The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-13

Desperate Fight Between the Esdisns
and CusteF's Comma nd-The
whites Defeated VITA
Great slaughter.

whites Defeated VITA
Great slaughter.
BOHEMIAN, MONTANA, July 3.-Mr
TAYLOR, bearer of dispatches from the
LATHE Horn to Fsrt Ellis, arrived this
evening and reports that a battle was
fought on the 26th, 80 or 40 miles be-
low the Little Horn. Custer attacked
the Indian village, containing 1900
to 1000 warriors, on one side, and
Col. Reno was to attack it on the 9TH
err. Three companies were placed ON
hill as q reserve. Gen Custer and
fifteen officers and every man belong
ing to the five companies are reported
killed. Reno retreated under the pro-
lection of the reserve. The whole
number killed was 315. Gen Gibbon
has joined Reno. The Indians left.
The battle ground looked like
slaughter pen, as it really was, being
in a narrow rayine. The dead were
much mutilated. The situation now
looks serious. Gen Terry arrived at
Gibbons camp on steamboat and
crossed the command over and accom-
panied it to join Custer, who knew it
was coming before the fight occurred.
Lieut.. Crittenden, q son of Gen.
Crittenden, was among the killed.
This is as Taylor told it, as he was
over the field after the battle. The
above is confirmed by other letters,
which say that Custer met a fearful
disaster.
FsIIy Csnarsmed.
CHICAGO, July THE Inter Ocean
has special under date of Bismark,
ID. T., which says: Information from
the Sioux expedition, dated the mouth
of the Big Horn, July I, announces
that Gen Custer left the mouth of
Rosebud creek with twelve companies
TO follow the Indian trail of q large
band of hostile Sioux. They followed
it up in the direction of the Big Horn.
The Indians were making for the
eastern branch of the Little Big Horn.
On the morning of the 25th two Crow
scouts brought in the intelligence of
the battle of the previous day. Upon
the receipt of the news the command
commenced to march in a southerly
direction, where smoke could be seen,
which indicated that Gen Custer had
fired the indian village. Next morn
ing the head of the division entered a
plain bordering OH the bank of the
Little Big Horn, where had recently
stood AN immense Indian village,
three miles id length. The ground
was strewn with slaughtered horses,
cavalry equipments and the dead bod.
les of nine Indian chiefs. The cloth
ing of Lieut.. Sturgis and Porter We're
also.,iound pierced with bullets. Fur
ther on was found the body of Lieut..
Mcintosh. Just then scout ar
rived with the intelligence that Col
Reno was intrenched with the
remnant Of the 7th cavalry on u
bluff near by, waiting relief. The
command pushed on and fond Reno
with the remainder of the Z compa-
MES. Reno's command had been
fighting since Sunday noon of the
25th, until relieved by Terry on the
26th. Terry's arrival caused
the Indians to retire. Reno knew
nothing OF the fate of the other five
companies which had been separated
from them ON the 25th to make an
attack under Clusters command ut
point about three miles down the
right bank of the stream. Custer
had apparently made an attack on the
Indians. We We're cut off from the
main body and they were forced into
Il narrow ravine where the horses and
men lay slaughtered. Here was
found the bodies of Custer, his two
brothers and nephew, Mr.. Read.
Coils. Yates and Cook, and Capt.
Smith, all lying 10 Il circle Of a few
yards, and here, one after another,
Clusters brave command fell. Not
man escaued to tell the tale.