The Last Bugle Call

       The Last Bugle Call

Suzanne Marsh

The strains of the Gary Owen permeated the air as the Seventh Calvary rode out from Fort Abraham Lincoln, on May 17, 1876. The regimental band continued to play as Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the Seventh Calvary out the wooden gates. Abruptly, Custer wielded his horse, returned to where his wife Libbie stood waving. Custer, quickly dismounted, grabbed Libbie, kissing her hard, he whispered:

“Libbie, if I don’t come back; go home to Monroe, Michigan where it is safe. I love

you.”

He was back in Dandy’s saddle; ready for a fear he both dreaded and desired, glory. Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen leading companies comprising the Seventh Calvary. Custer rode at the head of the column, his cinnamon scented blond curls flying in the wind. His uniform was black velvet with gold lace around the wrists, and his signature sombrero cocked at an angle. They turned toward the south; General Alfred Terry ordered Custer and his regiment to come from the south, he would come from the east together they would circle the wayward tribes and return them to the reservations. It was a good sound plan, Custer thought, as the Seventh Calvary rode out. Custer rode, with a niggling fear, he could not seem to shake. His long blond curly hair seemed to wave like a flag or so thought Bloody Knife, Custer’s favorite scout, mounted on a young Pinto pony. Major Marcus Reno, Custer’s second in command of the Seventh was part of the Dakota Column, headed General Alfred Terry.

Bloody Knife began to scout in earnest as they troops got closer to the Rosebud River, located west of the Bighorn Valley. He would soon report to Custer his findings, as he turned the young pinto toward the south where he knew Custer would be. He saw many horse hooves, indicating many braves. Bloody Knife knew that Custer would not back down from a fight, he hoped that Yellow Hair would stick to the plan he had been told of at the start. Bloody Knife had a vision that night of many dead and wounded lying on the ground, blood everywhere, he Bloody Knife among the dead. Bloody Knife, awoke with a start; jumped up on the pinto’s back, riding at a fast lope toward where he hoped to find Custer and the Seventh Calvary. Bloody Knife began watching for tell tale signs of more ponies, which were easy to see since Indian ponies were not shod like the soldier's ponies were.

Bloody Knife arrived and found Lieutenant Colonel Custer glaring at orders from General Terry. Custer looked up:

“Bloody Knife, what have you to report?”

“Many ponies, many Indians.”

“I have a telegram here General Crook is delayed, General Terry’s infantry, and Colonel John

Gibbon are coming. We are to wait for reinforcements.

Custer listened as Bloody Knife announced that he had discovered the location of Sitting Bull’s camp. That was all that Custer had been waiting for. Rash judgment took over Custer’s thoughts. Glory rang in the distance as he yelled for a courier, bugler John Martin rode up:

“Take this message to Benteen, tell him we are trapped and to come immediately.”

Martin wielded his horse around and rode for the life of the regiment. He finally found Benteen, handing him the message which read:

“Be Quick and bring packs.”

Benteen, dislike Custer and his showy self display, he decided to procrastinate. Rifle fire could be heard throughout Big Horn Valley. Still, Benteen waited. Custer in the interim was surrounded; he had no way to escape. The Indians continued to close the circle around Custer and his men. Custer knew fate was playing a horrible trick but there was nothing in this world that would save him now.

Time was running out, Custer knew he was surrounded, he hoped Benteen and Reno arrived soon. The regiment was encircled by the Plains Indians. They were hell bent on riding their sacred ground of the white man. Time was running out for the men under Custer’s command. They were trapped in Medicine Tail Coulee between the Little Big Horn River and the ridges that would afford them cover.

The Lakota Sioux, from what Bloody Knife had discovered was a warrior and chief, Sitting Bull. Sitting Bull had been stirring up the plains Indians. He had argued against going back to the reservation with this very simple statement:

“I have seen nothing that the white man has...which is as good as our right to roam and live on

open plains as we choose.”

This inflamed the plains Indians to fight for their freedom. They saw no reason to live on a reservation when they could roam the plains. Sitting Bull had scouts out looking for signs of the soldiers, and Custer. Custer, the hair standing up on the back of his neck, telling him he had to do something quickly to save his command.

Custer was trapped along with his regiment, surrounded and no choice but to fight their way out, if that was even possible. The Indians began to circle, Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho. Custer noted Chief Sitting Bull and contemplated his situation. The Indians began to attack in earnest. Custer began moving toward the Little Big Horn River, if he could just get across, he would have a better chance of surviving, he and his regiment. His brother Tom, a decorated Civil War Veteran was there also.

The Indians began to whoop their war cried echoing across the valley. Rifles fire began to ring as the Indians moved in closer yet. Custer knew his fate and that of his regiment was sealed. The braves began to shoot White Cow Bull fired off a shot and hit a trooper. Walk Under the Ground, bold and courageous had possession of Custer’s horse. Rain in the Face was so close to Custer, his face was blackened from the powder. Custer, fell, two shots had taken his life. No one really knows who killed Custer on that fateful day in June, the best guess is Rain In the Face.

Libbie received the news of George’s demise, with grace and tears. Did Custer know his fate? Yes, he knew that as a soldier he would face hazards. He sacrificed his regiment. Fate as always played a huge role in life and death.