June 13 through June 15: Checkers to Chess

[fred]

Reno's scout continues, but the world is changing and no one knows. Momentous decisions are being made, decisions that will change lives, write history, and give students topics to debate for decades on end.

I find it odd, but we never study these few days and their ensuing cousins. We seldom read about what happened, how it happened, or why. Why is that? Are we incomplete without it, or in the larger picture is it meaningless? I doubt that, I strongly doubt that... but...

The Indians too, are changing. How? What are they doing? Where are they? What do they know? And do they even care?

[fred]

June 13: Reno moves 24 1/2 miles. Custer remains at Powder River Depot.

June 14: Extremely hot day. Reno makes 22 1/2 miles.

June 15: Reno travels 25 miles.

[fred]

June 13, 1876—Tuesday-- Dakota Column—3am—“Far West” departs Stanley’s Stockade with the last of the supplies and men.

5am—“Following a ‘trail breakfast’ (hard tack, bacon and coffee…)” [Willert, LBH Diary, p. 130] Reno breaks camp and proceeds about 10.5 miles along the west bank of the Powder River, 8.5 miles short of the Forks (the Little Powder). He probably sent the scouts ahead to look for Indians, and finding none, swung west, 8 miles over the divide, to Mizpah Creek (a “rough crossing over a very crooked trail”). The last 6 miles of the day were down the Mizpah.

1pm—Reno makes camp on the Mizpah, at the mouth of Hay Creek, having traveled 24.5 miles. The branches of the Mizpah were almost all dry, with little water where they camped. This was now half of Reno’s mission and he had followed orders precisely. It was here, Reno decided to disregard strict orders and veer west towards Pumpkin Creek. It is probably a good bet Reno had spoken with Mitch Boyer and learned of Bradley’s discovery on the Tongue. The prescribed route in his orders, would bypass that village. Bradley had seen the Sioux about 30 miles above the mouth of the Tongue, but Terry’s orders would have taken Reno to the Tongue below that camp. Once there, Reno could count the lodge-sites and return with some useful intelligence.

“The official army map—that drawn in 1872, and used upon this 1876 campaign—showed the two valleys as miles apart, and hence, Terry’s design that the detachment should scout down the Mizpah to almost its confluence with the Powder, but actual view from atop the Powder divide had revealed… a considerable distance down that valley, and if hostiles had been camped anywhere down along the Mizpah, their smoke sign would have been plainly visible. But no such indications had been observed… Should the detachment proceed, as per Terry’s orders… [o]r should the Mizpah be presumed empty of any hostile camps, and the detachment move west to the valley of the Pumpkin and Tongue beyond?” [Willert, LBH Diary, p. 131]

* Terry/Custer remain at Yellowstone/Powder River Camp, #20. Custer had the 7th Cavalry crate up its sabers; Reno and the 6 troops on his scout crated theirs after they returned from their scout. In Michno’s Lakota Noon, p. 288, he quotes an Indian named White Shield: “They had sabers with them.” And certainly, the body he thought might have been Custer’s was found with a six-shooter and a saber next to it. LTs DeRudio and Mathey retained their sabers.

8pm—“Far West” finally arrives (after bucking the upstream currents of the Yellowstone
at an average speed of about 4.2 mph), completing the move from Stanley’s Stockade at Glendive Creek to the Powder River depot. The “Far West” would accompany the column to the Tongue River and beyond.

Montana Column—7am—Gibbon’s split command resumes its difficult march.

4pm—After 13 miles of soggy and arduous terrain, Gibbon goes into camp.

Best wishes,
Fred.

[fred]

June 14, 1876-- Dakota Column—5am—Reno breaks camp and heads slightly north of west, up Hay Creek for 12 miles to a point a little northwest of present-day Coalwood, MT. From there, he moved 8.5 miles northwest (along present-day route U. S. 212) down S. L. Creek (an eastern branch of the Pumpkin) to the Pumpkin, 1 mile below the mouth of Little Pumpkin (2 miles). This is about 4 miles south of present-day Volborg, MT.

1pm—Reno makes camp, having traveled 22.5 miles.

* Terry/Custer at Powder River Depot, Yellowstone/Powder River Camp, #20.
The following would be left behind as security at the PRD: HQ—1 officer, 2 EM
Co. A—4 EM
Co. B—19 EM
Co. C—9 EM
Co. D—11 EM
Co. E—3 EM
Co. F—8 EM
Co. G—16 EM
Co. H—2 EM
Co. I—4 EM
Co. K—21 EM
Co. L—6 EM
Co. M—6 EM
Band—14 EM
Most of these men were recruits. The band’s horses were re-distributed, the fittest going to the troopers who needed them the most. There were several others who were listed as “sick,” “AWOL,” or “detached duty”:
Co. C—2
Co. E—1
Co. F—1
Co. I—1
Co. M—1

4 Rees were left at PRD

* 1 Dakota (Left Hand) left the command at PRD (he was eventually killed at the LBH when he joined the Sioux relatives and fought against the troops).

Wagons would remain at PRD. Except for a few of the officers’, all tents were left at PRD.

* Troops moved forage from “Josephine” to the “Far West.” Stationed at the PRD besides those left by the 7th Cavalry, was MAJ Moore’s 3 companies of the 6th Infantry: C, D, and I. CPT Baker’s B/6I would remain on the “Far West,” and the 2 companies of the 17th Infantry would also stay at the PRD: C and G.

Montana Column—7am—Gibbon’s 7th Infantry was guided by LT Bradley through a coulee and onto firmer ground and into a long valley. They camped about 4 miles east of the mouth of the Rosebud, near where the Indians had killed Gibbon’s 3 men. It was the same area Brisbin’s cavalry had camped at the night before.

* The Sioux moved up the Rosebud valley (south), camping where Davis Creek enters the Rosebud. The Cheyenne camped on the east side of the stream, just across from Davis Creek. The Sioux followed and camped downstream of the Cheyenne, the Unkpapa circle just below the present Busby school. A council was assembled to discuss what should be done about the encroaching soldiers. The younger warriors wanted to attack, but the older men were more cautious. Scouts were sent out to watch the soldiers. By now, the Indians were aware of Crook’s column, but had lost touch with Gibbon’s, probably thinking Gibbon was still moving eastward down the Yellowstone. The Indians had no idea Gibbon had returned to the Rosebud. The Sioux were completely unaware of Reno’s movements and Terry’s presence.

“This poor reconnaissance on the part of the hostiles was a usual habit with them—contrary to the popular notion—for they were not as reconnaissance-minded as some writers would have us believe. Indeed, their carelessness… could have brought them defeat at LBH, had not their numbers compensated, for Custer, Terry and Gibbon were able to advance… almost to the hostiles’ village limits without detection…” [Willert, LBH Diary, p. 139]

Best wishes,
Fred.

[fred]

June 15, 1876-- Dakota Column—5am—Reno breaks camp. Travels about 10 miles, west, up a branch of the Little Pumpkin called Nameless Creek, by a broad valley, to a point 3 miles north of wooded Liscom Butte (4,377 feet elevation). From there, Reno traveled northwest down Lay Creek to its junction with the Tongue (44 miles from its mouth and 15 miles below [north] present-day Brandenburg, MT). Another 3 miles down the Tongue brought them to their campsite. The day’s march was very hard, through pine-covered hills, narrow trails that jammed the horses into one another, and through deep ravines where they had to unlimber the Gatling guns, unhitch the horses, and carry the guns by hand.

6am—Benteen had his wing ready to move, and the command had a parade, the regiment
passing in review. Benteen then began the march, with 6 companies, scouts, and a train of pack mules, up (west) the south side of the Yellowstone towards the Tongue River to rendezvous with Gibbon, Reno, and Terry (when he reached there on the “Far West”).

6am+ — Custer joins Terry in a conference aboard the “Far West.”
7am—Custer leaves the “Far West” and sets out to join his column. Terrain between Powder and Tongue Rivers is pitted with ravines and gullies and in some cases, the bluffs extend to the water’s edge. Custer moved as much 4 miles inland to avoid some of the more difficult terrain. Column moved leisurely, but still made 25 miles and camped on the riverbank, Yellowstone River Camp, #21.

1pm—Reno makes camp, having traveled 25 miles.
1:30pm—Terry and B/6I begin moving up-river by steamer, “Far West,” to join Custer.
5:30pm—“Far West” breaks down after moving up-river for 15 miles.

The Northern Cheyenne chief, Little Wolf, departs the Red Cloud Agency with 1,000 of his people, including 200 warriors. They headed northwest. [Willert, LBH Diary, p. 146, quoting Hammer/Camp] Other sources—probably more reliable—suggest Little Wolf had 7 lodges.

Montana Column—Gibbon sends out Wheelan (G/2C) and Thompson (L/2C) to examine the north bank of the Yellowstone, from the Rosebud, westward to the mouth of the Big Horn, a total of about 60 miles; 6 Crows went with them.

Best wishes,
Fred.

[AZ Ranger]

Shavetails and Bell Sharps
The History of the U.S Army Mule

By Emmett M. Essin

"When Custer left the Powder River on 15 June, his command's train consisted of 97 mules of which no more than 18 were regular pack mules."

[conz]

Reno's version:

"They found nothing, so on June 13 I took the command southwest across the divide to Mizpah Creek. That evening Mitch Bouyer told me that Bradley had first sighted the hostile village on Tongue River. I decided to move west to that stream instead of moving down lower as suggested by my orders, believing that counting the lodgesites would be useful information."

Here is where Reno begins getting creative with his mission orders.

[fred]

conz said:

Here is where Reno begins getting creative with his mission orders.

Again, we must remember, there is no reference in Special Field Order 11 that refers to the Rosebud, either going there or staying away. Any subsequent opprobrium must be couched with that in mind and we must assume the reference to the Rosebud was verbal.

Best wishes,
Fred.