“Many corpses were found scattered over the field between Custer’s line of defense, the river, and in the direction of Reno Hill. These, doubtless, were of men who had attempted to escape, some of them may have been sent as couriers by Custer. One of the first bodies I recognized and one of the nearest to the ford was that of Sergeant Butler of Tom Custer’s troop. Sergeant Butler was a soldier of many years’ experience and of known courage. The indications were that he had sold his life dearly, for near and under him were found many empty cartridge shells.”
- Lt. Edward Godfrey
No one knows why Butler’s body was so isolated from the others. Could he, as Godfrey suggests, been sent as a courier for help? We’ll never know. Today Butler’s marker stands all alone on a low hill above the Little Bighorn River.
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