Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-14
.nother Account of Custer's Fight

Another Account of Clusters Fight.
New YORK, July ID "A Detroit dispatch
SAYS Lieutenant John Garland OF Go. B, Sixth
Infantry, With General Gibbons command,
writes as follows concerning the slaughter of
the Seventh Cavalry and General Gus er. The
letter is dated Mouth Of the Little River, June
18th: Major Reno was to attack the enemy in
the rear while Custer fought them 10 front.
This would have worked all right, as Reno
had got in their rear. but General Custer,
marchug down 90 the other side, saw what b.
supposed was the front Of the camp and made
a charge on them, the lndiaos giving way aud
letting him right in the gap. The brave man
rode 10 with his three hundred men and would
have killed the whole two thousand Sioux, |
believe, if there had been 90 enemy behind
him. But Instead Of cbarsiog the front, he was
right 10 the centre Of between three thousand
and four thousand Sioux. Those that were
behind him k-pt concealed until he was right
in their midst, aud then, When 1t was too late,
he made bold dash, trying to cut through
them; but the enemy were too many. He
fell about the first oue, and the horses becom
log uumaDageable, the poor soldiers were cut
down 10 less time than 1t takes to tell II. The
Sioux then turned with all their force upon
Major Reno He charged them with one com-
pany aud returned with only eleven mso. He
then retreated short distacce, paclDg his
men Oh a bluff. Out of the whole regiment
only 32S men are left, and forty OF hem are
badly wohDded. 1t makes ones heart sick 10
look over the battle ground aud see the poor
fellows-some of them with their entrails cut
laid across their face. They even stopped to
.La.s - hotr nd
watches. The most fearful sight was Colonel
Cook. He was splendid lookiog man, with
long, dark whiskers. They dug his face ali
out so as TO get his 6ne beard, it is supposed.
They did not di,6sure General Custer 10 any
way but his bro: her, rou Custer, was opened
and his heart tax out. We estimate the loss
of the enemy at sou, though it is hard to till
how many were killed, as they carried most of
them away. Some of ours claim that Sitting
Bull was killed. as be was knowo By some, aod
an Indian answering bis description was touna
dead; but 20 doubt this is false, as hey would
have tried to carry him along. General Terry
and the remaining officers are teellog very
badly. | was standing by General Custer when
General Terry came up. and as be locked down
upon the noble General the tears coursed down
his face as he said, The flower of the army i
gone at last" Custer was supposed TO be the
first one who died, but though he fell first,
We found seventeen cartridge shells BY his
side, where he had kept them of uoil the lasi
moment. Th.re can no blame b. attached to
any one for this fearful slaughter. If Custer
had had the whole regiment it would ooly have
been worse, as the ouz were TOO macy. OF
course there will be some banned by Eastern
papers, but as an ey, vi ness OF the whole ba
tie, I cauuot censure any one. There is one
poor crow Indiao on the boa who has five
shots through him. Yet he is happy, because
he has nioe soalps at bis side. This is true
statement of General Clusters brave charge
The Sioux were all from some agency. as
fouod camp equipments that hal never beer
used also blankets that we're pew and brand
I'd ~. S. Iodian Department.
DR.. Richard Stewart, of Baltimore, died there
yocfor6av