The Osceola times., 1876-08-12
Custer's Fight Story of the Only
Survivor.
N. Y. Herald.


We have received the following brief
but highly interesting and important
communication from an officer high in
command, attached to the forces operat.
ing against the Indians, and who enioyed
the amplest facilities for obtaining re-
liable information:
bismarck, ID. r., July 12.-1he Crow
Indian Curly is believed to he the only
survivor of the two hundred and fifty
men who went into action with Custer
he is very clear in his knowledge of the
night, and has made statement. He
says he went down with two other Crows
and went into action with Custer. The
general, he says, kept down the river on
the north bank four miles, after Reno
had crossed TO the south side above.
Clusters object was TO cut OH the Indians
he thought Reno would drive down the
valley and at the same time attack the
village on two sides, he believing Reno
would take IL at the upper end, while he
(Custer) would 90 in at the lower end.
Custer had to 60 further down the river
and further away IRON Reno than he
| wished on account Of the steep bank
along the north side; but at last he
found ford and dashed for it. The In
dians met him and poured in heavy
lire from across the narrow river. Gus
ter dlsmounted TO fight on foot, but
could not get his skirmishers over the
stream. Meantime hundreds of Indians,
on foot and on ponies, poured over the
river, which was only about three feet
deep, and filled the ravines on each side
OF Clusters men. Custer then fell back
to some high ground behind him and
seized the ravines in his immediate vic
Unity. The Indians completely sur
rounded Custer and poured in terrible
fire on all sides. They charged on foot
in vast numbers, but were again and
again driven back. The fight began
about two O'Clock, and lasted, Curly
says, almost until the sun went dowr
over the hills. The men fought desper
ately, and after the ammunition in theil
belts was exhausted, went to their sad
dlebags, got moro, and continued th,
fight, Curly says more Indians wer,
killed than Custer had men. He ais,
says the big chief Custer lived unit
nearly all his men had been killed ol
wounded, and went about encouragin.
his soldiers to fight on. He got shot il
the left side, and sat down with his pis
tol in his hand. Another shot struck
Custe in the breast and he fell over
The last officer killed was man who
rode white horse believed to he lieu
tenant Cook, adjutant of the Seventh
as lieutenants Cook and Calhoun were
the only officers who rode white horses
and lieutenant Calhoun was found dead
on the skirmish line, near the ford, and
probably fell carly.) Curly says that
when he saw general Custer was hope
lcssly surrounded, he watched his oppor
tunity, got Sioux blanket, put il on
and worked up ravine, and when the
Sioux charged he got among them, and
they did not know him frsm one of theil
own men. There were some mounted
Sioux, and seeing one fall Curly ran tc
him, mounted his pony, and gallopes
+ down, as if going toward the white men
but went up ravine, and got away
He says as he rode of he saw, whel
nearly mile from the battlefield, q
dozen or more soldiers in a ravine fight
ing with Sioux all around them. IL,
/. | 'h"nS an Wtic hiiitui s.S 'ity Wtft out
numbered five to one, and apparently
dismounted. These men were no doubt
part of the thirty-ive missing men, re
ported in the official dispatches of gene
raj Terry. Curly says he saw one cav
airy soldier who had got away. lie wa
well mounted, but shot through botl
hips, and Curly thinks he died OF his
wounds, starved to death in the bad
+ lands or more likely his trail was fol
lowed and he killed by the Sioux. Curly
did not leave Custer until the battle
was nearly over, and he describes it AZ
desperate in the extreme. He is quit,
sure the Indians had more killed thar
Custer hal white men with him, ant
says the soldiers fought on until the last
man fell. The other Crow Indians il
the battle were killed,