Charles DeRudio was an Italian aristocrat and a career U.S. Army officer who served in the 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Known as "Count No Account" to Captain Frederick Benteen due to his boastful storytelling and haughty manner, DeRudio was a capable officer promoted to first lieutenant on December 15, 1875. He was not well liked by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer or other senior officers, but he survived the battle and later wrote a letter describing his experiences.
DeRudio narrowly escaped the perils of the battle on June 25 and 26. Around 10:00 a.m. on June 25, Custer’s scouts returned with startling news. They had discovered an Indian village approximately 15 miles away, nestled along the Little Bighorn River. The scouts observed that the Indians appeared to be retreating from the advancing forces.
The command continued marching for another two or three miles before Custer called a halt to strategize the assault. He assigned Companies H, D, and K under Colonel Benteen to cover the left flank, with orders to clear everything in their path. Companies M and G, commanded by Major Reno, took the center position. DeRudio was temporarily attached to Company A. Custer himself led Companies C, E, F, I, and L on the right side of the attack line, while Company B remained behind to guard the pack train.
After marching a few more miles, the center unit received orders to trot and maintain pace until reaching the river some six or seven miles away. Upon reaching the river, they forded it and emerged onto the plains beyond, where they were instructed to form a battle line. With orders given, they set off at a gallop, pursuing the enemy through a dense and blinding dust cloud stirred up by the fleeing Indians.
The dust was so thick that visibility was almost zero, prompting Reno to halt the battalion. After dismounting, Reno quickly organized a skirmish line, positioning the right flank along the edge of a dry, densely wooded creek. While the horses were being led to shelter in the woods, the Indians launched a fierce assault. The soldiers met it with immediate return fire, and the skirmish continued for about half an hour.
It was then discovered that across the creek, in a park-like clearing, there were a few lodges. The entire line crossed the creek to find the lodges abandoned, only to be met by about 200 yelping warriors. The overwhelming fire from this larger force made retreat nearly impossible, as the soldiers found themselves surrounded.
Entering the battle with only 100 men, the enemy’s relentless fire wreaked havoc on the small group. As they crossed the creek, DeRudio, positioned at the rear, noticed a guidon left behind and went back to retrieve it. While navigating through the woods, the guidon got tangled in the branches and slipped from his grasp. Dismounting to pick it up, he led his horse to the south bank of the creek.
Just as he was about to mount, a bullet struck his horse, causing it to panic and bolt into the Indian ranks. DeRudio was left dismounted with about 300 Sioux just 50 yards away. They unleashed a whistling volley at him, but miraculously, he remained unscathed. He managed to escape to a nearby thicket, where he could defend himself and negotiate his survival.
In the thicket, he encountered Fred Gerard, the interpreter, and Private Thomas F. O’Neil from Company G, 7th Cavalry. Gerard and O’Neil had their horses, while DeRudio, like O’Neil, was dismounted. DeRudio suggested that having the horses could give away their position and recommended stampeding them, but they declined and left them.
DeRudio crawled through the dense undergrowth into the deep, dry bottom of the creek, hoping to stay hidden until darkness fell. After about ten minutes in his hiding place, he heard several pistol shots fired nearby, followed by the eerie voices of several squaws. Cautiously raising his head, he observed these women engaging in the gruesome act of scalping a soldier who might still have been alive.
Two of them were engrossed in the cutting while the others performed a war dance around the victim and his mutilators. The horror of the repulsive spectacle was beyond words. Eventually, the women left, likely in search of more victims, giving DeRudio a moment to contemplate his precarious situation.
While grappling with his thoughts, he noticed a crackling noise nearby. Upon investigation, he realized it came from burning wood. The Indians had set a fire. The exceptionally dry wood caused the fire to spread quickly, forcing him to abandon his hiding spot in the creek.
He crawled out of the creek bottom using the same route as before. Just as he was about to climb the bank, he heard a voice calling, "Lieutenant, Lieutenant." Though he couldn’t see anyone, the call persisted. Advancing a few yards in the direction of the voice, he found the entire party he had left a short time ago concealed in the creek bottom.
Gerard informed him that he had left the horses tied together where DeRudio had seen them and followed down after him. Like DeRudio, the party was concerned about the advancing fire. Fortunately, the wind subsided and a light rain fell, enough to halt the flames and renew their hope of remaining hidden until nightfall.
It was now 3:00 p.m., and they had six long hours to wait. Throughout this time, they could hear and occasionally glimpse Indians around them, their voices eerily close. It was difficult to find words to describe the multitude of thoughts that crossed DeRudio’s mind during those suspenseful hours.
Finally, nightfall arrived with the sky heavily clouded, providing the cover they needed. They emerged from their concealed positions and headed toward the ford situated two miles to the south across an open plain. Gerard and the scout mounted their horses, while DeRudio and the soldier each grabbed onto a horse’s tail, following them through the darkness.
Gerard suggested that if he needed to flee and leave them behind, he would inform Reno of their whereabouts, ensuring their rescue. As they traversed the open plain, the night was so dark they could barely see, but they could hear Indians returning to their village.
Reaching the woods near what they believed to be the ford they had crossed earlier that morning, they realized their mistake and had to search for the correct crossing. After fording the stream once, they discovered it was at a bend, necessitating another crossing. As they recrossed the river, they unexpectedly encountered eight warriors.
The two mounted men fled immediately, while DeRudio and the soldier dove into nearby bushes. DeRudio cocked his revolver, kneeling and ready to fire if the warriors approached. Remarkably, they seemed to think the group had all fled and, after conversing amongst themselves for a few tense minutes, continued on their way.
Relieved, DeRudio called out to the soldier, and they regrouped, realizing that all fords were well guarded. Attempting to cross the river seemed suicidal. The night dragged on, and at dawn they heard what sounded like a large cavalry unit approaching, with the distinct sound of horses splashing through water.
Carefully approaching the riverbank, DeRudio saw what appeared to be their command, gray horses ridden by men in military blouses, some with white hats. From his vantage point, he watched as they left the valley, some troops climbing a steep bluff while others continued to cross the river. This sight filled him with a mix of hope and apprehension.
He spotted a man in a buckskin jacket, pants, top boots, and a white hat, and he was certain it was Captain Tom Custer. Convinced these cavalrymen were from their command, DeRudio confidently stepped onto the bank and called out, "Tom, don’t leave us here."
The distance was only a few yards, and his call was met with a terrifying war cry and a barrage of 300 or 400 shots. It was then that he realized his error. The warriors were dressed in clothing and riding horses seized from their men.
DeRudio and the soldier swiftly dove into the bushes as bullets sheared through branches with each volley. They crawled away to escape the line of fire, disturbing the top branches of the undergrowth and prompting the Indians on the bluff to fire in their direction.
They decided to cross a clearing of about 20 yards to reach another wooded area. Before proceeding, DeRudio took the precaution of surveying the surroundings. The outlook was profoundly disheartening. On their immediate right, just 50 yards away, he spotted four or five Indians rapidly approaching.
Close to him were cottonwood stumps, almost touching each other. Behind this makeshift barricade, DeRudio and the soldier knelt down. The soldier held his carbine while DeRudio gripped his revolver, prepared to take down a few of the warriors before they could harm them.
The warriors hadn’t noticed them, and when the leading man was just ten yards away, DeRudio took a shot. They were moving in single file, and upon his shot, they abruptly turned around, making a quick exit. Private O’Neil then fired his carbine at the second warrior, who was at that moment pulling his pony to turn him back.
The private’s aim was true, and his carbine reliable, as the Native American dropped his reins, raised his hands, and lay down on the grass for his eternal rest. The gentleman DeRudio had initially greeted rode a short distance and then followed suit. The rest of the group rode on, turned the corner of the wood, and vanished.
Throughout this period, the gunfire from the bluffs persisted, but after their shots, it ceased, and they retreated to the thicket. From their position, they observed the Indians on the bluffs, their horses tethered under the protection of the hill, and a row of sharpshooters lying prone on their stomachs.
The sounds of battle echoed from above on the hills, the sustained rattle of musketry, the cheers of their fellow soldiers, and the shouts of the Native Americans. Their spirits lifted when they recognized the familiar cheer of their comrades, but disappointment quickly set in as they realized their woodland refuge was ablaze, forcing them to relocate.
They crawled nearly to the edge of the woodland when they noticed that the adversaries had ignited both sides. They maneuvered until they discovered a dense cluster of mulberry trees, under which they crept. The grass on the fringe of this area was very green, having experienced a slight drizzle shortly before, and there was no wind.
As the fire approached their concealment, it spread very slowly, allowing DeRudio to smother it with his gauntlet gloves. The fire around them had burned down, leaving them in a small safe area. They were surrounded by fire, but it protected them from the outside. They could see everything around them without being seen.
They watched Native Americans moving around, and one standing guard about 70 or 80 yards away, watching the fire. At 4:00 p.m., he fired four shots into the air, which DeRudio thought was a signal. Then they heard a Native American shouting loudly, repeating the same sound four times.
After these signals, they saw over 200 Native Americans leaving the area and crossing the river. Later, the same signals were repeated, and many more Native Americans rode away on horseback. Soon, the rest of them left too.
They felt hopeful, and the constant gunfire slowed down, with only occasional distant shots heard. By 6:00 p.m., everything around them seemed peaceful, with no signs of Native Americans nearby. They thought the regiment had left the battlefield, and they just had to wait until nightfall to cross the river and head toward the Yellowstone River.
There, they planned to build a raft and float down to the Powder River, where their supply camp was. They had gone 36 hours without water or food. At 8:00 p.m., they waited, crossed the river twice, and climbed up the bluffs, carefully deciding which direction to go.
They moved slowly and cautiously, covering two miles before DeRudio climbed a high hill to look around and check for any signs of their command. He saw a fire about two miles away in the direction where they thought their command was fighting. They wondered if it was a Native American fire or their command’s fire.
They decided to approach cautiously and see what they could find. They went down the hill and headed toward the fire, climbing hills and stopping to listen. Proceeding for over a mile, they reached the top of a hill and stopped to listen again. They heard voices, but they were too faint to tell if they belonged to Native Americans or their own command.
They moved a bit closer and heard a murmur, followed by a sentry’s familiar challenge, "Halt, who goes there?" The challenge wasn’t aimed at them, since they were too far away and hidden in the darkness, but it gave them the confidence to keep approaching cautiously, still worried about running into Native Americans.
They were about 200 yards from the fire when DeRudio shouted, "Picket, don’t fire, it’s Lieutenant DeRudio and Private O’Neil," and started running toward them. Their announcement was met with a loud cheer from the picket and Lieutenant Varnum. Varnum, a brave and efficient officer, came up to DeRudio, overjoyed to see him alive, since he had assumed DeRudio was among the casualties.
DeRudio asked about the regiment’s status, hoping they were the only casualties, but that hope was short-lived. Varnum told him he had no news about the five companies under Custer and that their command had lost Lieutenants MacIntosh and Hodgson.
DeRudio arrived at camp around 2:00 a.m. and couldn’t sleep, despite being exhausted from two nights without rest. He talked to Varnum about the battle, sharing his close calls and adventures. Morning came soon, and he met with the officers to let them know the Native Americans had left.
At 8:00 a.m., they saw cavalry approaching, first a few scouts, then a large column. They soon realized it was General Terry’s command coming to relieve them. Later, a long line of infantry appeared on the plain, and General Gibbon arrived. Seeing those blue coats filled their hearts with emotion.
When Generals Gibbon and Terry entered their camp, grown men cried like children. DeRudio acknowledged Private O’Neil’s loyalty and bravery. O’Neil followed his orders and stood by him like a brother. DeRudio said he would always remember him and his valuable service during their dangerous time together. He noted that this courageous soldier was highly respected by his company commander and would always have DeRudio’s gratitude and that of his comrades.