The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-07-21
THE FRONTIER WAR.
Graphic Description of the Battle at
ROsebu e. Biographical sketch
of GEN. George A. Custer.

which was said to be seven miles down
the Rosebud. The second cavalry
twenty men having been detailed tC
operate with the CrOws-all under the
command of Col. Mills, were ordered to
march at as rapid a gait as the horses
could endure down the creek to the vii
lage, carry il, and hold it until the re
mainder of the command came up. Fol
lowing the creek for six miles, being ac-
companied by Lieut.. Bourke, aid to
the general, and Frank Gouard, the
guide, Mills was overtakan by an order
from Gen. Crook, carried by Capt. Nick
erson, and ordered to change direc-
tion to the main body. In the mean
while, G and G., of the Third, under
Van Welt and Crawford, who had driven
the enemy from the ridge back of camp,
aud occup pied it, were drawn back and
B, Meinhold's, of the Third, taken from
Royals line and concentrated on the hill
now occupied by the infantry and the
field hospital, With Col. Royal, with d,
L and F, of Henry's battalion, and l
company of the third, of Mills battalion,
now held the ridge along which A, E
and NJ had charged earlier in the day.
1t is estimated that from
FIVE TO SEVEN HUNDRED INDIANS
were pressing this battalion from the
front and left flank, a number of shots
coming from their left and rear. This
| fire was especially annoying to the left of
| the lire, which-being held by part of
| Andrews troops and few men who had
become separated from their proper COM
mands-induced a small number of men
to break away, say they could stand a
fire from the front, but when it enfiladed
them and came from the rear it was
rather rough The officer in charge ap-
pealed to them to go back, saying,
Men, we must hlod the hill" " All
right, sir" replied one of them dCggedly;
eff YOU say So we'll hold it till hill
freezes over" and they went back and
stayed until the order came to abandon
the position. As soon as abandoned, the
crest was at once occupied by the enc
my, who poured in a terribly strong fire
on the troops as they fastened across the
intervening valley. The line was held
for ten minutes, and again the order
came from Gen. Crook to fall back, as he
wished these four companies to join him
in one grand rush for the village.
The Indians, seeing the soldiers re-
treating, imagined they were beaten,
and, being encouraged by the thought,
displayed a dash and courage not before
seen on that day, and seldom seen in In
dian warfare. Occupying a position
farther to the rear, on crest that was
destined to be the scene of
THE HOTTEST ENCOUNTER.
that had ever taken place between In
dians and soldiers, the gallant little bat
talon, now reduced by wounded, details
necessary to carry them back to the hos
pital, and horse-holders, to not more
tLan seventy men, all told, firmly
awaited the onslaught of the enemy,
who were now pouring in a rolling, con-
| tinuous fire from rocks, ravines and
covers of all descriptions. The company
officers, Henry, Vroom, Andrews, Rey-
nolds and Foster, remaining still mount
ed, as they had been all day, and being
ably and gallantly assisted by first Ser
geant John Henry, ot | troop, of the
Third, rode up and down the line, en-
cOuraging the men, and cautiOning them
to waste NO ammunition, but wait for
the charge. And soon it came. With
"YIPl YIP ! HI YAH! HI-YAH"
! they dashed at the line at gallOp. The
| skirmishers gave back few PAGES, but,
instantly returning, poured a whitening
volley into the rascals, repulsing them
with considerable loss.
! The horses were about one hundred
yards farther back, in a ravine, and the
enemy getting on the right flank, poured
IN emilia ling fire into the troops and
threatened the safety of the animals. At
about this time Col. Guy V. Henry captain
| third cavalry, was shot through the apex
of both cheek-bOnes men were dropping.
and, it being necessary to send them
back out of the way, the gallant little
line, already too small, was rapidly thin
ming, and evidently, knowing that an
order to mount would be followed by
dash OF the enemy, who We uld charge the
moment they saw the skirmish line give
way, and catch the men at disadvant-
age when mounted, Col. Royal, who gal
lantly stayed with the battalion through
out, sent Lieut. Lemly to ask Gen. Crook
for reinforeements.
Again the Sioux advanced. Pressing
up ravine which ran toward our right,
they charged in on the right of the line
In an instant the men broke to the rear,
and front, and facing to the right flank,
gave them
A WITHERING VOLLET,
driving them back as fast as they came,
many of them holding to their ponies
HOW IiO hehd WIN.
Hoping for reinforcements that came not,
the gallant little band fought on with
desperate courage hardly to be believed
if not actually seen. There was season
of this scorching enfilading fire, while all
the while the bullets came thick and fast
from the front One man said to anoth-
er. Jack, it's only question of cart
ridges" while an officer to another,
remarked coolly, "Well, guess we're
done for Better die right here, facing
the rascals, than give way an inch, and
90 down with lancet the back further
to the rear" An occasional grim joke
about cleaning out Old Sitting Bull was
passed, as such things Will happen even
in the face of death itself.
Now came the last onslaught-the
SUPREME EFFORT OF THE DAY.
Ma>sing under cover, the Sioux rushed
on with a wild yell, receiving the first
volly unchecked. Our line broke and
gave way. and for a moment it looked as
though the end had come at last. But
the worried, harrassed and wOrn-out lit
tie band of heroes still had a reserve of
soldierly pluck. Squirting their horses
forward, the officers appealed to the men.
Sergeant Henry's stentOrian voice was
heard above the rattle of the small arms
crying, Face them, menl D-n them,
face them" Some officer called out to
the men, Great God men, are you go
ing to 60 back ON the Old Third? For