The New York herald., 1876-07-08
CUS2ER'S DEATH.
The Herald's Special Report from
the Field Of Battle.
MARCH OF THB COOPERATING COLUMN.
Graphic Picture of the Arrival at
the Scene of Disaster.
RESCUE OF RENo's COMMAND
Where the Yellow Haired Leader Lay
in the Embrace Of Death.
FRIENDS and COMRADES AROUND HIN.
The Savages Respect the Body Of
Him They Knew So Well.
THE DEAD CORRESPONDENT.
Reno's Desperate Fight Against
Overwhelming Odds.
Reno's Desperate Fight Against
Overwhelming Odds.
Beds That Shall Go Sounding Down
Through Ages.
On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spreao;
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.
CusTRR's BATTLE FIELD. LITTLE HORN, June %,
Via BISMARCK, ID. T., July Q, 1876.

Via BISMARCK, ID. T., July 0, 1876. ]
Couners are about to leave with General Terry's
dispatches, and take advantage ofthe opportunity
10 send hasty and necessarily imperfect account
pf the battle. l write from the scene Of Custer's
magnificent but terribly fatal charge, from plateau
pn which, but few hours since, l saw at glance
lis heroic soldiers Of the Seventh United States
cavalry lying where they fell at the hands Of
lge foe, cold and dead. Near the top OF little knoll
b the centre Of this plateau lay Custer himself;
and 1t touched my heart to that the savages, in
kind OF human recognition Of heroic clay, had
ypected the corpse OF the man they knew WELL
Other bodies we're mutilated; Custers was
more real than title Of nobility. He lay as II
asleep, his face calm and smile on his lips. Near
him were eleven dead officers. Captain
Mnes Keogh was on his right, and
his brother Captain Thomas Custer, on
hs ief Almost at Custer's feet lay fair, beautiful
boy Of nineteen. This was young Reed, Custer's
nephew. He was visiting the General at the tune
he was ordered on this expedition, and insisted
upon coming with him. In the field, . little way on
ny Boston CUSTER another Of the Generals brothers
Within few feet Of each other the three brothers
had fallen, and the skirnish line was the body OF
Lieutenant Calhoun, the husband OF Custer's sister,
Mrs. Calhounos here husband, three brothers and
. nephew. Kellogg, the special correspondent
of the NEW YORK HERALD, was found on the
skirmish line, to Calhoun. Upon this scene Of
action, made memorable by such sacrifice one COL
umn, commanded by General Gibbon came just in
time to rescue Colonel Reno menaced with the fate
that had more rapidly overtaken Custer. Assailed
in some poor entrenchments by 1000 Sioux, excited
BY the blood Of Custer's men, Reno and what re-
manned of the gallant Seventh cavalry must have
fallen as their comrades did had not the appear
ance Of General Gibbons column at the mouth of
the Little Horn alarmed the enemy and caused their
precipitate retreat
GIBB0N's MARCH.
In order to keep clear the story Of these events
must recur to the movements Of the column with
which it was my duty to march, will FIRST recte the
circumstances which led Immediately to its march
hIther.
General Gibbons command marched up the Yel-
lowstone River on the north side from opposite the
mouth Of Rosebud River to a point opposite the
n, was put over the Yellowstone and
marched out SIX miles along the line OF
1ullock's Creek, o small tributary Of the Yellow
stone. east OF the Big Horn. Generals Terry Gibbon
and Rrishyn had coma unon tho etaar,ar Ear w.s.
and met the command on the morning OF the 24fh
1t the mouth OF the Big Horn. General Gibbon was
very III and unable to leave his stateroom, and the
command Of the column was therefore temporarily
assigned to General Brisbin General Terry per-
sonally accompanied the expedition with hIs STAFF
Colonels Smith and Gibbs, Captain Nolan, Lieuten
ant Mcclure, Captain Hughes and Dr. Williams
Early on the 25th the command was pushed FUR
ther up the line of Tullock's Creek and in the after
noon crossed the ridge or divide of the Big Horn
River There was want Of water, and the infantry
surered great DEAL General Terry put the In.
fantry into camp the bank of the Big Horn rested
there two hours, and at i've p. NJ. pushed forward
with Brisbin and the cavalry. 1t was a stormy
@@ss"T "asu iaAh anu Wiuu tneT, ana intensely
dark-as bad q night for duty az couId well be i'm.
agfned. Over the bad lands, through the
rough ravines and well nigh impossible
gullics, the column toiled and stumbled ON until
three A. NJ, when, completely exhausted, 1t was
halted, dry camp was made, and without water or
IRE the men lay down to rest for few hours
At daylight the friendly Crow Indians and Lieu
tenant Bradley Of the seventh Infantry in charge of
scouts, were pushed out In advance over the Little
Horn and saw four Indians, who Ned to
the Big Horn, closely pursued by the
CrowA The flying Indians abandoned one
horse, threw or their clothing, and punging into
the Big Horn swum The river. Our Crow scouts
captured the abandoned horse and picked up the
onsmsnts which tho iugtiyes had cast away. and