The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-07-13
INDIAN NEWS.

SALT LAKE, Utah, July 6-Advices irom
Bosnian, Montana, dated July 3, p. No.,
state that Mr.. Taylor, bearer of dis
patches from Little Born to Fort Ellis, ar
rived that evening and reported that a bat
tie was fought on the 25th ult., thirty or
forty miles below Little Horn. Custer At
tackled an Indian village Of from $500 to
1000 warriors on one side, and Col. Reno
was to attack it on the other. Three COM
panies were placed on a hill as reserve
Gen. Custer and fifteen officers, and every
man belonging to five companies, were
killed. Reno retreated under protection of
the reserve. The whole number killed was
3I5. Gen. Gibbon Joined Reno and the In
dians left. The battle ground looked like
slaughter pen, as it really was, being in a
narrow ravine. The dead were much mu.
tilated. The situation now looks serious.
Gen. Terry arrived at Gibbons camp on
a steamboat, and crossed his command
over, and accompanied it to Gen. Custer,
who knew il was coming before the fight
occurred. Lieut.. Crittenden, son Of Gen.
Crittenden, was among the killed.
A special correspondent of the Helena,
Mont, Herald" writes from Saltwater,
Montans, July 81, and says: Gen.. Gus
ter found an Indian camp Of about 200
lodges on Little Horn, and Immediately
attacked them. Gen. Custer took five COM
panies and charged in the thickest portion
Of the camp. Nothing is known of the
operations of this detachment, only as the
trace BY the dead. Major Reno command
ed the other seven companies, and attacked
the lower portion Of the camp. The Indi-
ans poured in a murderops lire from all
directions, besides the greater portion
| fought on horse back. Gen. Custer
aud his two brothers, nephew and
brother-in-lsw, ali killed, and not one Of
his detachment esdaped; two hundred and
seven men were killed in one place. and the
killed is estimated at three hundred, with
only thirty-one wounded. The Indians sur
rounded Reno's command and killed them
one day while cut off from water, until Glib
ron's command came in sight, when they
broke camp in the night, and left. Seventh
Cavalry fought like tigers, and were over
come by mere brute force. Indians loss
cannot be estimated, as they bore oil most
of their killed. Men mostly Of the Seventh
Cavalry and Gibon's command. The COM
mand are returning to the mouth Of the
Little Horn, where steamboat awaits them.
The Indians got all the arms Of the killed
soldiers. There were seventeen commits
stoned officers killed. Exact loss not known,
as both post adjutant and serg't maiors were
| killed. The Indians were camped from
three to four miles away the largest camp
being twenty miles up the Little Horn from
It's mouth. The Indians actually pulled
the men of from their horses in some
instances.
GEN. rERRYis OFFICIAL REPORT.
CHICAGO, July S.-The following is the
official report OF Gen. Terry, OF Clusters
engagement with the Indians, received at
the headquarters Of. Gen. Sheridan too day :
Headquarters Department OF Dakota,
Camp on Little Big Horn River, June IL
To the Adjutant- General OF the Military
Division o. the Missouri, Chicago: 1t is my
painful duty to report that day before yes
terday, the 25th inst, great disaster over
took Gen. Custer and the troops under his
command. At II o'clock of the 22d, he
started with his whole regiment snd 4
strong detachment OF scouts and guards.
from the mouth Of the Rosebud. Pro-
ceediDg up that river about twenty miles,
he struck q very heavy Indian trail, which
had previously been discovered, aud pur-
suing it found that it led, as it was
supposed it would lead to Little Big Horn
River. Here he found village Of almost
unex ampled extent, and at once nttacked
it with that portion of his force which was
Immediately at hand. Major Reno witt.
three companies, A, G, and NJ, OF the regi-
ment, was sent into the valley Of the stream
at point where the trail struck it. Gen.
Custer, with five companies, Z, 4, +, ], Il l.,
attempted TO enter at about three miles
down. Reno forded the river, charged down
left bank, and dismounted, ard fought on
| loot until finally overwhelmed by numbers,
he was compelled to mount, re-crOss the
river, and seek refuge on the high bluffs
which overlooked It's right bank.
Just as he recrossed the river, Capt. Bel
ton, who with three companies, D, H and
K, was some two miles to the lett OF Reno
when the action commenced, but y no had
been ordered b. Gen. Custer to return,
came to the river, and rightly concluding
that i. was useless for his force to attempt
to renew the fight in the valley, he joined
Reno on the Bluffs. Capt. McDougall with
his company, b, was at first at some dis
lance III Tue rear Win q Tram VI PdCh
mules. He also came up to Reno soon.
This united force was nearly surrounded by
Indians, many OF whom, armed with rifles,
occupied positions which commanded
the ground held by the cavalry-ground
from which there was no escape. Rifle
pits were dug, and the fight was maintained,
though with heavy loss, from about half
past two O'Clock Of the 18th I'LL six O'Clock
of the 10Th, when the Indians withdrew
from the valley, taking With them their
village. OF the movements OF Custer and
the five companies under his immediate
command, scarcely nything is known from
those who witnessed them, Tor no soldier or
officer who accompanied him has yet been
found alive. His trail from the point where
Reno crossed the stream passes along and in
the rear of the crest OF bluffs on the right
hand for nearly or quite three miles then it
comes down TO the bank OF the river, but at
once DIVORCES from it, al if he had unsuc-
cessfully attempted to cross then turns
upon itself almost completely circle, and
closed. 1t is marked by the remains of his
officers and men and the bodies OF his hor-
ses. Some Of them dropped along the path,
and others we're heaped where halts appear
to have been made. There is abundant ev-
idence that q gallant resistance was made
by the troops, but they were beset on all