THEY RODE UP AT NIGHT
WITHOUT ANY LIGHT
BANGING CUPS ON THE SADDLES TO FOLLOW 

HORSES WERE SPENT
SCOUTS HAD BEEN SENT
IN BLOOD THEY SOON WOULD WALLOW

FROM THE CROW’S NEST, THE PREY
WAS MILES AWAY
PONIES LOOKED LIKE WORMS IN THE GRASS

THE GENERAL WAS LEARY
SOLDIERS WERE WEARY
INTO HELL THEY SOON WOULD PASS

THE TROOPS WERE DIVIDED
BENTEEN HAD BEEN CHIDED
RENO WAS TOLD TO ATTACK

BUT THE PLAN WAS UNCLEAR
SOME MEN HAD FEAR
CUSTER WOULD NEVER COME BACK 

SCOUTS THEY GAVE WARNING
TO THE GENERAL THAT MORNING:
SIOUX WARRIORS ARE MUCH TOO STRONG

BUT CUSTER DERIDED
THOSE WHO HAD GUIDED
BOY GENERALS CAN NEVER BE WRONG 

THE BATTLE SOON STARTED,
FIVE COMPANIES DEPARTED
LEAVING RENO TO FIGHT ALL ALONE

HE CHARGED DOWN THE VALLEY
HIS BATTALION DID RALLY
BUT UNCERTAINTY WAS NOW TO BE SHOWN

GALL CAME OUT FIRST
FOR BLOOD HE HAD THIRST
HIS WIVES AND THREE CHILDREN WERE DEAD

HE ROARED INTO BATTLE
BONE WHISTLES DID RATTLE
HIS WINCHESTER SPITTING HOT LEAD

THE MAJOR RETREATED,
TROOPERS DEPLETED
LEAVING SOME TO SLEEP THEIR LAST SLEEP

THEY FLEW TOWARDS THE RIVER
WARRIORS EMPTIED THEIR QUIVER
WIDOWS WOULD CERTAINLY WEEP

DOC PORTER THEN STOPPED
A SOLDIER HAD DROPPED
AN ARROW CLEAR THROUGH HIS BACK

A SCOUT LOUDLY PLEADED
“DOC YOU’LL BE NEEDED”,
REYNOLDS WOULD COVER HIS TRACK

A YOUNG LIFE NOW ENDED
A DOCTOR DEFENDED
NOW IT WAS TIME TO RUN 

THE DOC QUICKLY MOUNTED
COFFINS ARE COUNTED
WARRIORS POURED OUT FROM THE SUN.

A HORSE IN A RACE
NO LONGER KEPT PACE
THE LIEUTENENT BEING YANKED FROM HIS STEAD

ONTO THE GROUND
HIS RING WOULD BE FOUND
NO LONGER ABLE TO LEAD

A BLACK MAN IN BLUE
HAD MARRIED A SIOUX
HE SPOKE THE LANGUAGE QUITE WELL

HE WAS PINNED BY HIS HORSE
THE WARRIORS IN FORCE
(THE HORRORS ONE SHOULDN’T TELL)

THEY PLUNGED OFF THE BANK
INTO WATER THEY SANK
GASHES AND BROKEN BONE

HORSES WERE THRASHING
WAR CLUBS WERE CRASHING
WARRIORS NAMES ARE STILL KNOWN.

SOME DIED IN THAT CREEK
THE ANGRY AREN’T MEEK
BLUE COATS AND WARRIORS ENTANGLED

WAR CRIES WERE SHRILL
AS MEN RAN UP HILL
BODIES WOULD LATER BE MANGLED

ON THE BLUFFS THEY DUG PITS
WITH SPOONS, CUPS AND MITTS
TO BOLSTER THEIR BASTION ON HIGH

THOSE LEFT TORN ASUNDER
TO THE NORTH THEY HEARD THUNDER
(A SOUND SOME WOULD LATER DENY)

WEIR RACED TOWARD THE FIRING,
BENTEEN NOW ASPIRING
BRINGING ORDER TO THE BATTERED COMMAND

MAJOR RENO WAS SHAKEN
A WHIPPING HE’D TAKEN
A CAREER NOW TURNED INTO SAND

NOT FAR DOWN THE STREAM
FULFILLING SITTING BULL’S DREAM
SOLDIERS, WITH NO EARS, UPSIDE DOWN 

AND THE FIRING SOON ENDED
THEN SPIRITS ASCENDED
AND QUIET FELL ALL AROUND

ALL WHOM HE LED
WITH CUSTER WERE DEAD
NOT ONE LEFT TO BE HEARD 

NOT THE BROTHERS, NOT THE WRITERS,
NOR THE GREAT INDIAN FIGHTERS
WOULD UTTER ANOTHER BRAVE WORD