Col. J. M. Travers

“ Valiant men lay here: heroes whose names shall ever be mentioned with proud honor by their surviving comrades; and yet what a price they paid for that worthless commodity to the dead—immortality.
Across the Little Horn could be heard the noises of a great camp, and once in a while the breeze bore the distant crack of firearms.
These last came from several miles to the south, where Major Reno had intrenched his command on the bluffs, and from hastily-constructed rifle-pits fought the enemy, who had posted themselves on the neighboring heights, where they could control his position. ”

“ As if intent on making sure of his work, the Red Goliath stooped over his fallen foe.
Something gleamed in the faint light; the sound of a blow reached Mason's ears, and the blade did not shine when it was again raised.
A hoarse chuckle that would have curdled the blood in the veins of a sensitive person proceeded from the human vampire as he arose to his feet, and after giving the corpse a kick with his heavily booted foot, replaced his knife. ”

“ Yates saw that the closing scene was at hand.
"Close up, men, close up! For God's sake, let every man keep his face towards them! The old Seventh will become famous!" he exclaimed.
Yes, indeed, famous at the dear cost of the utter extermination of almost half its number.
A yell, such as might have made the earth tremble, and the whole mass of warriors, mounted and on foot, came against the solid little phalanx like an avalanche.
Had the rush been from one quarter alone, the remnant of cavalry would have been swept out of existence like a flash, scattered here and there among their enemies ”

“ From the pole of the lodge a long torch was stuck out, and the light of this served to illuminate the half where the men sat, but the cabin part was rather dim.
Guided by that sigh, however, the boy had little trouble in making out a small girlish form that crouched rather than sat upon a pile of furs, and seemed to be intently regarding the two men who laughed and grew merry over the whisky keg.
"Adele!" was the cry that arose to that brother's lips, but he bravely repressed it, and also the longing that had seized upon him to clasp that dear form to his breast and defy all enemies. ”

“ The night passed in those rifle pits, with death hovering close by, and seizing upon a comrade every little while, will never be forgotten by those who have survived the dread ordeal.
Again and again did the Indians attempt to force their position, only to fall back in confusion from the defense offered by those valorous sons of the republic who fought on with the black shadow hovering above them and the bullets, commanding their position, rattling about their ears. ”

“ Nancy trampled many under her feet, and bore her inevitable wounds with the air of a martyr, than which she could not well do otherwise, belonging as she did to such a renowned hero.
Guns cracked about him, bullets whistled close to his head, and cut into his flesh; lances, knives and tomahawks were thrust up at him with vengeful intent, and yet this veteran urged his horse forward, armed only with a knife as a serviceable weapon, with which he seemed to keep himself surrounded by a wall of steel through which it was next to impossible to force a passage. ”

“ Custer saw the inevitable finale; hope of a rescue there could be none, as Reno had received positive orders, and Terry and Crook were far away in different directions.
In this ravine they must die, then.
"My God!" exclaimed Custer, "we are trapped like foxes. To stay here means death. Forward, men, forward. Down with the hounds!"
Wounds counted as nothing at this dread moment; so long as a man could keep his seat, he was in good luck; it was the death bullet that told.
"My Heavens! the general's shot!" shouted a soldier close to Pandy Ellis.
Custer was reeling in his saddle ”

“ Red Goliath has passed through the jaws of death too often to give in to a mere stripling. The fates work in my favor. Hoskins found out what it meant to meddle with such a dangerous customer; now I'm going to give you a taste. Say your prayers, young man, for your seconds are numbered on this earth."
Higher rose the blade, as the giant gathered strength for a mighty stroke. ”

“ As yet Major Reno's men had had no suspicion of the awful calamity that had overtaken Custer and his three hundred men. So confident of success had the general been, that he divided what troops he had, so as to inclose the Indian village.
When they galloped away, it was the last that had been seen of them. True, some firing had been heard several miles away, long continued, as though an obstinate battle was in progress; but this had died away by evening.
Opinions differed, as they always will among many men. ”

“ Once a dark form suddenly rose up in front of him, but the greasy Indian got no further than the drawing of his knife, when Mason's revolver sounded his death note, and without even a groan he sank beside the dead man whom he had been in the act of despoiling when disturbed by the boy's approach. ”

“ Custer the hard fighter, the yellow-haired devil, whom they had always feared, was charging along their trail and aiming for the village like a thunderbolt, with his cavalry regiment at his back.
Indians are not accustomed to speaking their thoughts during times of excitement, but the news loosened their tongues, and for several moments a hubbub arose in the head chief's lodge. ”

“ A dozen cavalrymen dashing in at the northern and western end of the village could have carried everything before them.
Not forty yards away from the prison lodge, some ten or twelve warriors were clustered, being wounded braves unable to take part in the great battle.
So interested were these worthies in what was passing before their eyes (for, standing on a little elevation, they could see the fight with Reno now drawing to an end, and the gallop to death of brave Custer and his men) , that the little episode in their rear did not serve to attract their attention. ”

“ The hammer fell, the crack came, and the bullet did its mission of retributive justice.
"My God! I'm done for. Curses on the young hound," half howled the renegade, reeling wildly in the effort to keep his feet, and at length plunging to the ground, where he lay covered with plunder, waiting for some other robber to relieve him as he had despoiled others.
Mason sank to the ground immediately, and it was not until several moments had passed by that he ventured to raise his head and look around. ”

“ As to Pedro Sanchez, he has recovered from the wounds received at the hands of his former companion, Red Goliath, but trembles whenever left alone, for he has in some way heard of the terrible oath sworn by Pandy Ellis to have his life; and if there is one man in the world whom the French Spaniard fears it is the veteran trapper chief. ”

“ We always find the affair termed a massacre when the Indians are victorious; but when the tables are turned it is "a splendid campaign," "a hard-fought battle," and "a glorious victory for the troops."
If the word massacre does not mean a one-sided butchery, then every world's battle has been such.
As to Custer's particular case, did he not move forward with the intention of attacking the village, and though every man fell, did they not slay at least their own number of redskins? ”

“ This intended death-blow Bolly avoided by a dip of the head, and in another instant the two were locked in a close embrace.
The Indian had managed to lay hold of his knife, so that the combatants were equally well armed.
Before a dozen seconds had passed Bolly discovered that he had no puny antagonist with whom to combat, for the fellow seemed to possess muscles of iron, and even by exerting all his strength, the ranger failed to raise him from the ground to dash him down, as he had done many a man before. ”

“ His comrade, Colonel Yates, uttered a heavy groan when Custer fell, and as if yet hoping against hope, turned his eyes towards the bluffs above. For once the brave man found himself wishing a fellow officer would commit a breach of discipline, and disobey orders. If Reno came up with the remaining seven companies they might be saved. Alas! the major never came, for about this time he was industriously engaged in defending himself against a horde of savage Sioux. ”

“ CHAPTER XV. A MAN WHO NEVER BROOKED AN INSULT.
Once within the rifle pits, Pandy Ellis drew his breath more easily, for the present danger was over.
The first person he met was garbed as an officer, and this man, although brave as a lion, proved to be an arrogant fellow in this time of danger.
"Whar kin I see Major Reno?" asked the ranger, laying his hand on the arm of the officer, a familiarity he seemed to resent, for he shook it off as he turned haughtily toward the other.
"What are you doing here, fellow, when all brave men are at work?" ”

“ To stoop over the fallen brave and transfer the fellow's weapon to his own person, was, for the ranger, but the work of a moment.
Quite a fine-looking rifle, of a modern pattern, a long, ugly-looking knife, a revolver and some ammunition were thus appropriated without compunction, for Bolly believed in the adage that "to the victor belong the spoils." Besides, had not this man or his friends made themselves owners of his articles of warfare without saying so much as "by your leave."
There were very few men left in the village ”

“ Some men might have deemed it impossible to force a way on horseback through that mass of excited redskins. Colonel Yates had deemed it so, but to Pandy nothing was accepted as beyond the power to do, until an attempt had been made, and Yates' last words to him proved that the officer must have either placed more confidence in the ranger's dash than his own, or else had resolved to die with his brave boys at any risk. ”

“ When foemen worthy of each other's steel come in contact, there is seldom much time lost in skirmishing.
The Red Goliath threw himself upon his Indian foe with an agility one would hardly expect him to possess.
His assault, overpowering as it seemed, was right valiantly met by his sturdy opponent, and as the two closed, Mason could no longer see the particulars of the combat. ”

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“ Pandy Ellis, the trapper chief, was alone. He did not stay in his exposed position long, however, knowing full well the treacherous character of the foes he had to deal with, but plunging among the undergrowth himself, in a direction almost opposite to the one taken by the Indian, he made his way along, aiming for a certain spot. ”

“ Hate was a feeble word when used in connection with the feeling our boy friend entertained towards this giant in the canoe, and if there was a word that combined fierce detestation, aversion, and a bitter longing to hack a man to pieces, together with a trifle of respect for his prowess, I should use it ”

“ Perhaps this arose from his ignorance of the giant's power, which Pedro was well acquainted with.
"Who the deuce are you that comes breaking into a man's house, and talking about doom and all that sort of thing? By George! I've a notion to——" began Hoskins in a blustering tone, but he came to an abrupt pause, for the giant seeing where it was most needed had swung the revolver around until it covered his form.
"You're mistaken. You haven't any notion at all, and it'll be better for your health if you don't have any. ”

“ Pandy Ellis was a curious fellow, taciturn, one might call him. Although he fought through the night side by side with the cavalrymen, he never once mentioned a word of what he had seen, supposing the officer had reported to Reno, and that the major did not communicate the news to his [Pg 12] men for fear of disheartening them. His duty had been done in this respect, and he was satisfied, although, of course, the ranger could not help wondering why he was not called upon to give a full report of the awful battle. ”

“ I'm goin' into yer camp; tell Sitting Bull that I'll see him widin a week, and listen, Yaller Hawk. Does ther eagle car fur its mate? will thar she bar fight fur her cubs? Wal, I love Bolly Wherrit; he air my life, all I care about livin' fur. Mark my words, redskin; if any harm comes ter White Thunder, I swar Sitting Bull and his chiefs shall go under. Do yer hear? Then don't fail to report. That's all; ye can retire now, az ther cat sed when it had ther mouse by ther nape o' ther neck. Come, git, absquatulate, vamose the ranche."
An Indian's code is "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." ”

“ Finding himself so suddenly seized by the throat, the guard turned like a flash and attempted to use his arm, thinking to get the hunter in a bear's clasp, and then hold him till assistance came.
He counted without his host, however, as many folks are in the habit of doing.
Raised in the school of nature, very nearly the whole of his life being spent upon the plains in active warfare with the savage denizens thereof, it was not likely that Bolly would in his declining years lose the prompt discretion and agility that had marked his whole checkered career. ”

“ Such was the gallant Custer. He had always been a dashing cavalry leader, and with Crook and McKenzie rendered the Union efficient service under General Sheridan during the late unpleasantness.
The morning was half over when the command was ordered to halt for two reasons.
One of these was that his scouts had brought word that the large Indian village, whose presence in the vicinity had been strongly suspected, was only a short distance ahead; the other that a single horseman was sighted coming along their back trail at a furious gallop. ”

“ A grim smile lit up the ranger's features, as he saw the wild excitement that reigned throughout the camp.
"Ther askeered o' Custer; they know him mighty well, but by thunder they mean ter fight. It'll be the biggest Indian fight that this country ever saw, bust my buttons now ef 'twon't. Bolly Wherrit, ye must let t'other matter drop, and sail inter this, fur it'll be full o' glory and death."
Alas! how the words of the old ranger came true has been made manifest in a way that has caused the whole country to mourn.
Death was fated to ride triumphant in the ravine on the other shore ”

“ It was evident that the man in authority had taken the ranger for one of the regular scouts belonging to the expedition, until his thoughts ranged on something worse.
"What am I? A free ranger; man who never took an insult in his life from red or white. Who am I? I reckon I'm a man, sir, which is more than kin be sed o' you. My name? I never was ashamed of it. If ye'll go an' let Major Reno know what I told you, an' say ter him that Pandy Ellis sent ye, thar'll be no more sed about the matter." ”