Fred Gerard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fredric Frances Gerard
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Portrait of Frederic Frances Gerard
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| Born | November 14, 1829 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | January 30, 1913 (aged 83–84) St. Cloud, Minnesota |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Rank | Scout |
| Unit | 7th U.S. Cavalry |
| Battles/wars | Little Bighorn Campaign |
Fredric Frances Gerard (November 14, 1829 – January 30, 1913) was an important person in the American West. He worked as a frontiersman, an army scout, and an interpreter. He helped George Armstrong Custer and the 7th U.S. Cavalry during the famous Little Bighorn Campaign.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fred Gerard was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 14, 1829. His parents were Francois and Catherine Gerard. He received his education at Xavier College.
Life as a Trader
In 1848, Gerard moved to Fort Pierre, South Dakota. He started working there as a trapper for the American Fur Company. This company was very important in the fur trade.
Later, he traveled further up the Missouri River to Fort Clark. There, he learned to speak the Arikara language.
Moving to Fort Berthold
In 1855, the American Fur Company sent Gerard to Fort Berthold. This fort was in what was then the Dakota Territory. He stayed there until 1869.
After 1869, he became an independent trader. He opened his own stores at places like Fort Berthold, Fort Stevenson, Fort Buford, and in Montana.
Starting a Ranch
Fred Gerard eventually stopped trading furs. He tried to start a ranch west of Bismarck, North Dakota. This land was across the Missouri River. He claimed the land, but the Northern Pacific Railroad later claimed it for their train route.
However, the railroad gave him 40 acres of land. This land was between the Missouri and Heart Rivers. Today, this area is in Mandan, North Dakota.
Working as a Military Interpreter
Gerard was very good at languages. He could speak English, French, Sioux, Arikara, and Chippewa. Because of this, he was often hired as an interpreter.
Lieutenant Colonel Custer hired Gerard to work at Fort Abraham Lincoln. His job was to interpret for the Arikara scouts, who were also called "Ree" scouts. Gerard knew the Arikara language well from his years as a trader. By this time, he had lived in Native American lands for 31 years. He had also been part of several battles.
The Little Bighorn Campaign
On the morning of June 25, 1876, Gerard went with Custer and the scouts. They rode to a high hill called the "Crow's Nest." From there, they could see the Little Bighorn River valley below.
The scouts saw a lot of dust. They said it was from a huge pony herd. They also claimed to see hundreds of lodges, which meant thousands of Native Americans were there. Custer could not see what they described. He did not want to listen to their warnings.
Soon after, Gerard rode to a small hill. He saw 40 Native Americans riding away very fast. He shouted to Custer, "Here are your Indians, running like devils!"
Custer then divided his soldiers into four groups and attacked. Major Marcus Reno's group, Gerard, and the Ree scouts crossed the river. They were surprised to see many warriors riding toward them to fight. Custer had thought the Native Americans would run away.
Gerard turned back and caught up with Lieutenant William W. Cooke and Captain Myles Keogh. These officers were with Custer's main group. Gerard told them that the Native Americans were not running away. They were coming out to fight. Cooke and Keogh went back to Custer and were killed with him.
Hiding and Surviving
When Reno's group retreated to the bluffs, Gerard was one of about a dozen men left behind. He and Billy Jackson met up with Lieutenant Charles DeRudio and Private Thomas O'Neill. The four of them hid in the woods for the rest of June 25 and most of June 26.
Around midday on June 26, some Native Americans found them. Gerard and Jackson still had their horses. They rode off to draw the Native Americans away from DeRudio and O'Neill, who had lost their horses.
Gerard survived the battle. He later helped Dr. Henry Porter as a surgical assistant on Reno Hill. He also gave his testimony at the Reno Court of Inquiry. In the official records, his name was sometimes spelled "Girard."
Later Years
After the battle, Gerard went back to his normal life. In the 1880s, he opened a store in Mandan, North Dakota. He also served on the board of commissioners for Morton County. He was the first assessor for the county. He also ran a ferry across the Heart River.
In 1890, the Gerard family moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Fred worked in advertising for the Philsbury Baking Company there.
In 1912, Gerard shared his story of the Little Bighorn Battle. He told it to a writer named Fred Dustin, who was collecting stories from survivors. Fredric Frances Gerard died in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on January 30, 1913. This was less than a year after his interview. He spent his last few months being cared for by Benedictine nuns in St. Cloud. Two of his daughters lived and worked there.
Family Life
While at Fort Berthold in Dakota Territory, Fred Gerard was married to a Native American woman named Helena Catherine. She was the sister of a warrior named Whistling Bear. They had three daughters: Josephine, Carrie, and Virginia. In 1874, the girls were sent to a Catholic boarding school. Josie and Virginia later became nuns in the Catholic Benedictine Order in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
In the late 1860s or early 1870s, Gerard had a son named Frederic with a woman from the Blackfeet Nation.
In 1879, he married Ella S. Waddell. Together, they had four children: Ferderic, Birdie, Charles, and Florance.
In Popular Culture
Actor Eric Lawson played Fred Gerard in the 1991 film Son of the Morning Star.
