William Slaper Eyewitness Account Reveals Untold Narrative Of Battle Of The Little Bighorn

Meet Private William Slaper, a soldier who served in the 7th US Cavalry Regiment, Company M. He played a key role in the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876, and lived to tell the tale. Slaper shared his story, offering a rare and honest look at the battle from a soldier's perspective. His account is packed with details and insights, making it a treasure trove for history buffs. Lieutenant Sturgis and I were assigned to Company M, and we left St. Louis in high spirits, headed for Fort Abraham Lincoln, near Bismarck, Dakota, on the Missouri River, the Seventh Cavalry's headquarters. A minor incident on the way might bring a smile to the reader's face. While stopping for coffee and food in Fargo, Dakota, we had a two-hour wait. An Irish sergeant, an old veteran, told a group of new recruits to go to a nearby saloon with their canteens and guns, trade the guns for liquor, and return with the liquor in their canteens. This unusual task was carried out without issue, and we continued our journey, unaware of the significant events that lay ahead.
When they got back with the whiskey, the sergeant gathered a group of new recruits, gave them guns, and marched them to the saloon. There, he scolded the owner for buying government guns and took back the ones that had been traded for liquor! This way, he got a lot of whiskey without spending a dime. I must say, I thought it was a pretty clever trick. Let's just say that from Fargo to Bismarck that night, the sergeant's train car was filled with a loud and cheerful group of soldiers, all enjoying the free whiskey and good company. We reached Bismarck without any issues and took a ferry across the Missouri River to Fort Lincoln. At the fort, we found six companies of the Seventh Cavalry already stationed there. As new recruits, we were gathered, inspected, and assigned to our respective companies, marking the start of our cavalry training. As mentioned earlier, I was assigned to M Troop, which had just returned from a scouting mission. A few days later, we headed to Fort Rice, where we spent a quiet winter. That's where I experienced extreme cold, with temperatures often dropping to 40 degrees below zero. I remember doing tasks like cutting ice and filling the large ice storage, which the infantry would later enjoy when they took over the fort. Meanwhile, we cavalrymen would be out on campaigns, facing dry, dusty plains and drinking alkaline water.
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