 Custer soon divided his company into four detachments and attacked.As Major Marcus Reno's battalion, Gerard, and the Rees forded the river, to their surprise they saw large swarms of mounted warriors riding towards them to give battle, instead of fleeing at the approach of the cavalry as Custer had presumed.Gerard turned back and overtook Custer's adjutant, Lieutenant William W. Cooke and Captain Myles Keogh, another officer from Custer's column who had accompanied Reno as far as the river.