"Final Orders"

150th Anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn

On the early afternoon of June 25, 1876, Custer and Reno's battalions proceeded west on opposite sides of Reno Creek. On the north side, Custer's scouts noticed a standing lone tipi just ahead. Custer ordered a halt and rode ahead with some scouts and his Regimental Adjutant 1st Lt. W. W. Cooke to explore the tipi. Inside the tipi they found the body of a dead warrior lying with his finest clothing and weapons beside him. Unknown to the command, the warrior had died from wounds received at the Battle of Rosebud days earlier. Soon after, the tipi was set on fire. From a distance Indians were noticed fleeing the site. Custer then determined that the Indians might alert the village along the Little Bighorn River of the approach of the soldiers. At that moment, Custer gave verbal orders to Adjutant Cooke who then rode to meet Reno, who had just crossed Reno Creek, stating to him what would become Custer's "Final Orders". Reno was told to "take his battalion and to move at as rapid a gait as he deemed prudent and that he would be supported by the whole command." Reno and Adjutant Cooke would then recross Reno Creek, be joined by Capt. Keogh and proceed towards the Little Bighorn River. Custer proceeded west and eventually moved north along the bluffs. The two battalions were separated and the fight ensued.