Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-07-13

the valley. He joined Reno on the
bluffs. Captain Mcdonald, with Com
pany B, was at first some distance in
the rear with train of pack mules.
DE also came up to Reno. Soon this
united force was nearly surrounded by
the Indians, many of whom, armed
with rifles, occupied positions which
commanded the ground held by the
cavalry, the ground from which there
was no escape. y number of rifle pits
were dug, and the fight was maintain
ed, though with heavy loss, from about
half past two o'clock of the 25th till six
O'Clock OF the Goth, when the Indians
withdrew from the valley, taking with
them their pillage. OF the movements
of General Custer and the five compan-
les under his immediate command,
scarcely anything is know from those
who witnessed them, for no soldier or
officer who accompanied him has yet
been found alive. His trail from the
point where Reno crossed the stream,
passed along and in the rear of the crest
of the bluff on the right bank for near
ly or quite three miles, then it comes
down to the bank of the river, but at
once DIVORCES from it as if he had I'M
successfully attempted to cross; then
turns upon itself, almost completes a
circle and closes. 1t is marked by the
remains of his officers and men, the
bodies of his horses, some of them drop
ping along the path and others heaped
where halts appear to have been made.
There is abundant evidence that gal
liant resistance was offered by the
troops, but they were beset on ali sides
by OverpOwering numbers. The Off
GERS known to be killed are General
Custer, Captains keOgh, Gates and
Chester, Iieutenants Cook, Smith, Nc
Intosh, Calhoun, Porter. Hodgson,
Sturgis and Belly, of the cavalry
Lieut.. Crittenden, of the 10Th infantry;
Acting Assistant Surgeon Dewolf,
Lieut.. HARRINGTON, of the cavalry, and
Assistant Surgeon Lorl are missing.
Capt. Benton and Lieut.. Varnum, of
the cavalry, are slightly wounded.
Mr.. BJStOn Custer, brother, and Mr..
Reed, nephew of Gen. Custer, were
with him and were killed. No other
officers than those who have been nam
ed are among the killed, wounded and
missing. 1t is impossible as yet to OBJ
tain reliable list of the enlisted men
who were killed and wounded, but the
number of killed, including officers.
must reach $50. The number of wound
ed is 81. At the mouth of the Rosebud
| informed Gen. Custer that / should
take the supply steamer Far West, up
the Yellowstone to ferry General Glib
bons' column over the river; that |
should personally accompany that
column and that il would in all rroba-
biIity reach the mouth OF Little Big
Horn on the 26t inst. The steamer
reached General Gibbons troops near
the mouth of the Big Horn early in the
morning of the 26th and at / o'clock in
the afternoon all his men and animals
were across the Yellowstone. At )
O'clock, the column consisting of five
companies of the Seventh Infanty, four
Companies of the Second Cavalry and
battery OF Calling guns marched out to
and across TullOckS Greek. Starting
soon after D O'Clock in the morning OF
the q, the infantry made march of
y miles over the most difficult country
which | have ever seen, in order that
tho scouts might be sent into the valley
of the Little Big Horn. The cavalry
with the battery was then marched on
Is or II miles further. Reaching the
camp at midnight, the scouts were sent
out and at half past four on the morn
ing of the 2Sth the scouts discovered
Indians who were at first supposed to
be the Sioux but when overtaken they
proved to be the Crows no had been
with Gen. Custer. They brought the