Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-07
Custer and His Com.
mand Meet with a Fear
full Disaster.
The Number Of Killed Estima-
ted at Three Hundred.
A Complete MaSSaCre-NOt a Man
Escaped to Tell the Tale.
Later Dispatches frem General Terry
Confirm the Accounts.

CHICAGO, July 6.-An Inter.0 Ocean
special dated Bismarck, Dakota Terri
tory, July lst says information from the
Sioux expedition dated Mouth Of Big
horn, July LIST, says that General Custer
left the mouth of Rosebud with twelve
companies to follow the Indian trail Of a
large band Of hostile Sioux, and followed
it up in the direction of the Bighorn.
General Terry, with Gibbons command
Of five companies of infantry and four
Of cavalry, started to ascend the Big
horn to attack the enemy in the rear.
On the morning Of the 25th two Crow
scouts brought news Of a battle on the
previous day. Upon the receipt of this
news the command commenced to march
in a southerly direction, where smoke
could be seen, which indicated that Gen.
eral Custer had fred the Indian village.
On the next morning the head of the
column entered a PLATA bordering on the
bank of the Littlehorn river, where had
recently stood an immense Indian vii
lage, three miles in length. The ground
wRs strewn with slaughtered horses, cav.
airy equipments, and the dead bodies of
nine Indian chiefs. The clothing of
Lieutensnts Sturgis and Porter were also
found pierced with bullets. Further on
was found the body of Lieutenant Nc
Intosh. Just then arrived the news that
Colonel Reed was intrenehed with the
remnant of the Seventh cavalry on a
bluff near by, waiting for relief. The
command pushed on, and found Reed
with the remainder of seven companies
Of Reno's command, which had been
lighting since noon Of Sunday, the 25th,
until relieved by Terry on the night of
the 18th. Terry's arrival caused the In
dams to retire.
Reno knew nothing Of the fate Of the
other FIVE companies which were sepa.
rated from them On the 25th of June to
make an attack under Clusters com.
mand, at a point about three miles down
the right bank Of the stream. Custer
had apparently made an attack on the
Indians, and was compelled to retreat,
but was cut of from the main body.
They were forced into a narrow recess,
where horses and men lay slaughtered
prcmiscuously. Here were found the
bodies Of Custer, his two brothers and
nephew, Mr.. Read, Colonies Yates and
Cook, and Captain Smith, all lying in a
circle Of a few yards, and here one after
another Of Clusters brave command fell.
Not a man escaped to tell the tale.
CHICAGO, July THE following dis
patch has been received at General
oheridsn's headquarters:
CAMP on YELLowsroxE RIVER.
NEAR MOUTH OF BIGHORE,
July 2, 1861
To Lieutenant-G General Sheridan;
l think owe it to myself to put you
more fully in possession Of the facts Of
late operations. While at the mouth Of
the Rosebud submitted my plan to Cen
eral Gibbon and to General Custer. They
approved it heartily. 1t was that Custer,
with his whole regiment, should move up
the Rosebud till he should meet a trail,
which Reno had discovered a few days
before, but that be should not follow il
directly to the Littlehorn; hat he should
send scouts over it and keep his main
force further to the South, so as to pre-
vent the Indians from slipping in be-
tween himself and the mountains. He
was also to examine the headwaters
of Tullock's creek as he passed
it, and send me word Of what
he found there. A scout was furnished
him for the purpose of crossing the
country, which he calculated it would
take Gibbons column until the 26th Of
June to reach the mouth Of Little Big
horn, and that the wide sweep which l
had proposed Custer should make would
require so much time that Gibbon would
be able to cooperate with him in attack
ing any Indians that might be found on
that stream. l asked General Custer
how long his marches would be. Hs said
they would be at first about thirty miles
a day. Measurements we're made and
calculations based on that rate Of pro
gress. | talked with him about his
strength, and at one time suggested that
perhaps it would be well for ME to take
Gibbons cavalry and 20 with him. To
THE suggestion be replied that, without
reference to the command, be would pre-.
fer his " regiment alone as a homoge.
neous body, that as much could be done
with it IS with the two commands, and
expressed the utmost confidence that he
had all the force be would need, and !
shared his confidence in the plan adopt
ed as the only one which promised to
BRING the infantry into action, and | de.
sired to make sure Of things by getting
up every available man. l offered Gus.
ter the battery Of Calling guns, but be
declined it. saying it might embarrass
himi that be was strong enough without
IT, The movements proposed by Gene
raj Gibbons column we're carried out 70
the letter, and had the attack been defer.
red until it was up | cannot doubt that
we should have been successful. The
Indians had avidont1v