ABACUS (13 page)

Chapter 21: Cocky Custer

Kate awoke with a start the following day. “What's that?” she asked.

“Reveille, the morning bugle call. It's an Army camp, remember?”

“Not for much longer,” she muttered to herself.

“Mmm, I smell bacon,” he said, folding up his blanket. “I bet breakfast is good here.”

As they walked toward the cook tent, soldiers were rushing everywhere, packing up camp. And above all the shouted orders and rumble of wagons was the sound of hammering.

“So what's happening?” asked AP, after meeting up with Laughing Jack.

“The Seventh Cavalry are pulling out first. Custer'll be pleased because General Terry's going with Gibbon.”

“Why's that good for Custer?” asked AP.

“Gibbon's foot soldiers won't be traveling as fast as Custer's cavalry, so old Long Hair won't have the General looking over his shoulder. Custer likes doing things his way.”

“You seem to know a lot about Custer,” said Kate.

He grinned. “I hear all sorts of things about him.”

“Why?” she continued, surprising AP with her sudden interest.

“Custer's got several Indian scouts, but Bloody Knife's his favorite. They've been together for years and Long Hair tells him everything. Bloody Knife's my friend.”

AP's eyes lit up at this. “Could we meet Custer? Just to see what he's like.”

“I could have a word with Bloody Knife,” he said after a long pause. “Don't expect anything today though.”

“I can just see it,” said Kate when Laughing Jack left. “Bloody Knife walks into Custer's tent and says, ‘Hey, Long Hair, a buddy of mine knows these two kids who want to meet you'.”

She landed a playful punch on AP's shoulder. “But wait until Custer hears that one of them is the famous AP—he'll drop everything!” She was giggling so much she didn't notice Laughing Jack had returned.

“He'll see you now,” announced the Crow, “but just for a minute. Then he has to address his troops. Be quick!”

Custer was sitting at a small table, writing. A pile of finished letters was at his elbow. A young officer was standing to one side, eyes respectfully diverte
d away from the papers. One of Custer's dogs was lying at his master's feet. Without glancing up from his writing, the General gestured them to wait.

The scratching of his pen continued for several minutes. Kate and AP exchanged uneasy glances. Then he was done. “Take these down to the riverboat immediately,” he ordered, handing over the letters. As the officer hurried away, Custer glanced up.

“I've seen you both before,” he said, smiling and standing. “I never forget a face.”

AP noticed he was looking only at Kate.

“So you're the two youngsters determined to stay out West?”

They nodded, smiling awkwardly.

“Excellent decision. Would have done exactly the same myself.”

Custer wore the same outfit as yesterday, except he now carried a saber on his belt. As he spoke he struck a pose, one hand on the sword, the other on his hip. [12]

“I love the West,” Custer continued. “Wide open spaces, spectacular scenery, excellent hunting—the dogs love it too.” As if on cue, the dog started wagging its tail. “When we resolve this little problem with the Sioux, we can go back to enjoying everything again.”

Kate nearly snapped at this. “If only you knew what we know,” she thought to herself.

“Is that going to be a big job?” asked AP innocently.

“Not at all!” scoffed Custer.

“Aren't there lots of them though?” AP continued, using the same oily tone.

“Possibly fifteen hundred.”

“Wow!” exclaimed AP, knowing there was over twice that number.

“I declare, you sound like Bloody Knife! He says there are too many Sioux for the Army to handle. And so do the other scouts. But every officer believes we shall win.” [13]

Custer moved toward the opening.

“Time's up. I must address my men.”

Then Custer turned to Kate and took her right hand. He gazed at her with his penetrating blue eyes. “Charmed to have met you.”

As he swept from the tent he paused and turned, as if suddenly remembering something. “Tag along behind the Cavalry if y
ou wish.” He smiled a superior smile. “Watch history being made.”

Kate stood there for several seconds, face flushed, lips pressed tightly together. Then, to AP's disbelief, she said, “We could stay with Reno's group and head back before the battle started.”

“We're going?” he gasped.

“We're going!”

“So Custer made an impression on you?”

“Oh yes!” said Kate. “And I'd like to be as close as possible when he falls flat on his conceited face!”

“I guess that's what all the hammering was for,” said AP. He nodded toward a small platform where the soldiers of the Seventh Cavalry—over six hundred men—were lined up to hear their commander-in-chief. Bloody Knife, along with Custer's followers, stood in front of the makeshift structure.

Custer leaped onto the stage. [14]

“Men. Fighting men of the Seventh Cavalry. My men. We're about to embark on the hunt of a lifetime. And we're loaded for big game!”

He grabbed his rifle and the troops roared enthusiastically.

“We're after a wily old buffalo named Sitting Bull, and his young friend Crazy Horse!”

This time the yelling took longer to subside.

“They're hiding somewhere along the Little Bighorn, with eight hundred,

a thousand, maybe even fifteen hundred warriors. Our job is to catch them before they run away.” He paused. “And rub them out!” He paced up and down, like a caged animal anxious to be free.

“He's done this before!” AP shouted to be heard above the uproar. “He's good!”

Kate scowled.

Custer pointed to his scout. “Bloody Knife here thinks there are too many Sioux for us to take on. But he's just a worrier!”

Bloody Knife laughed along with the others—he and Custer were always making fun of each other.

“This is what I say: men of the Seventh Cavalry, we can beat the entire Sioux Nation!” Then, drawing his saber and waving it above his head he yelled, “Let's go!”

As the Seventh Cavalry rode out, the band struck up with the tune “Garryowen,” one of Custer's favorites. [15]

“Now, Custer,” Colonel Gibbon shouted after him, “don't be greedy, but wait for us!” [16]

“No, I will not!” Custer yelled back, waving his hat.

* * *

Laughing Jack rode at the head of the column with the other scouts, occasionally dropping back to check on Kate and AP.

“We're making good progress,” he told them that afternoon. “Come up front for a while.”

Kate and AP found themselves just rows behind Custer. Judging from the way the General was laughing and joking, he could have been on a joyride with his friends.

“Who are all those people with him?” asked Kate.

The Crow rattled off a list of names that included Custer's two brothers, his brother-in-law, a nephew, some friends and a newspaper reporter. “Then there are his two cooks and his scouts.”

“Does he always travel with so many followers?” queried Kate.

“Always. Though, he's left his dogs behind! No time for hunting on this trip.”

“Does he do much hunting?” asked AP.

“Whenever possible.”

“He must be a good shot.”

Laughing Jack grinned. “Bloody Knife says he's so bad he couldn't hit a tent if he was standing inside it!” [17]

Kate and AP were surprised at this.

“Make no mistake though,” Laughing Jack continued, now sounding serious, “when it comes to fighting, Custer has no equal. He charges into battle with only thing in mind—wiping out the enemy. His men would follow him anywhere. He's fearless. Tireless too—he'll ride all day and all night without sleep.”

* * *

After riding a short distance up Rosebud Creek, Custer called a halt for the day. Soon tents were springing up like mushrooms, transforming the meadow into an Army camp.

“Feel like exploring?” Kate asked her brother as dusk fell.

“Sure, anywhere in particular?”

“Let's check on General Custer,” she said, lowering her voice.

“Do you mean let's spy on Custer?”

She smiled.

The officers' tents were set apart from the others, and Custer's was at the center of the action.

“If you please, gentlemen,” Custer called out to his officers. He pointed to a large tent, pitched in front of some supply wagons. “War council in ten minutes. I'll have my cook rustle up some coffee.”

“Kate, you're not serious,” whispered AP as she nodded toward the tent.

“Of course I am. It's getting dark, nobody will notice us tucked between the wagons outside.”

The chatter among the officers came to an abrupt end when their commander-in-chief entered the tent.

“I intend to make this campaign both successful and pleasant for everybody,” Custer began, saying how much he depended on everyone. “The key to success is the element of surprise,” he explained. “So, gentlemen, be as quiet as possible. No bugles, no shouting. And no man must stray from the column.”

Custer spoke for several minutes before inviting questions.

“That was boring,” whispered AP as they crouched behind the tent while the meeting broke up.

“I thought there'd be at least a few war secrets.”

Thinking everyone had left, they started creeping around the side of the tent. Suddenly Kate grabbed AP's arm. “Look!” she whispered, pointing to two officers who were just leaving the tent. “Stragglers.”

“I couldn't believe my ears,” said one of the officers.

“Nor could I,” said the other. “Nobody has ever heard Custer sounding so considerate.”

“Not his usual abrupt and aggressive self.”

“Indeed not. And to say he needed us, and to ask for our cooperation, well…”

“What d'you make of it?”

“I believe General Custer is going to be killed.” [18]

Chapter 22: Signs in the Sand

You see more action up front,” said AP as they rode along the next day, just two rows behind Custer. Laughing Jack had arranged to make yesterday's temporary switch permanent.

Earlier that morning their friend had galloped off to check the way ahead. Returning less than an hour later, Laughing Jack reported to Custer and the other scouts, then dropped back to update his young friends.

“Signs of hostiles are everywhere,” he said uneasily. “Many people have passed this way.” He pointed out the way the ground had been churned up by the passage of so many travois. “And see how the grass has been cropped short?”

“A big herd of buffalo?” suggested AP.

“No, Indian ponies. Thousands of them. That means thousands of hostiles.”

“And look—burned-out campfires.” He chatted with them for a few more minutes before returning to the front of the column.

AP and Kate saw other signs as they rode along. They also noticed how differently the soldiers were acting. There was no more laughing and joking, and the men spent most of their time scanning the distant hills.

In the early afternoon two scouts galloped back to the column, looking troubled. After reporting to Custer, they went into a huddle with the other scouts.

“What's that about?” murmured Kate.

“Let's ask Laughing Jack,” said AP.

But their friend remained with the other scouts. Whatever had upset them was having no effect on Custer.

Soon the entire column came to a halt and all the scouts, accompanied by Custer and his followers, galloped away from the river. Before going far, they stopped.

“What's going on?” said AP.

Everyone else in the column strained to see what was happening. The officers had their binoculars trained on the spot. They watched as the scouts squatted, looking at marks scratched in the sand. Behind them stood four tall posts that had recently supported some kind of temporary structure.

Custer remained mounted and was the first to ride back, along with his followers. The scouts eventually returned and the column got underway again.

“Look,” said Kate, nodding toward Custer, “Bloody Knife's trying to tell him something but he's not interested.”

“The other scouts are though,” said AP. “Something's stirred them up.”

Bursting to know what it was all about, they had to wait a long time before Laughing Jack rejoined them.

“The hostiles held a Sun Dance,” he said, pointing back over his shoulder. “That's a really important ceremony.”

The Sun Dance was too complicated to explain to Wasichus. However, he told them about the deep trances the dancers fell into, and the importance of their dreams.

“Sitting Bull danced all day and all night without stopping,” he said solemnly. “Then he had a special vision.”

“How do you know?” asked AP.

“The Sioux left pictures in the sand showing what he saw.” He rode on in silence. “It was not good. We are deeply troubled.”

They looked at him uneasily.

“Sitting Bull saw soldiers and Indians on horseback. They were falling like grasshoppers. Their heads were hanging down and their hats were falling off.” [20]

Kate asked him how Custer had reacted to all this.

“He just shrugged.”

The following day was June 24, the day before the battle. AP thought they would soon be heading back to the Yellowstone River. Yet Kate, to her brother's surprise, never mentioned this. The truth was that the thought of leaving the column and traveling back alone worried her. Besides, Kate was now as caught up in events as her brother. So they just continued.

By nightfall, Kate wondered whether she had made the right decision. After a grueling day's ride, Custer, fearing the Sioux might escape, kept them going until 2 a.m. By that time the men were exhausted. Custer consoled them by declaring that the entire next day would be devoted to rest. Meanwhile, he sent scouts ahead to locate the hostiles' camp.