At noon on June 22, 1876, the Seventh Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer began its ill-fated march to the Little Bighorn near this location. General Alfred Terry, having ordered a parade review send-off for the Seventh, joined Colonel John Gibbon and Major James Brisbane on a rise west of the bivouac camp while a dozen or so buglers assembled to provide brass fanfare. Custer joined the three officers as the Indian and civilian scouts rode by at the head of the column. As each of the twelve companies passed in review, the company commanders rode up to the officers and exchanged salutes and final well-wishes before riding off, while the slow-moving mule pack team brought up the rear. Just before Custer rode off to join the column at the front, Colonel John Gibbon reminded him about the plans decided the day before during the officers' meeting on the steamer Far West and said something like, "Don't be greedy, wait for us," to which Custer reportedly responded, "No, no I won't." Some historians attach great significance to these comments, although Colonel Gibbon later said his remarks were made in jest and that he was unconcerned with Custer's response at the time. Three days later, on the afternoon of June 25, Custer, believing that his command had been discovered and that the Indians were fleeing, attacked the huge village along the Little Bighorn with disastrous results. Major Marcus Reno's three companies were routed in the valley attack and driven to defensive positions east of the river with the loss of over forty men, and less than four miles to the north, all five companies of Custer's column were wiped out to the last man.