The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-07-21
back, and we had better be off at once.
NARROW ESCAPE.

ELEVEN OF the thirteen Sa1u Ulty
would go, but two stayed behind. |
deployed the men as skirmishers. and
we moved forward on foot toward the
river. When we had nearly got to the
! river we met five Indians on ponies,
and they fired on us. | returned the
IRE and the Indians broke, and we
then forded the river, the water being
breast deep. We finally got over,
wounded men and all, and headed for
Reno command, which | could see
Drawn up on the bluffs along the river
ABOUT mile off. We reached Reno in
safety. we had not been with Reno
more IMAM nfteen minutes when | saw
the lnolanS coming up the valley from
! custer nSht. Keno was then moving
MS Whole command down the ridge to-
ward Custer.
Reno and swarmed up the bluff ON all
sides. After diminishing with them
Reno went back to his old position.
which was one of the highest points
along the bluffs. 1t was now about 5
O'Clock, and the fight lasted until it
was too dark to see to shoot. AS soon
as it was dark, Reno took the packs
/ and saddles off the mules and horses
!
also dragged the dead horses and mules
on the line and sheltered the men be-
! hind them. Some of the men dug
rifle-pitS with their butcher knives,
and all slept on their arms At the
peep of day the Indians opened heavy
| fire, and desperate fight ensued, last
ing until 10 o'clock. The Indians
charged our position three or four
| al 70
/ our men with stones, which they
threw by hand. Captain Benteen saw
a large mass of Indians gathering on
his front to charge, and ordered
| his men to charge on foot and scatter
them. Benteen led the charge, and
was upon the Indians before they knew
what they were about, and killed a
great many. They were evidently
much surprised at this offensive move
ment, and | think in desperate fighting
Benteen is one of the bravest men |
ever saw in fight. All the time he
was going about through the bullets.
encouraging the soldiers to stand up to
their work and not let Indians
whip them.
"He went among the horses and
| pack-mules and drove out the men who
were skulking there, compelling them
to go into the line and do their duty.
He never sheltered his own person
once during the battle, and | Go not
see how he escaped being killed. The
desperate charging and fighting was at
about ! o'clock, but firing was kept
up on both sides until late in the af
| ernOOn.
SUFFERING OF THE MEN.
To to4o
O'Clock in tbs forenoon. and soon after
Benteen made his charge, the men be
gan to clamOr for water Many Of
them had not tasted water for thirty
six hours, and the fighting and hot
sun parched their Threats. Some had
their tongues swollen ana others could
I hardly speak. The men tried to eat
crackers and hardtack, but could not
raise enough saliva to moiSten them.
Several tried grass, bHt it stuck to
1 their lips, and not one could spit or
speak plainly. The wounded were re-
ported dying for want of water. and
| good many soldiers volunteered to 90
to the river to get some or perish in
the attempt. We were fighting on the
bluffs, about 500 yards from the river,
and ravine led down from the battle
field close to the river edge.
The men had to run over an open
space of about 100 yards to get into
the head of the ravine, and this open
space was commanded by the Indians
on the bluffs. The soldiers, about fifty
strong, dashed over the open plateau
and entered the rayine. They rushed
down it to the mouth and found it
clOsely guarded by party Of Indians
! posted i'll the timber across the river.
| The water could be approached to
within about 80 feet under cover ; but
/ then one had to step out on the river
| bank and take the Indians fire. The
boys ran the gauntlet brayely. Some
would dash down to the river with
camp kettles, fill them, and then take
shelter III the bend of the ravine, be-
hind the rocks, and whose canteenS
were filled and carried up the hill.
Before all the men and wounded were
supplied one man was killed and six
or seven wounded in this desperate at
| tempt. One man had the bone of his
leg shattered by ball, and it has since
been amputated.
"AbOut o'clock the Indians began
drawing off, but kept skirmishing UNI
til late in the afternoon, and near dark
all drew off. We now got water fCr
the animals, many of them being al
most dead, and they were put out to
Craze on the hillside.
''In the evening Col. Reno changed
his position and fortified the new one,
it being higher and stronger than the
old one. We expected the Indians
would renew the attack next day, but
in the morning not an Indian was to be
found Every one felt sure that Crook
or Terry was coming to our relief, ana
Col. Reno sent out runners. About 10
o'clock the glad intelligence was re
ceived that Gen. Terry, with large
column Of troops, was moving up the
valley, miles distant. and the head
of his column soon came in sight.
In reply to questions, Mi. IIerndon
said
Il went in with the scouts Oh The
left of Reno line. There were about