Libbie smiled. “No need to apologize. I know you didn’t mean anything hateful.”
The smile was still on Libbie’s lips as she stepped into the living room, but when she saw Captain McCaskell, Lieutenant Gurley, and Dr. Middleton, all standing together, the smile disappeared.
Libbie took a gasping breath and put her hand to her heart. She tried to speak, but the words stuck in her throat.
“Mrs. Custer,” Captain McCaskell said. He cleared his throat and started again. “Mrs. Custer, I—uh—am sorry to have to tell you this.”
“Oh,” Libbie said, her face now twisting into an expression of horror. She put her hand over her mouth.
“Libbie, what is it?” Maggie said, coming into the living room then.
Libbie reached out and took Maggie by the hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Please, Captain,” Libbie said. “Go on.”
“I have a dispatch that I received from General Terry last night. It might be best if I just read the report.Clearing his throat again, he began to read.*
“It is my painful duty to report that on the 25th of June, a great disaster overtook General Custer and the troops under his command. At 12 o’clock of the 22nd he started with his whole regiment and a strong detachment of scouts and guides from the mouth of the Rosebud; proceeding up that river about twenty miles, he struck a very heavy Indian trail, which had previously been discovered, and pursuing it, found that it led, as it was supposed that it would lead, to the Little Bighorn River. Here he found a village of almost unlimited extent, and at once attacked it with that portion of his command which was immediately at hand. Major Reno, with three companies, A, G, and M, of the regiment, was sent into the valley of the stream at the point where the trail struck it. General Custer, with five companies, C, E, F, I, and L, attempted to enter about three miles lower down. Reno forded the river, charged down its left bank, and fought on foot until finally, completely overwhelmed by numbers, he was compelled to mount and recross the river and seek a refuge on the high bluffs which overlook its right bank. Just as he recrossed, Captain Benteen, who, with three companies, D, H, and K, was some two (2) miles to the left of Reno when the action commenced, but who had been ordered by General Custer to return, came to the river, and rightly concluding that it was useless for his force to attempt to renew the fight in the valley, he joined Reno on the bluffs. Captain McDougall with his company (B) was at first some distance in the rear with a train of pack mules. He also came up to Reno. Soon this united force was nearly surrounded by Indians, many of whom, armed with rifles, occupied positions which commanded the ground held by the cavalry, ground from which there was no escape. Rifle pits were dug, and the fight was maintained, though with heavy loss, from about half past 2 o’clock of the 25th till 6 o’clock of the 26th, when the Indians withdrew from the valley, taking with them their village. Of the movements of General Custer and the five companies under his immediate command, scarcely anything is known from those who witnessed them; for—”
Here, Captain McCaskell stopped reading for a moment and he looked up at Libbie.
“Please, Captain, continue,” Libbie said in a small voice.
McCaskell cleared his throat again, then continued.
“No officer or soldier who accompanied him has yet been found alive. His trail from the point where Reno crossed the stream passes along and in the rear of the crest of the bluffs on the right bank for nearly or quite three miles; then it comes down to the bank of the river, but at once diverges from it, as if he had unsuccessfully attempted to cross; then turns upon itself, almost completing a circle, and closes. It is marked by the remains of his officers and men and the bodies of his horses, some of them strewn along the path, others heaped where halts appeared to have been made. There is abundant evidence that a gallant resistance was offered by the troops, but they were beset on all sides by overpowering numbers. The officers known to be killed are”—gain, McCaskell looked up—“General Custer; Captains Keogh, Yates, and Custer; and Lieutenants Cooke, Smith, McIntosh, Calhoun, Porter, Hodgson, Sturgis, and Reilly, of the cavalry. Lieutenant Crittenden, of the Twelfth Infantry, along with Acting Assistant Surgeon D. E. Wolf, Lieutenant Harrington of the Cavalry, and Assistant Surgeon Lord are missing. Captain Benteen and Lieutenant Varnum of the cavalry are slightly wounded. Mr. B. Custer, a brother, and Mr. Reed, a nephew, of General Custer, were with him and were killed. No other officers than those whom I have named are among the killed, wounded, and missing.”
“Mrs. Custer, is there anything I can do for you?” Dr. Middleton asked.
“Yes,” Libbie said. “Would you hand me my shawl, please? I have taken a chill.”
The three men, all of whom were already sweating, for the day had dawned quite warm, looked at each other. Then, Lieutenant Gurley got the shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“If I can do anything,” McCaskell said. Then, turning, he, Dr. Middleton, and Lieutenant Gurley started to leave.
“Captain McCaskell!” Maggie called. “Is there no message from my husband for me?”
McCaskell looked at Maggie, wondering for a moment if she did not understand what he had just told them.
“No, Mrs. Calhoun. I’m sorry. There are no messages.”
Tears began streaming down Maggie’s face. She had just lost a husband, three brothers, and a nephew.
“Captain, wait,” Libbie said. “There are many wives who will have to be informed. Please, let me go with you.”
Libbie followed Captain McCaskell and his notification team, first to the officers’ quarters to inform their wives, then down to laundress row to inform the wives of the enlisted men. She stood by as, one by one, they were told, offering what solace she could, even as her own heart was broken.
She knew this was exactly what her husband would want.
Or, would have wanted, if he was alive.
It was just after noon when Libbie returned to the commandant’s quarters. Mary had lunch prepared, but neither Libbie, nor Maggie, nor even Lorena felt like eating.
Libbie looked around the house, at the furniture that she and Custer had hauled all over the country, at the hunting trophies Custer had bagged, at the table where Custer sat to write his Galaxy articles, at the piano, and at the photos hanging from the picture rail: her favorite of Custer, and one of General
