Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-07-20
THE TERRIBLE SIOUX.
Interesting Details from the Scene Of
Custer's Disaster.

Interesting Details from the Scene Of
Custer's Disaster.
49, firi au Hfif ~ naiH .rl7ia eH
Your correspondent was not able to
interview DR.. H. Porter, surviving
surgeon OF the l-fated Seventh Cav
airy, until to-day. DIR. Lord, First As
sistant Surgeon, q. s. A., with Drs.
Porter and III. Dewolf, formed the
medical force which accompanied
Custer on his advance. Dr. Lord was
not well and Custer suggested that
perhaps DR. Porter had best accom-
pany him, Lord remaining with the
reserve: but that gallant officer would
not hear to this. He was of Clusters
staff, and as long as he was able to
ride he would remain with him and
go where he went. This threw Doc
tors Porter and ,Dewolf with Reno,
who had the largest force and was
expected to make the charge at the
head ofsthe village, Custer taking the
flying sayages in the flank or doub-
ling them back on Reno. Reno
crossed the Little Horn and charged
downsthe valleybabout mile and q
half, following what seemed the fly
ing Indians. Z 9dl y, if1H3 fsaa I
Certainly they were i'm a dead run,
but all at once turned and charged
the advancing soldiers. Reno halted
his command and engaged the In
dams. The fire wasterrifc, and remind
edthose presentat that engagement OF
the Wilderness. Reno says he never
sawfring moreterrific. Ina moment his
command was completely surround
ed by the bowling devils on every
side, firing at short range. Charley
Reynels, the we'll known scout, after
wards killed, exclaimed: @We are
gone up, There is no hope for US"
Evidently Reno was of the same opin-
ion. He ordered the men to mount,
and leading the way they cut for the
ford. Porter's attention was attract
ed by a dying man belonging to Cap
tain French's company, who was shot
through the heart. The cavalry was
flying pursued on every hand by the
Indians. Porter sprang to his horse,
and throwing its arms around its
neck, he goaded It forward, passing
and being passed by Indians in their
chase for scalps. Passing and being
passed by fleeing cavalrymen they
reached the ford with little loss.
Poor Mcintosh, mounted on a horse
which had been wounded, was over
taken, pulled from his horse, and
plugged with pistol shots while lying
at the feet of hisgInlrderers. In
this state of confusion the three
companies reached the ford, narrow
pass, into which men and horses were
crammed and jammed, with the In
dians firing into them at short range
nom the front, flank and rear While
10 the .fiter Lieutenant Hodgson was
wounded and his horse killed. He
received. another shot just as he
reached the, bank and tumbled back
INTO the river dead. The ford being
passed y wild scramble commenced
to reach the bluff beyond. The side
OF the bitff was SO steep that men
were compelled to cling to the necks
OF their animals TO prevent. sliding
from their backs. Colonel Smith de-
clares the incline to nbe. the steepest
'he ever saw ascended by horse or
mule. Though the Indians were yell
ling on every hand, firing into the
retreating force at short range, they
gained the summit. and just as they
reached It, eight men, shot on their
way up, fell from their horses.
Lieutenant Mathew at once set
about building barricade for hos
pital. Dead animals and dead men
were used for this purpose as well as
the stores from the backs OF the
pack mules. Those who fell in the
retreat were placed under DIR. Por-
ter's charge, and the number rapidly
increased Dewolf was killed jnst as
he reached the summit, and Porter
was left alone with noihelp untipa Gil
rard escaped from the thicket, when
with his assistance he performed two
amputations. - 20
The suffering OF the wounded for
water and the repeated charges made
by the Indians, their sudden depart
ure and the horrors OF the field where
lay Custer and his men, We're all, de-
seribed in your special from the
gI3Too much cannot be said OF the
brave boys who fought this battle. or
INSTRUMENTATION of the gallant Ben
teen, who pushed his reserve forward
at the first note OF alarm and saved
Reno and his three companies from
the fate that Custer met with, and
who, when the wounded we're crying
piteopsly for water, led his men in a
rally. which cleared the .ravinese OF
Indians ), and enabled a squad to
reach the river iIu and gailn. IN, for }ratle them
reiiel,r 9isaqs ~ ruitulaussT ssi :
Fred. (.irard. an old CORRESPONDENT