Excerpt from George Herendeen’s Account as relayed by a New York Herald reporter July 7, 1876

Both cavalryman W.O. Taylor and Custer authority W. A. Graham reprinted a New York Herald article relayed from Bismarck on July 7, 1876. The following is an excerpt from that article as relayed by a stringer/reporter quoting Herendeen:

“Just as I got out, my horse stumbled and fell and I was dismounted, the horse running away after Reno’s command. I saw several soldiers who were dismounted, their horses having been killed or run away. There were also some soldiers mounted, who had remained behind . . . as many as thirteen soldiers, and seeing no chance of getting away, I called on them to come into the timber and we would stand off the Indians.

“Three of the soldiers were wounded, and two of them so badly they could not use their arms. The soldiers wanted to go out, but I said no, we can’t get to the ford, and besides, we have wounded men and must stand by them. The soldiers still wanted to go, but I told them I was an old frontiersman, understood Indians, and if they would do as I said I would get them out of the scrape, which was no worse than scrapes I had been in before.

“About half of the men were mounted, and they wanted to keep their horse with them, but I told them to let the horses go and fight on foot. We stayed in the bush about three hours, and I could hear heavy firing below in the river, apparently two miles distant . . and learned afterward it was Custer’s command. Nearly all the Indians drew off down the river . . .

“When the shooting below began to die away I said to the boys ‘come, now is the time to get out.’ Most of them did not go, but waited for night. [It appears here the reported misquoted, and Herendeen meant the others wanted to wait for nightfall.] I told them the Indians would come back and we had better be off at once. Eleven of the thirteen said they would go, but two stayed behind.”

“I deployed the men as skirmishers and we moved forward on foot toward the river. When we had got nearly to the river we met five Indians on ponies, and they fired on us. I returned the fire and the Indians broke and we then forded the river, the water being heart deep. We finally got over, wounded men and all, and headed for Reno’s command . . . We reached Reno in safety.”

The Herald reporter then quoted Herendeen, in response to questioning, “. . . The two cavalry soldiers I left in the timber . . . I have no doubt were killed, as they have not been seen since.” Two members of the command actually did reach Reno’s entrenchments during the night. One was interpreter Fred Girard, and the other an officer, apparently. It is uncertain if these were the men to whom Herendeen referred, or if the two stragglers were indeed later killed.