The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-27
THE INDIANS.
Account of Clusters Fight by a Crow
Indian, the Only Survivor.

Account of Clusters Fight by n Crow
Indian, the Only Survivor.
NEW YORK, July 26-A letter from an
officer stationed at Bismarck says that the Crow
Indian, Curly, the only survivor of General
Clusters force, is there. He was in action with
General Custer, and gives the following account
of the slaughter:
General Custer kept down river on the north
bank for four miles, after Reno had crossed to
the south side above. General Clusters object
Major Reno would drive down the valley, and
at the same time attack the village on two
sides. General Coster had to go further down
river than he wished, on account of the steep
bank along the north side, but at last he found
ford and dashed for it. The Indians met him
and poured in ia heavy fire from across the
narrow river, and General Custer dismounted to
fight on foot. but could not get his skirmishers
over the stream. Meantime, hundreds of
Indians on foot and on ponies passed over the
river and filled the ravines on each side of
General Clusters men. General Custer then
fell back to some high ground behind him, and
seized the ravines IN his immediate vicinity,
the Indians then completely surrounding him
and pouring in terrible fire on all sides.
They charged him on foot in vast numbers,
but were again and again driven back. This
began about two clock and lasted almost until
the sun went down. The men fought desper-
ately, and after the ammunition in their belts
was exhausted, went to their saddle bags, got
more and continued the fight
Curly says that more Indians were killed
than General Custer had men. He also says
that the big chief, General Custer, lived until
nearly all his men were killed or wounded, and
went about encouraging them to fight on. He
got shot in his left side and sat down with his
pistol in his hand, but another shot struck him
in the breast and then he fell over. The last
officer killed, he says, was "a man who rode a
white horse, Lieutenant Cook, Adjutant of
the Seventh.
Curly says that when he saw that General
Custer was hopelessly surrounded, he watched
his opportunity, got Sioux blanket, put it on,
charged, he got among them and they did not
know him from one of their own men. He
afterwards mounted pony and gall0ped down
as if going toward the white men, but went up
ravine and got away. AS he rode off, he saw,
when nearly mile from the battlefield, dozen
or more Indians in ravine fighting with the
Sioux all around them, but he thinks they were
all killed, as they were outnumbered, five to
one. These men were no doubt part OF the
twenty-five missing men reported in the official
dispatches of Gen. Terry.
Curly says that he saw one cavalry soldier
who had got away. He was we'll mounted but
shot through both hips, and probably died of
his wounds, if he was not followed and killed
by the Sioux. Curly did not leave General
Custer until the battle was nearly over, and he
describes it as desperate in the extreme. He is
sure that the Indians had more killed than
General Custer had white men with him, and
says that the soldiers fought until the last man
fell All the other Crow Indians I'M. the battle
were killed.
Mourning mt Fort Rice.
Letters from Fort Rice say that the scene at
that place when the news of the massacre OF
General Custer and his men reached there was
CT the most narrowing description. Twenty
live widows OF officers and soldiers were there,
nearly all with small children and their con-
dition is one of utter grief and heplessness.
he tVpa TN,
Crooks Command to Follow Them.
CHEYENNE, July 26-Advices from Gen.
Crooks command in camp on the south fork of
Tongue River, July 23d, via Fort Fetterman
July 18th, are of importance. The main body
of the Sioux are believed to have taken to the
Big Horn mountains, where game is more
abundant and grass fresher. The efforts of the
Indians to burn the grass in the valleys makes
it almost imperative on Gen. Crook to follow
them up at once. His force musters about 1900
regular soldiers and citizen volunteers, besides
the 200 Snake Indian allies, and he feels that
he can at least hold his own on any ground the
emergency may select.
1t is expected the wagons will be packed on
the main Tongue River near the mountains
and with the pack train loaded with from Is to
20 days rations vigorous, but carful ad-
vance will Immediately follow. 1t is not deem
ed advisable for Gen. Crooks command and
Gen. Terry's forces to join previous to move
by one or the other of the commands.
LII is tHouguG tHe lnul6nS would make
stand against one of the columns and that by
SO arranging them, having the other column
reserved for either fighting or following, some
thing decisive may be expected during the sum-
mer campaign. The enemy is believed to be on
the head waters of Ash creek and Little Big
Horn. not far from the Montana and Wyoming
line, 30 to 40 miles from Gen. Crooks present
camp. Gen. Merritt left Fort Fetterman this
morning with eight companies of the 9Th cav
airy and two companies are now on the way to
the fort. These latter with some $50 recruits
will follow in few DAYS,