Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-07-20
THE UNWRITTEN CHAPTER
Curley," a Crow Scout, the
only Survivor Of the Battle,
Tells the Story.
Not Until their Ammunition was
gone were our Troops Butchered.
A Large Number Of Indians Killed

Lieut.. JAS. ii. bradley, OF tue |tn Inlauuy,
who commanded the scouts under Gibbon on
the recent march from the Yellowstone to the
Little Horn and return, arrived in this city last
night and left for Fort Shaw this morning.
He left the command one week ago to-day,
in camp near Fort Pease, and everything
was quiet Our reporter interviewed Lieut..
Bradley, who very kindly gave us descrip-
ton of the Little Horn disaster, but more
particularly the account of Clusters battle and
massacre, which has not heretofore been pub
lshed. 1t would be in place at this juncture
to state that Lieut.. Bradley, with his scouts,
on the morning of the 9th of June, crossed
to the opposite side of the Little Horn from
which the command was marching, and de-
ployed out through the hills in skirmish line.
CThe evening previous three Crow scouts had
reported to the Lieutenant that Clusters regi-
ment of cavalry had been cut to pieces. This
report was not credited by Terry and Gibbon;
yet it was known that they were approach
ing the Indian village, and the scouts were, if
possible, unusually vigilant and active.) About
9 o'clock, scout reported to Lieut. Bradley
that he saw an object which looked like q
dead horse The Lieutenant found it to be
dead cavalry horse, and, going few yards
further on, to the brow of hill, look
ing into the valley below, q terrible scene
was presented to view. 1t was
CCsTER's BATTLE FIELD,
literally strewn with the dead of the gallant
Seventh Cavalry. Lieut.. Bradley rode hur-
ridly over the field. and in q few minutes
time counted one hundred and sinety-scven
dead bodies. Custer fell upon the highest
point of the field and around him, within
space of five rods square, lay forty-two men
and thirty-one horses. The dead soldiers all
lay within circle embracing only few
hundred yards square. The Lieutenant i'm
mediately reported to Gibbon, which was the
first intelligence of the battle received. A
few. moments later scout arrived from
Reno's command, asking for assistance, and
Terry and Gibbon pushed forward to the
rescue.
Not single survivor of Clusters command
was found, and even up to the time General
Terry made out his official report to General
Sheridan it was supposed that the last soul
had peIished. But when the command re-
turned to the Yellowstone they found there
Crow scout named "Curley," who, as verified
by Major Reno, rode out with Custer on that
fatal day. He alone escaped, and his ac-
count of the battle we give below. It is in
teresting, as being the only story Of the fight
ever to be looked for from one who was an
actual participant on Clusters side-Curley
being, in all human probability the only sur
vivor of his command:
Custer, with his five companies, after sep
arating from Reno and his seven companies,
moved to the right around the base of high
hill overlooking the valley of the Little Horn
through ravine just wide enough to admit
his column of fours. There were no signs
of the presence of Indians in the hills on that
side (the right bank. of the Little Horn, and
the column moved steadily on until it round
ed the hill and came in sight of the village
lying in the valley below them. Custer ap-
peared very much elated, and ordered the
bugles to sound charge, and moved on at
the head of his column, waving his hat to en-
courage his men. When they neared the
river, the. Indians, concealed in the under
growth on the opposite side of the river,
opened fire on the troops, which checked the
advance. Here portion of the command
xr,oro die n,O,nfo6 ond thro1yr, foruord tn tho
river, and returned the fire of the Indians.
During this time the warriors were seen rid
ing out of the village by hundreds, and de-
ploying across his front and to his left, as if
with the intention of crossing the stream on
his right, while the women and children
were seen Fastening out of the village in large
numbers in the opposite direction.
During the figit at this point Curley saw