The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-07-21
TIE CUSTER CATAsTROPHE

TIE CUSTER C1 1I4 4SIhOHIII
: Thrilling Story Of One Of ReIso's Scouts
a Fearful Torture and HutuatioH Of Gus
teT's MeH.-Running the Gantiet FOR
Hdfer.-Ndrrafire Of 1t Scout.
Correspondence n. Y. Herald.
In the way of additional particulars ot
the great Indian battle, l send you the
story of scout who was cut off from
Reno's command.
BISMARCK, d. T, July Z, 1876
George HerendoD, a scout sent by Gener-
al Terry with General Clusters column,
relates the following as his experience in
the recent battle. He was sent by Gen
eral Terry frem the mouth of the Rose
bud, with General Clusters command, to
carry dispatches from Custer to Terry
STORY OF THE SCOUT.
We left Rosebud on the 22d of June
at twelve O'Clock; marched up the Rose
bud about twelve miles and encamped
/ for the night. On the morning of the
| 23d, we broke camp at five o'clock, and
continued up the Rosebud until nine
o'clock, when we struck a large lodge
pole trail, about ten days old, and fol
| lowed il along the Rosebud until toward
evening, when we went into camp on
the trail. On the morning of the 24th,
we pulled out at FIVE o'clock and fol-
lowed the trail five or six miles, when
we met six Crow Indians scouts, who
had been sent out the night previous by
General Custer to look for the Indian
village. They said they had found
fresh pony tracks and that ten miles
ahead the trail was fresher. General
Custer had the officers call blown and
they assembled around him, but | did
not hear what he said TO them. The !
scouts were again -al-~--' and 111ovs,ei
along at n Eissc TrfK. we moved at one
y clock, and while the officers were eat
that they had found where
the village had been quite recently
They moved again with fankers well out
to watch the trail and see that it did not
divide. About four o'clock we came to
the place where the village had been ap-
parently only few days before, and
went into camp two miles below the
forks of the Rosebud. The scouts again
pushed out to look for the village, and,
1t eleven O'Clock at night, Custer had
everything packed Hp and followed the
,couts up the right hand fork of the
Rosebud.
THE VILLAGE nTGrOVFPEn
About daylight we went into camp,
made coffee, and soon after it was light
he scouts brought Custer word that
hey had seen the village from the top of
divide that separates the Rosebud from
Little Horn river We moved up the
,reek until quite near its head, and con-
,ealed ourselves in a ravine. 1t was
bout three miles from the head of
he creek where we then were to
he top os the divide where the Indian
couts said the village could be seen, and
fter hiding his command, General Gus
er, with a few orderlies, gallOped for
ward to look at the Indian camp. In
bout an hour Custer returned and said
Ie could not see the Indian village, but
he scouts and half-breed guide, "Nuch
3ayer," said they could distinctly see it
ONE fifteen miles off. While General
yuster was looking for the Indian viii
age, the scouts came in and reported
hat he had been discovered, and that
Iews was then on its way to the village
hat he was coming. Another scout said
wo Sioux war parties had stolen up and
cen the command; and, on looking in a
avine near by, sure enough fresh pony
racks were found. Custer had ''officers'
all F" blown, gave his orders and the
was put in fighting order,
egiment moved at a walk. After going
lbout three miles the scouts reported
Indians ahead, and the command then
ook the trail. Our way lay down
little creek, branch of the Little Horn,
md after going some six miles we
discovered an Indian lodge ahead, and |
Custer bore down on it at stiff trot. In |
coming to it we found ourselves in a |
freshly abandoned Indian camp, all the
odges of which were gone except the
one we saw, and on entering it we found
It contained dead Indian. From this
point we could see into Little Horn
valley, and observed heavy clouds of dust
rising about five miles distant. Many
thought the Indians were moving away,
md | think General Custer believed so.
or he sent word to Colonel Reno. who |
vas ahead with three companies of the
seventh regiment, to push on the scouts
-apidly and head for the dust. Reno
.ook steady gallop down the creek
POTION three miles to where it emptied.
nto the Little Horn, and found natural
ord across Little Horn river. He started /
% cross, when the scouts came back and r
,alled out to him to hold on, that the =
Sioux were coming in large numbers to 7
meet him. He crossed over, however, 3
ormed his companies on the prairie in t
inc of battle, and moved forward at a :
rot, but soon took a gallop. The valley Z
8 about three-fourths of mile wide. I
IN the left line of low, round hills, and /
N the right the river bottom, covered I
With growth of cottonwood trees and {