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Lieutenant Edward Mathey was in charge of the 175-mule pack train with Captain Thomas McDougall and his Company B escorting the train. The pack train contingent had been enlarged by pulling a few men from each of the other eleven companies; approximately 130 soldiers and civilian packers were with the pack train during the battle. McDougall's Company B and Mathey's pack train arrived at Reno and Benteen's location approximately 30 minutes after the establishment of that defensive position. McDougall and his company followed Captains Weir and Benteen to the area now known as Weir Point, where, seeing evidence of an engagement in the area of today's Last Stand Hill, and noticing hundreds of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors streaming in their direction, the officers fell back to their previous location, Weir Point being deemed indefensible. McDougall posted his company as skirmishers as it seemed as though no other officer had thought of doing that. McDougall and Company B, and Mathey and the pack train would remain at the Reno-Benteen entrenchment for the next 40 hours before being relieved by General Terry's column on June 27. |
Last updated: March 17, 2023