The eyewitness account of Red Bear, a seasoned scout, offers a raw and detailed look at the chaos of the Battle of Little Bighorn. His testimony captures the cultural clash that defined the American frontier, bringing to life the intense moments of gunfire and the war cries that characterized the conflict.
As the scouts pushed down the dry run, Red Bear arrived and ordered the charge. He specifically instructed the scouts to seize the Dakota horses, noting that there were plenty of provisions at the camp. One scout entered a tepee, tasted the contents, and found the others already circling it, lashing it with their whips.
The group paused at the edge for approximately half an hour. One scout left for a fallen Dakota warrior and ate some of the meat. Custer soon arrived with Fred Gerard, who remarked that the scouts were supposed to move. Gerard claimed the white soldiers were less brave, and he threatened to take Custer's weapons and deem him a woman if he did not show courage.
One scout replied that they should step aside and let the soldiers take the lead in the charge. Custer declared that if any man among his soldiers outpaced them, he would catch them and chastise them with both words and gestures. He directed the charge into the Sioux village, but the scouts lingered, looking at the tepee.
Custer confronted them, saying they had disobeyed him for a long time. The scouts chuckled and indicated they were prepared for battle. They advanced, but Red Bear saw that approximately 50 yards from the lone tepee, Custer veered to the right with his men.
Gerard continued with the scouts, joined by Young Hawk, Goose, Back, Fox, Red Star, Strikes Two, Bloody Knife, Little Sioux, Bob-Tailed Bull, Forked Horn, Red Foolish Bear, Boy Chief, Little Brave, and One Feather. They rode hard, charging down to the Little Bighorn. As they crossed the river, they came closer to the Dakota camp.
They then split up once more, with six scouts heading straight for Boy Chief and Red Star, followed by Strikes Two, Black Fox, Little Sioux, and One on the right, where the Dakota horses were grazing near the timber. The group with Bloody Knife pressed toward the Dakota camp's point.
Bloody Knife returned with three horses and yelled for someone to take them back to the hill. The group included Bloody Knife, Young Hawk, Goose, Forked Horn, Little Brave, Red Bear, and One Star. Red Bear did not see Bloody Knife because of the dust, but he later realized who it was. He dismounted and started running.
The Dakotas, lying out of sight on the hills or bluffs, converged at the Sioux camp's point and opened fire with their carbines. The Dakotas retreated farther to the left, and Red Bear saw soldiers lining up across the river to his right. Forked Horn, at the timber's edge, called out for the group to come his way as they crossed toward the Dakota village.
The soldiers caught up with them, firing from less than a quarter of a mile away. No one was on horseback at that time. They dismounted and started shooting. There were no white soldiers or officers present when Bloody Knife called out about the horses. He said he was going to strike an enemy Sioux.
The white soldiers were shouting and calling out. When Red Bear got to Forked Horn and dismounted, he saw a Dakota horse that had been shot in the neck. The soldiers had not dismounted yet, but the scouts were ready. Young Hawk rode up to Red Bear and said he had struck a bay horse.
Young Hawk struck the horse again and offered it to Red Bear, saying he had a rope and could take the horse for himself. Red Bear answered, "What's the use? We're in the middle of fighting and I might be killed." Young Hawk then rode back to his position.
As the camp was getting ready to charge, Young Hawk said, "Let me fire one shot at the camp and then let's retreat." Just then, Little Brave emerged from the timber and warned that he had overheard the Dakotas on the hill, noting they were outnumbered. As Little Brave mounted to fire, Red Bear held his horse.
Little Brave swiftly returned, alerting Red Bear that the Dakotas were about to charge. The Dakotas were hiding in the bushes, firing from the ground. A wave of Dakota horses rode toward the ford. The Dakotas opened fire, and the area was swarming with them. The scouts were advised to mount and ride back to the timber, then across the river.
As they rode toward the river, they came under fire from an ambush just across the water. A bullet struck the horse's saddle horn, stopping the animal. Red Bear tugged at the horse's head until it finally moved. He then sought a soldier's son on horseback far ahead.
He moved forward, though the saddle girth broke, causing him to lose his extra cartridges. He emerged from the timber and lost sight of Little Brave. He saw someone trying to mount but falling twice. Eventually, the man managed to mount and chased after Little Brave, who had not dismounted and was retreating toward the timber.
A deep cut caused the soldiers' horses to fall, and Red Bear heard them continue to follow Little Brave until the dark figure in front turned left. Thinking it could not be Little Brave, he headed straight on, passing the point where the rider had been shouting. He turned left, avoiding the cut, and left the struggling soldiers behind.
Red Bear's horse stumbled and fell, throwing him off. The horse bolted toward the river, and Red Bear gave chase. A Dakota warrior, his face painted red below and yellow above, still held his carbine in his right hand. Red Bear saw the warrior ride toward the horse and drag it behind him, bringing it to a stop.
Red Bear caught up, but the horse was frightened. Red Bear shot the Dakota, who fell from the horse. The horse reappeared, wheeled back, and fled. In this open area with few trees and many rose bushes, a long dry limb got caught in the bridle.
A horse upstream on his right spooked and jumped around, making it difficult for Red Bear to control his own mount with just his left hand. He could hear the piercing whistle of the Dakotas and the constant firing of carbines. He followed his horse as it emerged from the water.
He saw a Dakota horse swimming behind it. He swam to it, caught it by the mane, and they crossed the river together. The dark bay horse had a white streak on its forehead and a string of deer hooves around its neck that rattled as it swam. This horse crossed the river a little upstream from him.
Red Bear approached the location where the Dakota horse had crossed, hoping to drive it toward Little Brave. Little Brave's horse was walking slowly toward the ridge, but not upstream toward Red Bear. He saw that Little Brave had already crossed and was injured beneath his right shoulder, with blood flowing down his white shirt.
The horse was terrified and ran past Red Bear a few yards away. He saw that the saddle was covered in blood. Five or six white soldiers emerged from the bushes, having crossed the river, and Bob-Tailed Bull's horse followed them. The Dakota horse Red Bear was driving dashed after the others.
Suddenly, through the bushes on his left downstream, came Bob-Tailed Bull's horse, its reins and rope flying, mane and tail flowing in the wind. The Dakotas were firing down at them from the hills above. Little Brave was still riding slowly and waving his hand at Red Bear to be careful.
Little Brave dismounted and grabbed the dangling rein from one of the two horses. Red Bear asked him to catch one of the horses for him. His own horse was exhausted while Little Brave and the men rode into the river. Red Bear injured his bare feet on the rose bushes.
The horse was scared and dragged him through the bushes, forcing him to lose his grip upstream near the end of the ridge. The horse then hauled him to the Dakota firing line. Red Bear eventually removed the rope and mounted his own horse. He did not see Little Brave again, so he assumed that all of the soldiers had been killed.
As Red Bear got close to Reno, Reno slapped him on the chest with an open hand and yelled "Scout," thinking Red Bear was a Dakota warrior. Reno's men raised their rifles to shoot, but as Red Bear got closer to the ridge, he saw many soldiers in retreat. At the front was Reno in a panic, shouting back at the Sioux.
Reno asked where the enemy was, and Red Bear pointed down the ridge, indicating their position. An officer with three stripes had a handkerchief tied around his head, foam collecting in his mouth and beard, and his eyes were wild. A stray bullet grazed Red Bear's coat at the armpit.
A Dakota horse charged at them. Red Bear tried to catch it, but the soldiers shot the animal down. The Dakotas eventually retreated and stopped firing. The remaining scouts were grouped with Reno's group, which came to a brief stop. Reno pleaded to keep his men from falling apart.
Young Hawk, Bloody Knife, Bob-Tailed Bull, Little Brave, Forked Horn, Red Foolish Bear, and Goose had been riding slowly in his direction. As he crested the ridge, Red Bear saw White Cloud, who suggested that they join the other scouts with the horses. Red Bear led two horses, and White Cloud, a Dakota scout, told him that the Crow scouts had captured some Dakotas.
After failing to capture the injured horse, Red Bear mounted and lost sight of Little Brave. White Cloud led one horse as they approached a small hill. They saw four riders with the horses but they had not yet returned. They headed back toward Reno's position, thinking they were Dakotas.
The horsemen were actually Crow scouts who recognized Red Bear and extended warm greetings. Red Bear called back to White Cloud, pointing out the unique red shoulders painted on the Crow scouts' white shirts. The scouts stopped, and the group rode together.
They reported that two of their comrades had been killed on the ridge and that they intended to retrieve their bodies before the horses returned. The scouts started to arrive, beginning with Bull in the Water and then returning after a while. Red Bear and White Cloud suggested that they strike Red Star, Boy Chief, One Feather, Soldier, Stabbed Strikes the Lodge, and Little Sioux.
Later, more scouts arrived with a herd of about 40 captured horses, including Charging Bull. Returning to Reno's position, assuming the scouts would not return, they discovered Reno and his soldiers still there. Soon after, the scouts retrieved fresh horses. Red Wolf, White Eagle, and Pretty Face, who had joined them from the pack train, were also present at Reno's position.
Red Bear instructed the group to return to the Powder River, where the rest of the scouts, wagons, and provisions were. If they were defeated, they were to follow Custer's orders. Stabbed rode around speaking to the men. The scouts had not seen the mule train, but Pretty Face was probably with the herd.
The scouts talked about the deaths of seven of their friends, and Red Bear was relieved to be reunited with the others. Stabbed ordered some scouts to take the herd while the others stayed behind to repel the Dakotas. The soldiers were half dismounted, and Red Bear did not see any officers.
The ten scouts leading the horse herd had barely started their journey when another group, including Little Sioux, White Cloud, Crow, Dakota Scouts, a half-breed Dakota interpreter, Bear Waiting, and Mitoa, joined the group tasked with keeping the Dakotas away. The scouts who went with the horses were Bull in the Water, Charging Bull, Red Wolf, White Eagle, Red Star, Pretty Face, Red Bear, One Feather, and Petat.
Red Bear and his fellow scouts continued on, passing the lone tepee and traveling six miles beyond it by sunset. They followed the trail they had taken earlier that morning. Soon after, Bull caught up with them, sent by Strikes Two with a message to hold their pace.
As darkness fell, they heard three shots fired ahead of the herd, alarming the scouts. They joined the group, and after sunset, Red Wolf and Bull in the Water rode ahead of the herd. The Dakota tents were being dismantled, and they feared a pursuit. They swiftly surrounded the herd and rode forward, reaching the Rosebud Valley in the darkness.
The remaining scouts drove the herd from behind. A cloud of dust determined that the Dakotas were approaching, and they needed to flee. They chose fresh horses, and dirt flying from the trail behind them indicated the Dakotas were in pursuit. The two scouts who had been ahead fell back upon hearing the shots and rejoined the herd.
They took new horses and rode around the herd until they saw a black line. They led their horses over the bank, sliding down to a water hole. Tired and thirsty, they stopped at the edge of the timber. Each scout made a makeshift drinking area with their hands and drank from the hole.
Unfortunately, there was not enough water for the horses, so they rested and went ahead to find a muddy water hole over a cut bank. One scout called out to the others, and they conversed. Whole Buffalo mentioned that he knew the way out, and they followed him to the Rosebud River, arriving at midnight.
They continued on to the present-day Cheyenne agency, arriving at dawn. They then ascended and advised the others to remain put for the day, as they could observe their surroundings in all directions. The scouts stopped and looked down at the site of the Dakota Sun Dance, scavenging for food among the camp remnants.
The Dakota scouts resumed their journey, riding through the night until they arrived at the camp where the dead were resting. Some scouts slept while others kept watch. At dawn, they discovered meat and hardtack for breakfast. They crossed the Rosebud River at the same spot as before.
They found that Stab's scout had found remnants of a recent campfire, including cooking cans. They concluded that this was the party that had already crossed ahead of them. After identifying their tracks from Stab's mule, the party's breakfast camp was ahead. With the time now around noon, they proceeded down the Rosebud to its mouth.
Arriving at the old camp and last parade ground on the Rosebud bank, they found boxes of partially spoiled hardtack. They packed these onto their saddles and continued on their way. The party, led by Strikes Two, then crossed the Tongue River and arrived at the location where a soldier had been clubbed to death.
They then proceeded to the Powder River camp, where they discovered Red Bear's party, a company of infantry, and a wagon train led by the commander wearing a white hat from Fort Buford. Through interpreters, including a half-breed Dakota and Crow Bear, the scouts shared their knowledge of the battle with the officer.
The officer gathered the scouts and told them to bring in their horses, choosing the best two to take by steamboat to the Bighorn River mouth. The two scouts rode their horses across. Foolish Bear and White Cloud delivered messages to the officer who had crossed the Elk River to the Bighorn mouth.
They returned after a few days to summon Strikes Two and Bull. In the Yellowstone Elk River, they pulled a small raft with their carbines and a message bag. They crossed the water to transport the mail to Fort Buford. Foolish Bear and White Cloud then crossed the river and rejoined the other scouts.
Red Bear never saw Little Brave again, believing that all the soldiers had been killed.