MISSOURI
ROSEBUD

CHAPTER XVI.

AFTER THE CUSTER MASSACRE.

ORDERS TO REINFORCE GENERAL TERRY-NOTES OF PREPARATION-FAREWELL TO FAMILIES AND
FRIENDS - DEPARTURE FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH-INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY UP THE
AFFAIRS AT THE MOUTH OF THE YELLOWSTONE-FORT BUFORD TO THE
JUNCTION OF TERRY AND CROOK-THE LARGEST MILITARY FORCE
EVER ASSEMBLED ON THE PLAINS CAPTAIN ANSON MILLS AT
SLIM BUTTES-GENERALS TERRY AND CROOK REPAIR TO
WINTER QUARTERS TO RESUME THE CAMPAIGN

HE announcement of the annihilation of Custer and this large body of men, whatever may have been the causes of the same as discussed in the preceding chapter, shocked the entire country, and was telegraphed around the world as a great disaster. I remember reading on the morning of July 5, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the headline of a newspaper, printed in the largest kind of type and running across the entire page the single word, "Horrible." Then followed a brief but graphic account of the disaster upon the Little Big Horn. It shocked our little community there perhaps more than it did any other part of the country, as General Custer was well known among us. He and his regiment were most popular throughout all that region, and the disaster seemed to their friends most appalling. It seemed to magnify in the public mind the power and terrors of the Sioux Nation, and immediate orders were sent to different parts of the country directing that detachments of troops be ordered to the seat of war.

Six companies of my regiment were ordered to move from Fort Leavenworth under Lieutenant-Colonel Whistler, but as six companies were more than half of the regiment, I claimed that by right it was a colonel's command and requested to be ordered with it myself, which request was at once granted. Subsequently the remainder of the regiment was ordered to follow. The prospect of going up into that "dark and bloody ground"

was certainly not the most inspiring, but as I had a well-drilled and splendidly-disciplined regiment, experienced in Indian campaigning—a command in which I placed a confidence which was reciprocated by officers and soldiers-I did not feel the least hesitancy in taking it up into that country. The sympathy expressed for us by the friends of the regiment was, however, fully appreciated.

Within a few days the command was equipped for the field, and the announcement that the regiment was to leave by train on a certain day at a specified hour, brought a large concourse of people from the surrounding country, numbering hundreds, if not thousands, to see us move away. Many were presented with bouquets and other tokens of regard, and while it was an inspiring sight to behold the resolute and determined appearance of both officers and men, yet within all our hearts there was certainly a deep sadness as we bade adieu to our families and friends. The command was paraded, and, at the order to march, stepped off as lightly over the turf as they were accustomed to do in their ordinary parades; the band playing "The Girl I Left Behind Me," and one of the national airs. We marched to the depot, and from there were moved by train to Yankton, Dakota.

As we passed through the towns and villages it reminded me of the time when the troops were going to the war for the Union in the days of 1861 and '62. Many of the public buildings and private houses were draped in mourning, and frequently the national colors were displayed in token of sympathy for the dead and encouragement for the living. The command was cheered wherever it passed a gathering of citizens, and finally went on board a large river steamer at Yankton. As we moved up the river the same tokens of respect and confidence were shown at every village we passed, and these demonstrations were answered by the cheers and hurrahs of the men, indicating the utmost confidence in their own prowess. As we passed one of the military posts, a few officers and ladies of the garrison were down on the beach to watch our steamer ploughing its way up the Missouri River. One of the officers signaled a single word to us with a handkerchief, as we were beyond the reach of communication except by signaling; the word was "Success." To show their confidence and at the same time their independence, one of our men signaled back two short words, "You bet."

These and like incidents marked our course until we reached Fort Lincoln which we found shrouded in the deepest gloom and mourning. The relatives and friends of that portion of the gallant Seventh that had perished were still at this military station. More than thirty widows of

officers and soldiers were there in sadness and loneliness, including the widow of the brave Custer. Such a scene could not fail to touch every heart, while it nerved them all to fortitude for the future. Here the command was inspected by the department inspector to see that all the paraphernalia and equipments that were supposed to be demanded for such a campaign as was before it, had been supplied. The command was found in perfect condition, having all the equipments required by the regulations.

The inspection being over we reëmbarked, and, after moving up the Missouri for several miles, an order was given for the troops to pack up all the paraphernalia that we had found in our experience with the southern Indians to be not absolutely essential for a campaign in the field. These included bayonets and bayonet scabbards, sabres, cartridge boxes, military caps, &c. This order was received by the men with a hurrah, and they quickly and carefully packed in boxes to be shipped down the river all that they did not require, realizing that to carry unnecessary material on the long, weary marches was a useless burden. In place of cartridge boxes,

they gladly buckled about their waists the more useful equipment of cartridge belts, with the cartridges carefully polished for immediate and serious action.

For ten days the great steamer ploughed its way up the Missouri, frequently coming upon a sand bank, owing to the constant changes in the channel of that turbulent river. When an accident of this kind occurred the great shafts in the bow of the boat were lowered, and with the engines the bow was partially lifted off, while the stern wheel was reversed and then another effort made to find the main current of the waters. At one time near the close of day the bow struck a sand bank. The weary roustabouts on board the vessel, impatient and tired as they were with the day's work were still inclined to be humorous, one of them remarking that "it had been said that the world was created in six days, but he did not believe that the Creator had yet made up his mind where he wanted the Missouri River."

During the day the men occupied themselves in polishing their cartridges or looking over their equipments to see that everything was in order, or in cleaning their rifles. When at leisure they were engaged in reading, or in writing letters to their friends to be sent back whenever they might have an opportunity. In the evening they gathered on the upper and lower decks and amused themselves by listening to the songs of those of their number who were fortunate enough to have fine voices and were good solo or quartette singers.

We reached Fort Buford, at the mouth of the Yellowstone, just after dark, and a large number of the officers and men came down to the wharf to see our troops. Such terror had the disaster to Custer occasioned in the hearts of these men that they seemed overcome with sadness; not a cheer greeted our command as the steamer moved up to the wharf; and they were surprised to hear from the deck a quartette of our men singing the most jolly and rollicking songs that they knew, with a chorus of laughter joined in by their comrades.

We then moved on up the Yellowstone, and during our first evening on that river I noticed some trepidation on the part of one of the black servants as the men were about to put down their blankets for the night. He appeared a shade lighter than usual as he said to the steward of the steamer, "Hyar massa, kin you inform me which is de Sioux side of dis yere Yellowstone?" Upon being asked why he wanted to know, he said, "So I kin lay my blanket down on de udder side of de boat."

We continued our journey up to the Rosebud and I reported my command to Brigadier-General Terry. We formed part of his forces during the

two months following, and moved up the Rosebud, where General Terry's troops joined those under Brigadier-General Crook. This brought the two department commanders together with one of the largest bodies of troops ever marshalled in that country. The combined forces then moved east across the Tongue River to the mouth of the Powder River. There the commands separated again, General Crook crossing the tributaries of the Yellowstone and Little Missouri, then going southeast, crossing the Belle Fourche, and going into camp near the Black Hills. His command suffered very much for want of food and many of his animals perished on this march. He sent some troops on in advance, under the command of Captain Anson Mills, now colonel of the

Third Cavalry, to obtain supplies. This gallant and skillful officer surprised a band of Indians near Slim Buttes and captured their camp, containing a large amount of supplies which proved of great benefit to his detachment and also to the troops of General Crook when they came up. This command moved south from the Black Hills to the various stations and did not, as a whole, take any further part in the campaign against the Sioux.

CAPTAIN ANSON MILLS.

From the mouth of the Powder River the remaining portion of the command, under General Terry, moved north to the Big Dry, thence east, then south again, and ultimately to Glendive, on the Yellowstone. There it embarked in steamers and returned to the various stations, leaving my command, the Fifth Infantry, with six companies of the Twenty-second Infantry, in the field to occupy that country during the approaching winter.

It was contemplated that my troops should build a cantonment, but it was not supposed that they would do much more than occupy that much of the country until the next spring, when it was expected that they would form the basis for another season's campaign. This order was given by General Sherman, commanding the army, and he also made an order for a larger body of troops to be located at that point. For several reasons the cavalry regiment first designated to be a part of that command was not sent into that country. A few horses were procured-about thirty in allfor mounting some of the infantry to act as couriers and messengers. A few friendly Indians were also obtained for the command, as well as a few frontiersmen for service as scouts and guides.