The Shasta courier., 1869-01-23
General Custar's battle.

November 29th.-It was what the Boys
in Blue call a nice little fight. We had
surprised Black Kettles band in their vii
lage. We had marched for days through
sage-wceds, woods, morass and. sand, tedi-
ously, perseveringly. We had faced the
pelting storm of snow, wading YEARLY
through its increasing depth, from its first
| fall; and had taken brief snatches of sleep
upon its soft, cold bed at night. We had
| finally abandoned our train and supplies,
and had marched all day on the enemys
trail; and, turning our backs upon the set
ting sun at night, steadily and vigorously
pushed on at times nearly falling from
our saddle with sudden sleep. 1t was mid
night, when two Usage Indian scouts In
the advance announced that they smelt the
smoke of a wood fire, a fire which we came
upon after going about mile further
| Around it were traces of Indian coys who
had been herding ponies On we pushed
again, the crisp-frozen snow rustllng softly
under the horses feet, and our long, dark
column winding through the valley like
| huge black monster Not voice could
be heard Ten miles more were passed,
and the scouts, who were ascending ele-
vated ground suddenly wheeled their
horses and quickly moved to the rear, re-
porting that ponies were grazing nearly
mile ahead of us, and that village was
doubtless in the woods beyond, which skirts
the stream in the valley. Strict silence
was observed, but no white man who look
ed could, by the utmost straining of the
eyes, see living object where the telescope
vision of these Indian scouts had discover
ed so much. Soon night-glass verified
the presence of the animals The officers
were assembled by Gen. Custar, and all
cautiously crept up to the crest of the hill
overlooking the valley below, and the sur
roundings were carefully noted 1t was a
moment of exultation, and the Generals
enthusiastic instructions were quickly and
eagerly given and received. The hour
was now about o'clock A. NJ. Quietly
the squadrons marched around to their
respective positions, and there rested for
the signal of the first gray tints of the
morning 1t came at last; and, as the
band struck up "Garry Owen the pla-
toons swept down with yell from every
side upon the doomed village The saya-
ges sprang into bitches and holes, and be-
hind trees and bushes, and opened raking
fire from every direction with bullets and
arrows Some fled with the terror-stricken
squaws and papooses, fighting as they ran.
These strove hard to reach the ponies to
mount; but very few succeeded in doing
so. Sharp and loud rang the rattling car
bines, echoed back by the hills and bluffs
on every side Swift and sure rvde the
troopers, whose lines soon extended across
the valley, furiously tearing after the fly
ing enemy--many Of whom bit the snow
miles beyond their village, where their
bodies were not afterward seen ror counted.
Two platoons were dismounted to fight to
better advantage among the bushes. Grad
ually all the Indians were hunted from
their cover like wild animals whose escape
is cut off, and the FIRE slackened One
hundred and three bodies were found
around the village proper, but many wound
ed escaped. A few of the squaws took
part in the fight, using pistols. Others
were spared, except those who had been
known to murder white captive children in
their hands. These instantly met the fate
of their warrior braves.
The ground was strewn with blankets,
robes and clothing shed by the fugitives-
Nearly 1000 animals (horses, ponies and
mules) were surrounded and driven in by
detachments when the fight opened. A
great many rifles, pistols, saddles, lariats,
brides, robes, etc, were taken; also,
large quantities of ammunition, dried meat
and other food, all of which we destroyed,
together with the 81 lodges When the
squaws and children were overtaken, col
lected together, and turned back in their
flight, they defiantly and rcsignedly chant
ed their war or death song Even the
youngest did this, expecting to be put to
death. Captain Louis Hamilton, Major
j. H. Elliott and Brevet Lieutenant Col
onel A. Rarnitz fell in the fight Black
Kettle had for some time been disposed to
keep peace with the whites, but had been
overruled by his tribe. At the first sound
of horses feet, when the cavalry approach
ed, he sprang outside his lodge, and sound
ed the war-hoop, then shouted that the
WHIlcS NClC GOIulhS W MIL bileL all, anu
that he was glad of it. Thus he fell, and
died with his faithless braves, though
"seeking for the right"
The village had no sooner been taken
than swarms of mounted Arapahoe war
riors approached at full speed from their
village, a few miles below, drawn hence by
the sound of firearms, They began cir
cling around the village, after their Gus
tom-now dashing up and firing, now re-
treating in crooked circling courses behind
hills and knolls. They cut off few of our
bravest, but more imprudent men Yet
we know that many pomp-saddle was
emptied ere those fell The battle is over,
and the field is covered with dead animals
and savages, muddy and smeared, and ly-
ing upon each other in holes and bitches.
The field resembles very slaughter pen.
We have 55 prisoners.-New York Tri-
bune.