Custer said
"That is just what I am looking for; we might just as well enter the
battle." General Custer told me to go ahead of his column, and keep
ahead, but not to go too far for fear the enemy would capture me, and I
did what he ordered me to do. General Custer marched his troops all night
up to a point about five miles from where I reported to him, and then he
divided his command. Reno followed down the Reno Creek, Custer crossed
the ridge, going over to the Medicine Tail Creek which runs into the
Little Horn. There on the creek General Custer dismounted, and said
prayers to the Heavenly Father. Then he rose and shook hands with me, and
said: "My scout, if we win the battle, you will be one of the noted men of
the Crow Nation." In a moment or two he turned around again and said to
me: "I have forgotten to tell you, you are not to fight in this battle,
but to go back and save your life." White-Man-Runs-Him and Hairy Moccasin
and Curly heard what Custer said. The other two were with Reno. We were
in sight of the camp when Custer told us this. Reno had then crossed the
Little Horn with his two Crow scouts and the rest of the Mandans. If we
had been smart enough we would have asked General Custer to give us a
paper as a recommendation, but we did not know anything much in those
days. As we stood looking, we saw Reno take his battle position between
eight and nine o'clock. Custer stood there a little for we expected all
the Crow Creeks, and Terry's command, to meet us there that day, and make
a battle that day. After he said this Custer started into the battle and
opened fire on the camp. We scouts were up on top of the bluff, and we
fired at the camp. Hairy Moccasin and White-Man-Runs-Him were with him.
Curly I did not see because he carried the last dispatch to Reno.
Although Custer had given us command to do no fighting, it was impossible
for us to stand there on the bluff and see the soldiers fighting and not
do something, so we had to fire. I do not want to make any mistake in
this story, and I have told you the truth. Reno took the battle. There
was so much smoke and dust that I could hardly tell, but Reno was driven
back by the Indians toward the bluff. In all the valley and woods there
was nothing but Indians. Then I did not know which way he went, for I was
fighting my own way. Custer also opened fire just beyond the Medicine
Creek where he had crossed. Soon after Reno opened fire Custer beg