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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE TWO
APRIL 29,194
Commanche Recalls Custer's 'Last Stand'
By JOHN STEWART SMITH
The stirring picture of Custer's "Last Stand"—the wild whooping Indians, the flag flying and the soldiers fighting to the last man—is familiar to everyone.
Most persons believe that Commanche, the stuffed horse in Dyche museum, was the only survivor of the battle of the Little Big Horn. In reality more than 360 men and officers of the seventh cavalry lived Reno continued north. The next train brought
Custer had split his command into four parts. It was the 225 men under his personal command who were massacred. The rest of the regiment, under Major Reno, survived. They had been surrounded and would also have been wiped out, had they not been relieved by General Terry.
Part of An Expedition
The Seventh cavalry was part of an expedition against the Indians in the spring of 1876. The Indians had left their reservations and joined forces in southern Montana. Army scouts reported that they were probably in the Big Horn river valley.
Custer had been ordered to scout the region south of the Yellowstone river. He was to meet General Terry at the junction of the Big Horn and the Little Big Horn rivers on June 27.
Early on the morning of the 25th, Custer entered the hilly country east of the Little Big Horn. Here he divided the regiment. Captain Benteen with 125 men was ordered to scout to the west. He and Major
Reno continued north. The pack train brought up the rear.
Reno To Attack Indians
About 15 miles further on Custer sent Reno with 150 men down a creek that led to the river which he forded, and found the Indian village, in a narrow valley protected by the river and high bluffs to the east.
Following orders, Reno attacked. The opposition was so strong that he was forced to withdraw across the river and dig in on the bluffs. Captain Benteen and the pack train arrived about this time and joined the besieged troops.
Historians think it was the largest Indian camp ever seen in North America. Between 8,000 and 9,000 Indians were in the village.
Custer's Command Slaughtered
Custer was trying to get behind the Indians to attack them from the nouth, but the bluffs prevented him from reaching the river. He was trapped in a narrow ravine. The Indians surrounded him, and slaughtered the whole command before it could put up much resistance.
Four scouts who had been riding ahead escaped and carried the news to General Terry. By forced
marches, he was able to relieve Major Reno at noon on June 27. The besieged troops had been under continuous fire for 36 hours.
The Indians withdrew westward into the Big Horn mountains. It five times before they lost the last tribes were returned to presentations. Commanche Found By Troops
Commanche was found by the Second cavalry in the Indian village. He was severely wounded and would have been killed by the men of the Seventh intervened.
When he recovered, the commander of the Seventh cavalry ordered that he should never be ridden again. He was to be cared for, and would be present at all parades draped in mourning.
He died at Ft. Riley in 1891, aged 31. A group of army officers gave him to Prof. L. L. Dyche of the University to mount as a memorial to the battle of the Little Big Horn. Saddled and bridled in the Seventh cavalry trappings, he has been on display in Dyche museum ever since.
Approximately 2,000 barn haydriers are said to be in use on farms throughout the United States to help provide winter-long green hay for cattle.
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