The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-07-13
BRAVE CUsTER,s A
Particulars Of the Disastrous
Fight with the Indisns-The Horrible
story Told by the Dead OF the seventh
Cavalry.

THE BIG HORN, July j, via BISMARCK, d. |
T., July 6.-Long before the arrival Of this |
dispatch you will have heard Of the tragedy
which has been enacted here. The CHASTITY
details would seem to court oblivion II II
were In tho nature Of things possible to for |
get or cloak them up.
At noon, on the 22d day Of June, Gen,
Custer, at the head Of his fine regiment of
twelve veteran companies, left camp ut the
mouth Of the Rosebud, to follow the trail of
a very large band Of hostile Sioux leading
up the river aud westward in the direction
OF the Big Horn. The signs Indicated that
the Indians were making for the eastern
branch Of the last named river, marked on
the map as the "Little Big Horn" AT
the same time Gen. Terry, with Gibbons
command Of five companies Of infantry, four
OF cavalry, and the Calling battery, started
to
ASCEND THE MO HORN,
aiming to assail the enemy In the rear. The
march OF the two columns was 10 planned
rs to bring Gibbons forces within cooper
ating distance OF the anticipated scene OF
action by the evening Of the 20th. In this
way only could the infantry be made availa.
BILE, as II would not do to cucumber Custer's
march with foot soldiers. On the evening
OF tho oath Gibbons command was landed
on the south bank Of the Yellowstone, near
the mouth Of the Big Horn, and on the 25th
was pushed 30 miles over a country so rug
ged that the endurance of the men was
tasked TO the utmost. The infantry then
halted for the plight, but the Department
Commander, with the cavalry, advanced IL
miles further, 10 the mouth OF the Little
niv Harm r,arnhinp ,,tI ,niJ,trlt T., a..
hope of opening communication with Gus
ter. The morning Of the Goth brought the
intelligence. communicated by three badly
frightened Crow scouts, Of
THE BATTLE OF II PREVIOUS A
and its results. Thu story was not credited,
because 1t was not expected that an attack
would be made earlier than the 9th, and
chiefly because no one could believe that a
force such as Custer commanded could have
met with disaster. Still the report was in
no way disregarded. All day long the toll
some march was piled, and every eve bert
upon u cloud OF smoke resting over the
southern horizon, which was hailed as a
sign that Custer was successful and had fred
the village. 1t was only when night was
Falling that the weary troops lay down upon
their arms. The infantry had marched 30
miles. Tbe march Of the next morning re-
realed at every step some evidence of the
conflict which had taken place two days
before. At an early hour the head Of the
column entered a plain half a mile wide.
bordering the left bank of the Little Big
Horn, where had recently been an immens
Indian village, extending three miles along
the stream, and where were still standing
| fnYnrnI lnI.a, ,-.,L -. .-l
around them and containing the bodies Of
nine chiefs. The ground was strewn every
where with carcasses Of horses, cavalry
equipments, besides buffalo robes, packages
Of dried meat, and weapons and utensils be-
longing to Indians. On this part Of the
field was found the clothing of Lieuts.
Sturgis and Porter, pierced with bullets,
and a blood-stained gauntlet belonging
to Col. Yates. Further on were
FOUND II BODIES OF MEN,
among whom were recognized Lieut.. McIn-
tosh, the interpreter from Fort Rice, and
Reynolds, the guide. Just then a breathless
scout arrived with the intelligence that Col.
Reno, with a remnant Of the eth Cavalry,
was intrenched on a bluff near by, waiting
for relief. The command pushed rapidly
10y $500 H''A NbhhS "a ciSh' VI q EiouP u
rounding a cavalry guard upon a lofty emil
nence on the right bank Of the river. Gen.
Terry forded the stream, accompanied by a
small party, and rode to the spot. All the
way the slopes were dotted with the bodies
Of men and horses. The General approached,
and the men swarmed out of the works and
greeted him with hearty and repeated cheers.
Within was found Rem with the remains OF
seven companies Of the regiment, with
the following named officers, all of whom
were unhurt: Coils. Benteen and Wier;
Capts. Felix Maylan and McDougal; Lieuts.
Godfrey, Mathey, Gibson, DeRudid, Ed
gerly, Wallace, Varnum and Hare. In the
center OF the Enclosure was a depression in
the surface in which the wounded were
sheltered, covered with canvas. Reno's
command had been fighting from Sunday
noon (the 25th) until the night of the 9th,
when Terry's arrival caused the Indians to
retire. Up to this time Reno and those with
him were in complete ignorance OF the fate
OF the other five companies, which had been
separated from them early on the 25th to
make an attack under Custer, on the village
at another point. While preparations were
being made for the removal of the wounded,
a party were sent on Custer's trail to look
for traces Of his command. They found
awaiting them
A sIGH FIT TO APPALL TIE sToUTEsT
HEART
At a point about three miles down the
right bank Of the stream, Custer had evil
IDENTIFY attempted to ford and attack the viii
lage from the ford. The trail was found to
lead back up to the bluffs and to the north
ward, as il the troops had been repulsed
and compelled to retreat, and at the same
TINE had been cut of from regaining the
fort under Reno. The bluffs along the
right Ii. X come sharply down to the water,
and are interspc"sed ly numerous ravines
all along the slopes and ridges, and in the
ravines lay the dead arranged ia order of
battle, lying as they fought, line behind
line, showing where defensive posi-
tions had been successfully taken up
and held till none were left to
fight. Then, huddled in a narrow COM
pass, horses and men were piled prOmis-
cuously. At the highest point of the ridge
lay Custer, surrouHded by a chosen band.
Here were his two brothers and his nephew,
Mr.. Reed, Coils. Yates and Cooke and Capt.
Smith, all lying In a circle Of a few yards,
their horses beside them. Here, behind
Yates's company, the last stand had been
made, and here, one after another, these
last survivors Of Custer's five companies
had met their death. The companies had
successfully thrown themselves across the
path Of the advancing enemy and had been
annihilated.
NOT A MAN A ESCAPED TO TELL TIE
TALE,
but II was inscribed on the surface of these
barren hills in u language more eloquent
ths't words. Two hundred ana sixty-one
! bodies have been buried from Custer's and
Reno's command. The last one found wal
that of Mr.. Kellogg, correspondent of the
Bismarck Tribune, and also, l believe, OF
the New York Herald. The following are
the names Of the officers whose remains are
recognized: Gen. Custer, Col. Keogh, Col.
Yates. Col, Custer, Col. Cooke, Can't,