Custer's five troops had approached the Indian camp by a different route than taken by Reno, which had not allowed Custer to view the valley or see the village. Custer left his five troops and rode up to the edge of the high bluffs just east of the Little Bighorn Valley and was confronted by a view of a very large Indian village. Given the village's large size, Custer's first thought was to bring up the pack train as quickly as possible with its reserve supply of ammunition...and at this point he sent Sergeant Kanipe back to McDougall with a verbal message telling him to hurry up with the ammunition. Custer returned to his troops and continued north, again behind the bluffs and out of sight from the village. When Custer rode to the edge of the bluffs again, he realized the village was even larger than first thought. Given the immense size of the village Custer realized he needed not only the pack train, but also the three troops under Captain Benteen, and he called over his trumpeter John Martin, and sent him to Benteen with a verbal as well as a written message, signed by the adjutant Lt. Cooke, which read: "Benteen, Come on, Big Village, Be Quick, bring packs, W. W. Cooke. P.S. Bring pacs(sic)". Custer and his five troops then rode off. Trumpeter Martin was the last surviving member of the 7th cavalry to see or talk with Custer.
