Little Bighorn, June 25th 1876, 3:03 P.M. The Battle is on! Around noon Ltd. Col. Custer's plan to conceal his attack force behind a ridge, rest his troops after an arduous night march and attack the spotted Indian village in a classic dawn raid on the 26th is in tatters as troopers report that a pack of hardtack that had fallen off from one of the pack mules has been discovered by two Indian boys. When the troopers charged them, they killed one boy (his name was Deeds, he becomes the first victim of the day), but the other managed to flee. Believing his force has been discovered and fearing the Indians will flee before he can envelope and attack them, Custer decides to quickly split his troops into several attack units and commence the attack immedately. After having sent Capt. Frederic Benteen on a reconnaissance trip to the left "to search for satelite villages", Custer orders Capt. Marcus Reno to charge the village with three companies from the south, promising him that he will be "supported by the whole outfit". Custer himself retains five companies and commences flanking the village in order to cut off the retreat of panicked villagers at the other end of the village. Reno crosses the river, gets into a quick trot, then a slow gallop and then charges with his 90 men at full speed towards the Indian village, rifles and pistols being fired into the mass of teepees, men, women and children...