Clarification ? (I think so.)

[joewiggs]

When you get as old as I presently am you may, sometimes, read a passage from a particular book or, you may come across the same passage in another book. Suddenly, after reading the same passage time after time a sudden epiphany occurs! For example the story by Mrs. Spotted Horn Bull:

"The shadow of the sun had not moved the width of a of a tepee pole's length from the beginning to the ending of the first fight..."

My Friend The Indian
James Mclaughlin,
Introduction by Robert M. Utley

Please note the words painted in red:
The sun traveling the width of a tepee pole is about 20 minutes;
Length may have been an error of some sort, the sun traveling the length of a tepee pole would have taken all day at the very least..

The first fight must have been Reno as Mrs. Horn differs between the two battle (Reno then Custer) battles, first as to second, etc.

I suspect that we may discern two factors from Mrs. Spotted Horn Bull's story, Indian referral to width of a tepee and the time it takes a hungry man to eat referred to the Reno action only.I

Indians minds were not as astute in chronological thought patters as is the White man thus, the "white" misunderstanding and confusion ofter attributed to Indian testimony which led to some historians dismissing it all together.

[stumblingbear]

Sounds like a possible explanation for some of the confusion we find in Indian testimony to me.

[whitebull]

It seems to me that the key is the "first" fight that was mentioned. Where was the second (?) fight or any other fight.

If we can identify them we would be in the money!

[joewiggs]

The "first" fight that transpired so quickly was probably the Reno encounter. Twenty minutes (original charge, halt to skirmish, fall back to the timber, and the "charge" to the hills" would include the entire episode.

Despite efforts to present a more arduous and time consuming conflict between Reno and the warriors, it lasted no more than twenty minutes or less.

At the time Reno halted, Indian testimony and and Lt. Varnum attest that the Indians were falling back until Reno inexplicably halted.