Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-07-22
THE OF Gus
TIERS COMMAND.
Another Account Orthe fight
"A Terrible Mistake.

AG&V4AAAN VI NluC I4 AM8
"A Terrible Mistake.
New YORK, July IA Detroit
dispatch says Lieut.. John Garland of
Company b, 9th infantry, with Gen.
Gibbons command, writes as fol-
lows concerning the slaughter of the
9th cavalry and Gen. Custer. The
letter is dated "Mouth Of the Little
River, June Goth. Major Reno was
to attack the enemy in the e
while Custer fought them in front.
CLUSTERS LAST CHARGE.
This would have worked all right,
as Reno had got in their rear /; but
General Custer marching down on
other side, saw what he supposed was
the front Of the camp, and made q
charge on them, the Indians giving
way and letting him right in the gap.
The brave man rode in with his three
hundred men, and would have killed
the whole two thousand Sioux, 1 be-
lieve, if there had been no enemy be-
hind him. But, instead of charging
the front, he was right in the center
OF between three and four thousand
Indians. Those that were behind
him kept concealed until he was
right in their very midst, and
then, when it was too late, he made
a bold dash, trying to cut through
them. But the enemy were too
many. He fell, about the first one,
and the horses becoming unmanage-
able, the poor soldiers were cut down
in less time than it takes to tell it.
THE ATTACK ON RENO.
The Sioux chiefs turned with all
their force upon Major Reno. He
charged them with one company
and returned with only eleven men.
He then retreated a short distance,
placing his men on the bluff. Out
of the whole regiment only 1928 men
are left, and forty of them are badly
wounded. 1t makes ones heart sick
to look over the battle ground and
see the poor fellows, some of them
had their entralls cutou ,otherstheir
eyes dug out and heart laid across
their face. They even stopped to cut
their pockets to get Their money and
watches.
THE MOST FEARFUL SIGHT
was Colonel Cook. He was a splen-
did looking man, with long dark
whiskers. They dug his face all out
so rs to get his fine beard, it is sup.
posed. They did not disfigure Gen.
Custer any way but his brother Tom
Custer was opened and his heart
taken out. We estimate the loss of
the enemy at SOC, though it is hard
to tell how many were killed, as they
carried most of them away. Some of
ours
CLAIM THAT SITTING BULL WAS
KILLED
as he was known by some, and an
Indian answering his description
was found dead, but no doubt this is
false, as they would have tried to
carry him along. Gen. Terry and
the remaining officers are feeling very
badly.
TERRY OVER CUsTER's BODY.
! was standing by Gen. Custer
when Gen. Terry came up, and as he
looked down upon the noble general
the tears coursed down his face as
he said: "The flower of the army is
gone at last" Custer was supposed
to be the first one who died, but tho
he fell first we found seventeen car
fridge shells by his side where he had
kept them off until the last moment.
There can be nc blame attached to
any one for the fearful slaughter. Ii
Custer had had the whole regiment
it would have been worse; the Sioux
We're too many. or course there
will be some blame by eastern papers,
but as an eye witness of the whole
battle | cannot censure any one.
There is one poor Crow Indian on
the boat who has five shots through
him, yet he is happy because he has
nine scalps at his side. This is a
true statement of General Clusters
brave charge. The Sioux were all
from some agency, as we found camp
equipments that had never been
used, also blankets that were new,
branded u. 5. Indian Department.
CHEYENNE, June 14.-Negotia-
tions have been making for some
time through Captain McKenson, of
General Crooks staff, with the Utes
who are old enemies of the Sioux on
account of oft-repeated attacks upon
them, to secure tleir cooperation in
the present movement against the
northern hostile Sioux. M. M. Cur
tbs OF Rawlins, who had been des-
patched to the Ute reservation to
bring in the detachment, returned
tonight and telegraphed Captain
Nickerson as follows:-ssIn obedience
to your despatch of the 9th / pro-
ceeded to gather up the Indians. 1
went as far as White River agency.
and was successful until stopped by
Il. III. Danforth, u. S. Indian agent,
who forbid me taking an Indianfrom
the reservation until he was author
lied to let them go by the Commits
sinppr IF Indian ffairc The hood