The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-07-08
An immense Indian Village Destroyed
But AT an Awful Sacrinee OF Life.

companies OF the ith Cayalry, strlk-
ing the trail where Reno left it,
leading in the direction of the Little
Horn, a branch of the Big Horn.
On the evening of the oath, scouts
reported fresh trails, and on the
morning of the 25th discovered an
Indian village, twenty miles above
the mouth of the Little Horn, about
three miles long and half a mile wide,
fifteen miles away. Custer pushed
his command rapidly, though they
had made a long march, in ali
seventy-eight miles in the twenty
four hours preceding the battle, and
when near the village, struck an
abandoned tepee. While the Indians
were moving in hot haste, as if in
retreat, Reno, with seven companies
Of the It'll Cavalry, was ordered to
the left to attack the village at its
head, while Custer, with five compan-
les, went to the right and common
ced a vigorous attack.
Reno felt of them with three COM
panies Of cavalry and was almost in
stantly surrounded, and after an
hour or mor of desperate fighting
during which he lost Lieuts. Hodge
son and Mcintosh, DIR. De Wolf and
twelve men, with several Indian
scouts killed and many wounded,
he cut his way through the Indians,
crossed the river and gained a bluff
three hundred feet in height, where
he entrenched and was soon Joined
by Col. Benton, with four companies.
In the meantime, the Indians re-
sumed the attack, which had abated
in vigor for an hour or so, making
repeated desperate charges, which
were repulsed with great slaughter to
the Indians. They gained higher
bluffs, however, than the one occu-
pied by Reno, and as their arms
were Of longer range and better than
those of the cavalry they kept up a
Calling fire until night fall. During
the night Reno strengthened his po-
sition and was prepared for the at
tack, which was resumed at daylight.
The day wore on. Reno had lost
in killed and wounded a large portion
of his command, forty odd having
been killed before the bluff was
reached, many of them in hand-to-
hand conflict with the Indians, who
outnumbered them ten to one, and
his men had been without water
thirty-six hours. The appeals of the
wounded for water were indeed heart
rending, while the others were al
most exhausted, in many instances
their tongues protruding from their
mouths, and few could speak aloud.
They tried to eat crackers, but could
not moisten them, while grass
blades which some ate to give relief
clungto their parched lips. In this state
of affairs they determined to gain
water at all hazards, and Col. Ben
ton made a rally with his company
and routed the main portion Of the
Indians, who we're guarding the ap-
proach to the river, to which the SOL
diers volunteered to go with camp
kettles and canteens for water. The
Indian sharp-shooters were nearly
opposite the mouth of the rayine
through which the brave boys ap-
preached the river, but the attempt
was made, and though one man was
killed and seven wounded, the water
was gained and the command re-
lieved.
When the fighting ceased for the
night Reno caused his animals to be
likewise relieved, and further prepa-
red for the attack, which he knew
would be resumed on the next morn
ing. Officers and men kept in good
heart, but all wondered what had be-
come of Custer. There had been
forty-eight hours of fighting, and no
word from their respected com
mander. Twenty-four hours more of
fighting and suspense ensued, when
the indians abandoned their village
in great confusion. Then Reno
knew that succor was near. Gen.
Terry, with Gibbons command and
his own infantry had arrived and as
the comrades in arms met, strong
men wept on the necks of each other.
After congratulations to the gallant
for his successful de-
Tense, inquiries were made for Gus
ter, but none could tell where he
was. Soon an officer came rushing
into camp and related that he had
found Custer dead, stripped naked,
but not mutilatsd, and neal him his
two brothers, Col. Town and Bos-
ton, Clusters brother-in-law, Col.
Calhoun, and a nephew,..CoL Yates.
Col. Keogh, Capt. Smith, Lieut..
Crittenden, a son of Gen. Critten-
den, Lieut.. Sturgis, a son of Gen.
Sturgis, Col. Cooke, Lieut.. Porter,
Lieut.. Harrington, DR.. Lord, Mark
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