Rage & Revenge: Torture & Atrocities In War & Peace by Goodrich Thomas

Author:Goodrich, Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Palm Press
Published: 2017-11-30T08:00:00+00:00

"As we had but few spades, the burial of the dead was more of a pretense than reality," Edward McClernand confessed. "A number were simply covered with sage brush."

After the grim task, when most of the men had returned to the valley and were preparing to break camp, McClernand paused. Standing on the ridge, surveying the location of the last stand, the young officer replayed in his mind the dramatic, final moments of George Armstrong Custer.

He was dismounted, and doubtless many of his men also, the enemy was pressing, and here was a position on which they could stand and strike back—probably without hope of victory, but at least with the possibility of holding on until Reno or Benteen came, or that relief of dying like brave men. I think no thoughtful and unprejudiced man could have examined the last positions held by Custer, as marked by the dead, without being convinced that he was thinking clearly, fast and courageously. I said to myself, as did others doubtless, here a hero died. That his was the spirit of battle seemed clear from those who chose to die on the knoll with him.

Later that day, June 28, Alfred Terry quickly formed his command and with Reno, Benteen, and their numerous wounded in tow, the general led away toward the Bighorn River, where news of the disaster would soon spread to the outside world. As he moved along with the column, Edward McClernand recalled earlier that spring when the Crow scout had left his defiant message on the old bread box.

"It is a little strange," reflected the lieutenant, "considering the hundreds of miles we have marched over, that this taunt should have been left almost on the very spot where the one desperate fight of the campaign took place."

***

Early on July 6, 1876, the steamboat Far West docked near Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory. During the previous two days, dark currents had swirled mysteriously around the anxious garrison. In the words of one young officer:

There was whispering and excitement among the Indian police. There were rumors of a great battle. Those who saw the Indians and witnessed their movements knew that something unusual must have happened. But what? Who would not give worlds to know just why all this excitement among the Indians? Fleet-footed warriors, mounted on still fleeter animals, aided perhaps by signals, had brought the news even before the Far West came, but no white man knew. That it brought joy to them was reason enough why it should have brought depression to the whites.… Men and women moved anxiously, nervously, straining their eyes for the expected messenger, listening as footsteps fell.

The news came to us about 2 a.m. Captain William S. McCaskey … summoned all the officers to his quarters at once and there read to them the communication he had just received. … After we had recovered from the shock, Captain McCaskey requested us to assist him in breaking the news to the widows. It fell to my lot to accompany Captain McCaskey … to the quarters of Mrs.

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