Trumpet on the Land: The Aftermath of Custer's Massacre, 1876

Through Grouard he told the Sioux, “We are not making war on women and children such as you. Those of you who so desire are free to stay and rejoin your people—but you must caution all your friends that the American government will continue to peck away at all hostiles until the last one is killed or made a prisoner. The red man will be wise to surrender and return to his agency instead of pursuing this hopeless war. It’s shameful of any man to expose his wife and children to the very great possibility of death.”

“General,” Frank Grouard said after Crook’s interview had reached its conclusion, “Charging Bear wants to go with us.”

“Go with us?”

“To stay with you. Says he wants to scout with me.”

Crook’s eyes narrowed. “To scout against his own people?”

Nodding, the half-breed said, “Figures it’s better that his people make peace, he says.”

Then with some random fire coming from warriors sniping on the bluffs and hills to the southwest, the general and Merritt assigned both Mason’s and Upham’s battalions of the Fifth Cavalry to act as the rear guard while the rest of the column pulled out.

Just past eight o’clock the first units of infantry pushed south in a column of twos, crossing a rain-swollen Rabbit Lip Creek with orders to protect both flanks of the twelve two-horse litters and travois drags loaded with the wounded, who were commencing their jolting march of agony, placed in the immediate care of Dr. Albert Hartsuff for the journey. During the long, damp night, a handful of troopers had been employed in constructing and strengthening those three litters and nine travois. Crook made it clear to Dr. Clements he did not intend to be hampered by his wounded for long. Besides the amputee lieutenant and seven wounded soldiers, as well as Lieutenant Alfred B. Bache’s severe case of debilitating rheumatism that left him unable to move, Surgeon Hartsuff transported a lone civilian, packer James B. Glover, who, like Von Leuttwitz and Kennedy, was also shot in the leg.

As soon as Crook and the main command began to disappear beyond the nearby hills, the Sioux swept down on the Fighting Fifth, pressing in from all sides as the troopers completed their final destruction of the village. King realized there was nothing like the sight of retreating soldiers to give warriors courage and make them bold. In the stinging stench of that smok ․․lled air some of the prisoners bolted into the brushy ravines to rejoin their people as the troopers knelt by platoon and attempted to hold the enemy at bay while the horse-holders moved up with their mounts.

The Sioux, laying down a harassing fire, turned their attention to the end of that long file of infantry. As a consequence, Merritt directed Carr to bring up on the right Mason’s entire battalion, consisting of Captain Samuel S.Sumner’s and Captain Robert H. Montgomery’s men, to drive off those warriors who were making things hot for the infantry skirmishers as they retired behind Surgeon Hartsuffs wounded. At the same time, Carr ordered Upham’s battalion to take up positions along the ridge directly south of camp and there hold back the growing pressure from the Sioux.

“Stand to horse!” came the order above Mason’s battalion, every man eager to pull out. “Mount!”

Scarcely had that long-awaited word echoed off the bluffs than the enemy began a determined attack. On all sides rose screaming, screeching warriors who had sneaked into every one of the hundreds of ravines under cover of darkness in the predawn hours.

“Dismount!”

Sending his mount with the rest of their horses and holders south to catch up with the rear of the retreating column, King watched his beloved Donnybrook retreat beyond the hills. No matter all his efforts to save Van, his other blooded thoroughbred. Days ago the animal had finally collapsed, unable to rise and move on. Now as he watched his last hardy mount disappear, the lieutenant prayed he would not have to leave a second horse behind, knowing how troopers who came along after him would butcher his beloved animal.

“Form them up by platoons, Mr. King!” bellowed Major Upham.

The cavalry commanders were now putting their dismounted troopers to the test. Up one hillside and down the next they made a gradual and orderly retreat, covering Crook’s rear flank while the Sioux turned up the heat. As the cavalrymen reached a new-hilltop, the order rang out.

“Halt!” the lieutenants who had remained on horseback bellowed above the footmen. “Face about! And—fire!”

With each new crest gained, brown-skinned horsemen swarmed over the hill the soldiers had just abandoned: screaming, charging, shooting—keeping up every bit of pressure they possibly could as the troopers attempted to hold them off, if not scatter them like chaff.