National Register Listing

Initial Rock

a.k.a. Name Rock

SE of Medora in Custer National Forest, Medora, ND

General George Armstrong Custer left Fort Abraham Lincoln near Bismarck, North Dakota on May 17, 1876 as regimental commander of the 7th Cavalry and under General Alfred H. Terry's command. Their mission was a campaign against hostile Sioux in the Montana Territory. Initial Rock was the twelfth camp site selected on "Custer's Trail." Camp was made on May 28, when a wagon was lost off a bridge. This was about 200 feet downstream from Initial Rock. One night was spent at that site and camp was broken at 5:00 am. on May 29.

General Custer made his famous "Last Stand" on June 25, 1876 on the Little Big Horn River. Privates Frank Neely and William C. Williams were not as signed to General Custer's battalion at the time of the massacre. Private Neely's Company M was under Major Reno's command and Private Williams' Company H was under Captain Benteen during the battle. Many historic accounts of the Battle of the Little Big Horn are available.

The signatures of Neely and Williams appeared on a petition on July 4, 1876 which was circulated at the regimental camp among the survivors of the battle. The petition was addressed to the President and Congress requesting that Major Reno be promoted to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Custer and that Captain Benteen be then promoted to fill Reno's vacancy.

The names carved in the rock may have been done as a desire to be recognized, a form of recreation, or a lack of something better to do by F. Neely and W.C. Williams. The rock definitely forms a landmark on Custer's Trail and records General Custer's travels leading up to the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Local significance of the site:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1976.