Bloodshed of Eagles

“General, I’m a grown man,” Falcon replied. “And I have been in more than a few tight spots in my life.”

“I know, I know,” Custer said. “I just want you to understand that you have a choice in this. You are not a member of the Seventh Cavalry. You are not even an active member of the army.”

“General, you are in charge of this expedition,” Falcon said. “If you order me to stay on the boat, I will do so. But I very much want to go.”

Custer paused for a moment, then reached over to his field desk and picked up a piece of paper and handed it to Falcon.

“Here are my written orders from General Terry,” he said. “Read them. If after you read them, you still want to go, I won’t stand in your way.”

Falcon took the paper from Custer and began to read:

Lieutenant Colonel Custer, 7th Cavalry Colonel:

The Brigadier General Commanding directs that, as soon as your regiment can be made ready for the march, you will proceed up the Rosebud in pursuit of the Indians whose trail was discovered by Major Reno a few days since. It is, of course, impossible to give you any definite instructions in regard to this movement, and were it not impossible to do so, the Department Commander places too much confidence in your zeal, energy, and ability to wish to impose upon you precise orders which might hamper your action when nearly in contact with the enemy. He will, however, indicate to you his own views of what your action should be, and he desires that you should conform to them unless you shall see sufficient reason for departing from them. He thinks that you should proceed up the Rosebud until you ascertain definitely the direction in which the trail above spoken of leads. Should it be found (as it appears almost certain that it will be found) to turn towards the Little Bighorn, he thinks that you should still proceed southward, perhaps as far as the headwaters of the Tongue, and then turn towards the Little Bighorn, feeling constantly, however, to your left, so as to preclude the possibility of the escape of the Indians to the south or southeast by passing around your left flank. The column of Colonel Gibbon is now in motion for the mouth of the Bighorn. As soon as it reaches that point, it will cross the Yellowstone and move up at least as far as the forks of the Big and Little Bighorns. Of course its future movement must be controlled by circumstances as they arise, but it is hoped that the Indians, if upon the Little Bighorn, may be so nearly enclosed by the two columns that their escape will be impossible.

The Department Commander desires that on your way up the Rosebud you should thoroughly examine the upper part of Tullcoch’s Creek, and that you should endeavor to send a scout through to Colonel Gibbon’s column, with information of the result of your examination. The lower part of this creek will be examined by a detachment from Colonel Gibbon’s command. The supply steamer will be pushed up the Bighorn as far as the forks if the river is found to be navigable for that distance, and the Department Commander, who will accompany the column of Colonel Gibbon, desires you to report to him there not later than the expiration of the time for which your troops are rationed, unless in the meantime you receive further orders.

Very respectfully

Your obedient servant,

E.W. Smith, Captain, 18th Infantry

Acting Assistant Adjutant General

Falcon finished reading the orders, then handed the paper back to Custer.

“You read that, Colonel MacCallister. Do you still want to go?”

“Yes,” Falcon replied.

Custer nodded. “All right, you can go as a scout.”

“Thank you, General.”

Chapter Nineteen

June 22, 1876

Alongside the Far West

At noon, after a full morning of preparation, the Seventh Cavalry was ready to depart on its scout. Always the showman, Custer arranged for the Seventh Cavalry to pass in review.

The soldiers, even the newest and greenest of the lot, now looked like grizzled veterans with their beards and suntanned faces. They were wearing a variety of uniforms, light blue trousers with dark blue, or gray, or in some cases, small print flannel shirts. Like Custer, Captains Tom Custer, Calhoun, and Keogh, along with Lieutenant Cooke and Boston Custer, were wearing fringed buckskin jackets. The trousers of most officers and men were reinforced in the seat with canvas.

Reno and Benteen were wearing regulation army blouses, but even they, like most of the other men in the regiment, had eschewed the army-issue kepi cap, in favor of hats that would offer better protection from the sun. Many of the men were wearing straw hats they had bought from the sutler for from twenty-five to fifty cents each.

Custer was completely outfitted in buckskin. He was wearing two English self-cocking pistols, ivory grips facing forward, and with a ring in each for use with a lanyard. He was also wearing a hunting knife in a beaded, fringed scabbard, all three weapons attached to a canvas cartridge belt. His horse, Vic, was nearby, and in Vic’s saddle scabbard was a Remington sporting rifle, octagon barrel, calibrated for the 50–70 centerfire cartridge.

The Seventh was formed and ready, but the order to move out had not yet been given and Custer stood alongside Terry and Gibbon. The sky was gray and threatening. A rather strong northwest wind whipped the regimental flag, as well as the swallow-tailed red and blue banner with white crossed sabers that was Custer’s personal standard. The leaves on the balsam poplar trees fluttered in the breeze, causing the leaves to flash green and white, green and white, green and white. The flashing leaves could almost create the illusion that the forest itself was on the march. Because Custer would be taking the review, Reno was temporarily at the head of the column.

“Major Reno, pass in review!” Custer shouted his order.