Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-09-07
THE SIOUX WAR.
Major isenO's KepOrt-The Plan Of Battle
Attack On the V1llage-The lie.
pulse-A Desperate Defense
Vast Number OF the Indians.

which was standing one tepee, about II u. m.
Custer motiOned me to cross to him, which
did, and moved nearer to his column, unit
about 1890 a. M, when Lieutenant Cooke
Adjutant, came to me and said the village
was only two miles ahead and the Indian!
running away. TO ''move forward at al
rapid gait as thought prudent and to charge
afterward, and that the whole outfit would
} support me-" think those were his exact
words l at once took fast trot, and moved
down about two miles, where l came to a
ford of the river. | crossed Immediately
and halted about ten minutes or less to gather
the battalion, sending word to Custer that
had everything in front of me, and that they
were strong. deployed, and with the Rec
scouts on my left, charged down the valley
driving the Indians with great ease for about
two and half miles. l, however soon saw
that was being drawn into some trap, as
they certainy would fight harder, and especi-
ally as we were nearing their village, which
was still standing; besides, l could not see
Custer or any other support, and at the same
time the very earth seemed to grow Indians,
and they were running toward me in swarms,
and from all directions. saw | must defend
myself, and give up the attack mounted
This did, taking possession of point of
woods, and which furnished, near its edge, a
shelter for the horses; dismounted and
fought them on foot, making headway
through the wood. soon found myself in
the near vicinity of the village, saw that
was fighting odds Of at least five to one, and
that my only hope wss to get out of the wood
where [ would soon have been surrounded
and gain some high ground. moved to the
summit of the highest bluff, but seeing and
hearing nothing Of Custer, sent Captain
| Weir, with his company, to open coummuni-
cation with the other command. He soon
sent back word by Lieutenant Hare that he
could go no further, and that the Indians
| were getting around him at this time be was
keeping up heavy fire from his skirmish
line. at once turned everything back to the
first position had taken on the bluff, and
which seemed to me the best. l dismounted
the men, had the horses and mules of the
pack-trains driven together in depression,
and had hardly done SO when l was furiously
attacked. This was about p m We held
our ground, with the loss of 18 enlisted men
killed and 46 wounded, until the attack ceased
about 9 p. M. AS knew by this time their
overwhelming numbers, and had given up
any support from the portion of the regiment
with Custer, | had the men dig rife-pits
barricaded with dead horses, mules and
boxes OF hard bread, the opening of the de-
animals were herdeu, and made every exertion
to be ready for what I saw would be a
terrific assault the next day. All this night
the men were busy, and the Indians holding
scalp-dance underneath in the bottom, and
in our hearing.
On the morning of the 26th felt confident
that could hold my own, and was ready as
far as l could be-, when at daylight about |
2:3O a. m., heard the crack of two rifles. |
This was the signal for the beginning of |
a fire which have never seen equaled.
Every rifle was handled by an expert and
skilled marksman and with range that ex-
ceeded our carbine, and it was simply i'm
possible to show any part of the body before
1t was struck. We could see, as the day
countless hordes OF them pouring
up the valley from out the village, and scam
pering over the high points toward the places
designated for them by their chiefs, and
which entirely surrounded our position. They
had sufficient numbers to completely encir-
Gle us, and men were struck on opposite sides
of the lines from where the shots were fired.
think we were fighting all the Sioux nation.
and also all the desperadoes, renegades, half
breeds and squaw-men between the Missouri
and the Arkansas and east of the Rocky
Mountains. They must have numbered at
east z, 500 warriors. The fire did not slacken
until about $50 a. m, and then we discoy-
cred that they were making last desperate j
attempt, and which was directed against the
ines held by Companies II and M. In this ]
lttack they charged close enough to use their
'ows and arrows, and one man lying dead {
within our lines was touched by the ''coup
tick OF one of the foremost Indians. When
say the stick was only about ten or twelve ,
eet long, some idea of the desperate and I
eckless fighting of these people may be un-
erstood. About p. m. the grass in the {
ottom wasset on fire and followed up by the d
indians, who encouraged its burning, and it d
7hich purpose discovered, later on, to be
ne creation of dense cloud of smoke. be- a
ind which they were packing and preparing b
} move their tepees 1t was between and
p. M. thatthe village came out from behind
le clouds OF smoke and dust. We had
lose and good view of them as they filed
way in the direction of the Big Horn noun
lns. moving in almost military order: the n
myth of the column was fully equal to that 8,
large division of the Cavalry Corps of Il
e Army of the Potomac, as have seen it is
! its march. y ** ff
After following over his TRAIL it is evident ii
me that Custer intended to support me by al
owing further down the stream and attack a
g the village IN flank q; that he found the VI
stance greater to the ford than he anticipa- al
d; that he did charge, but his march had fo
ken SO long, although his trail shows that p,
moved rapidly. that they were ready for p,
m; that Companies and I, and perhaps q
rt OF Company E, crossed to the village, ar
attempted 1t, at the charge, and were met ne
q staggering fire, and that they fell back de
secure q position from which to defend 80