　was

concluded；　had　been　built　by　the　Indian　boys　acting　as　herders　of　the

ponies　during　the　previous　day。　　It　was　evident；　then；　that　the

village　could　be　but　a　few　miles　off；　hence　the　pursuit　was　continued

with　redoubled　caution　until；　a　few　hours　before　dawn　of　the　27th；　as

the　leading　scouts　peered　over　a　rise　on　the　line　of　march；　they

discovered　a　large　body　of　animals　in　the　valley　below。



As　soon　as　they　reported　this　discovery；　Custer　determined　to

acquaint　himself　with　the　situation　by　making　a　reconnoissance　in

person；　accompanied　by　his　principal　officers。　　So；　sending　back　word

to　halt　the　cavalry；　he　directed　the　officers　to　ride　forward　with

him；　then　dismounting；　the　entire　party　crept　cautiously　to　a　high

point　which　overlooked　the　valley；　and　from　where；　by　the　bright　moon

then　shining；　they　saw　just　how　the　village　was　situated。　Its

position　was　such　as　to　admit　of　easy　approach　from　all　sides。　　So；

to　preclude　an　escape　of　the　Indians；　Custer　decided　to　attack　at

daybreak；　and　from　four　different　directions。



The　plan　having　been　fully　explained　to　the　officers；　the　remaining

hours　of　the　night　were　employed　in　making　the　necessary

dispositions。　　Two　of　the　detachments　left　promptly；　since　they　had

to　make　a　circuitous　march　of　several　miles　to　Teach　the　points

designated　for　their　attack；　the　third　started　a　little　later；　and

then　the　fourth　and　last；　under　Custer　himself；　also　moved　into

position。　　As　the　first　light　grew　visible　in　the　east；　each　column

moved　closer　in　to　the　village；　and　then；　all　dispositions　having

been　made　according　to　the　prearranged　plan；　from　their　appointed

places　the　entire　force　to　the　opening　notes　of　〃Garry　Owen；〃　played

by　the　regimental　band　as　the　signal　for　the　attackdashed　at　a

gallop　into　the　village。　　The　sleeping　and　unsuspecting　savages　were

completely　surprised　by　the　onset；　yet　after　the　first　confusion；

during　which　the　impulse　to　escape　principally　actuated　them；　they

seized　their　weapons；　and　from　behind　logs　and　trees；　or　plunging

into　the　stream　and　using　its　steep　bank　as　a　breastwork；　they　poured

upon　their　assailants　a　heavy　fire；　and　kept　on　fighting　with　every

exhibition　of　desperation。　　In　such　a　combat　mounted　men　were

useless；　so　Custer　directed　his　troopers　to　fight　on；　foot；　and　the

Indians　were　successively　driven　from　one　point　of　vantage　to

another；　until；　finally；　by　9　o'clock　the　entire　camp　was　in　his

possession　and　the　victory　complete。　　Black　Kettle　and　over　one

hundred　of　his　warriors　were　killed；　and　about　fifty　women　and

children　captured；　but　most　of　the　noncombatants；　as　well　as　a　few

warriors　and　boys；　escaped　in　the　confusion　of　the　fight。　　Making

their　way　down　the　river；　these　fugitives　alarmed　the　rest　of　the

Cheyennes　and　Arapahoes；　and　also　the　Kiowas　and　Comanches；　whose

villages　were　in　close　proximitythe　nearest　not　more　than　two　miles

off。



Then　of　course　all　the　warriors　of　these　tribes　rallied　to　attack

Custer；　who　meantime　was　engaged　burning　Black　Kettle's　camp　and

collecting　his　herds　of　ponies。　　But　these　new　foes　were　rather　wary

and　circumspect；　though　they　already　had　partial　revenge　in　an

unlooked　for　way　by　cutting　off　Major　Elliott　and　fifteen　men；　who

had　gone　off　in　pursuit　of　a　batch　of　young　warriors　when　the　fight

was　going　on　at　the　village。　　In　fact；　the　Indians　had　killed

Elliott's　whole　party；　though　neither　the　fate　of　the　poor　fellows；

nor　how　they　happened　to　be　caught；　was　known　till　long　afterward。

It　was　then　ascertained　that　the　detachment　pursued　a　course　due

south；　nearly　at　right　angles　to　the　Washita　River；　and　after

galloping　a　couple　of　miles　over　the　hills；　crossing　a　small　branch

of　the　Washita　on　the　way；　they　captured　some　of　the　fugitives。　　In

bringing　the　prisoners　back；　Elliott　was　in　turn　attacked　on　the　open

prairie　by　a　large　number　of　savages　from　farther　down　the　Washita；

who　by　this　time　were　swarming　to　the　aid　of　Black　Kettle's　village。

The　little　band　fought　its　way　gallantly　to　within　rifle…range　of　the

small　creek　referred　to；　but　could　get　no　farther；　for　the　Indians

had　taken　up　a　position　in　the　bed　of　the　stream；　and　from　under

cover　of　its　banks　Elliott　and　all　his　remaining　men　were　quickly

killed。　　No　relief　was　sent　them；　for　Custer；　not　having　seen　Elliott

set　out；　knew　nothing　of　the　direction　taken；　and；　besides；　was　busy

burning　the　villages　and　securing　the　ponies；　and　deeply　concerned；

too；　with　defending　himself　from　the　new　dangers　menacing　him。

Elliott　and　his　brave　little　party　were　thus　left　to　meet　their　fate

alone。



While　Custer　was　burning　the　lodges　and　plunder　and　securing　the

ponies；　the　Indians　from　the　villages　down　the　Washita　were　gathering

constantly　around　him　till　by　mid…day　they　had　collected　in

thousands；　and　then　came　a　new　problem　as　to　what　should　be　done。　　If

he　attacked　the　other　villages；　there　was　great　danger　of　his　being

overwhelmed；　and　should　he　start　back　to　Camp　Supply　by　daylight；　he

would　run　the　risk　of　losing　his　prisoners　and　the　ponies；　so；

thinking　the　matter　over；　he　decided　to　shoot　all　the　ponies；　and

keep　skirmishing　with　the　savages　till　nightfall；　and　then；　under

cover　of　the　darkness；　return　to　Camp　Supply；　a　programme　that　was

carried　out　successfully；　but　Custer's　course　received　some　severe

criticism　because　no　effort　was　made　to　discover　what　had　become　of

Elliott。



Custer　had；　in　all；　two　officers　and　nineteen　men　killed；　and　two

officers　and　eleven　men　wounded。　　The　blow　struck　was　a　most

effective　one；　and；　fortunately；　fell　on　one　of　the　most　v