Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-15
The Custer Disaster.
A FULL ACCOUNT OF
THE BATTLE
Sick sDing Details CT this Horrible
Affair.
TigIsBD3s ~ Ut'TEIEi NEO31i SATE
VItFlNS M;TfE. t';...
SITTING BULL REPORTED TO HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN THE BATTLE.

New ork Joy -. The following new ac-
count Of Clusters fight is from Lieut.. John Car
! lani, Of Co. H. sixth infantry. He say Caster
arau.cd for Reno to attack the Indians in the
| rear, while he fought them in front. This would
| have worked all right, "a Reno had got in their
| rear but Custer what he supposed was the
! front OF The camp, and made charge, the In
dians giving him way, and letting him right in
gap. The brave rode in with his 500 men,
and would have killed the whole 2000 Sioux, be-
| lcye If there had been no enemy behind him.
But instead of charging the front he right in
the centre of between 5000 and 1000 Indians.
| Those behind him kept concealed until he in
their midst, and then when too late, he made
bold lash trying to cut through them, but the
envy were TOO many. He fell about the first one,
and the horses becoming unmanageabe, the poor
soldiers were cut down in less time than it takes
to tell it. The Sioux then turned their whole
force upon Major Reno. He charged them with
one company and returned with only IL men. lie
then reifeated short distance, placing his men
on bluff, before stated Out of the whole
regiment only 32S men are left, and 40 Of them
are badly wounded. 1t would make ones heart
sick to look over the battle ground and see the
poor fellows: some of them with their entrals cut
out, others with their eyes dug out and their
hearts laid across their faces The most fearful
sight Col. Cooks he was splendid looking
man with dark whiskers and the Indians dug his
face all out, so to get his fine beard it is sup
posed. They did not disfgure General Custer 10
any way, bAt his brother, Tom Custer, open
ed and his heart taken out. 1t is estimated that
the enemy lost 800 men, though it is hard to tell
how many were killed, they carried most of
| them away Some of ours claim that Sitting
| Bull was killed, he is known to some, and
| Indian answering to his description was killed,
/ but no doubt this mistake, as they would
have tried to carried him along. Gen Terry and
the remaining officers feeling very badly. l
was standing by the body of Gen. Custer when
| Gen. Terry came up, and as he looked down on
the noble General, the tears coursed down his
face, and he said The flower Of the army is
gone at last Custer supposed to be the first
who died, but though he fell first, we found sew
enteen cartridge shells by his side, where he had
! Kept them oH until tue last moment. There can
be no blame attached to any one for this feaAul
Tau ghter. Ii Custer had had TIE whole regiment
it would only have been worse the Sioux were
too many. OF course there viii be some
blamed by the Eastern papers, bat as an eye wit
ness Of Ihe battle field | cannot censGre any one.
There Is one poor Crow Indian on the boat who
has five shots through him. Yet he is happy be-
cause he has scalps at his side. THIS is
true statement Of Gen. Clusters brave charge.
! These SIOUX all from some agency,
! found camp equipments that had never been used,
and blankets taat new and branded United
States Indian Department.
Chicago, July Ii. The Tribune's special from
Fort Lincoln gives furtLer details of the Little
Horn fight in which it says Sitting Bull was
Killed, also white named Milburn, Sitting
Inls chief adviser. Four companies of the 22d
infantry, consisting Of Il officers and l40 men,
have arrived at Fort Lincoln, and will leave for
Tery's command Sunday, 1t is thought that Sit
ting Bulls band obtained nearly $50 000, the
soldiers having Just been paid.