Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-07-20
Helena, Montana, Thursday, July 20, 1876.

two Of Clusters men killed who fell into the
stream After fighting few moments here,
Custer seemed to be convinced that it was
impracticabfe to cross, as it only could be
done in column of fours, exposed during the
movement to a heavy fire from the front and
both flanks He, therefore, ordered the head
of the column to the right, and bore diagon-
ally into the hills, down stream, his men on
foot, leading their horses. In the meantime
the Indians had crossed the river (below) in
immense numbers, and began to appear on
his right flank and in his rear; and he had
proceeded but few hundred yards in the
new direction the column had taken, when it
became necessary to renew the fight with the
Indians who had crossed the stream. At first
the command remained together, but after
some minutes fighting it was divided, por-
ton deploying circularly to the left, and the
remainder similarly to the right. so tharwhen
the line was formed it bore rude resem-
blancc to a circle, advantage being taken as
far as possible of the protection afforded by
the ground. The horses were in the rear, the
men on the line being dismounted, fighting
on foot.
OF THE INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT
in other parts of the field than his own, Cur
ley is not we'll informed, as he was himself
concealed in deep ravine, from which but u
small part OF the field was visible.
The fight appears to have begun, from
Curleys description of the situation of the
sun, about 2:3O or o'clock p. NJ, and con-
tinued without intermission until nearly SUM-
set. The Indians had completely surrounded
the command, leaving their horses in ravines
we'll to the rear, themselves pressing forward
to attack on foot. Confident in the great su-
periority of their numbers, they made several
charges on all points of Clusters line; but the
troops held their position firmly, and deliver
ed heavy fire, and every time drove them
back. Curley says the firing was more rapid
than anything he had ever conceived of, be-
ing continuous roll, like Gas he expressed iD
''THE SWAPPING OF THE THREADS IN THE TEAR
ING OF BLANKET
The troops expended all the ammunition in
their belts, and then sought their horses for
the reserve ammunition carried in their sad
die pockets.
AS long as their ammunition held out, the
troops, though losing considerably in height.
maintained their position in spite of all the
efforts of the Sioux. From the weakening
of their fire towards the close of the afternoon
the Indians appeared to believe that their am
munition was about exhausted, and they
made q
GRAND FINAL CHARGE,
in the course of which the last of the COM
mand was destroyed, the men being shot,
where they laid in their positions in the line,
at such close quarters that many were killed
with arrows. Curley says that Custer remain
ed alive through the greater part of the en-
gagement, animating his men to determined
resistance but about an hour before the
close of the fight received a mortal wound.
Curley says the field was thickly strewn
with the dead bodies of the Sioux who fell in
the attack-in number considerably more than
the force of soldiers engaged. He is satisfied
that their loss will exceed 300 killed, beside
an immense number wounded. Curley ac-
complished his escape by drawing his blanket
about him in the manner of the Sioux, and
passing through ali interval which had been
made in their line as they scattered over the
field in their final charge. He says they must
have seen him, as he was in plain view, but
was probably mistaken by the Sioux for one
of their own number or one of their allied
Arrapahoes or Cheyennes.
In most particulars the account given by
Curley of the fight is confirmed by the posi-
ton of the trail made by Custer in his move
ments, and the general evidences of the bat
tie field. Only one discrepancy is noted,
which relates to the time when the fight came
to an end.
Officers of Reno's command, who, late in
the afternoon, from high points surveyed the
country in anxious expectation of Clusters
appearance, and commanded view OF the
field where he had fought, say that no fight
ing was going on at that time-between hve
and six o'clock. 1t is evident, therefore, that
the last of Clusters command was destroyed
at On earlier hour in the day than Curley re-
lates.
THE Boston Herald says: Gas an educator
of the people the marvellous exhibition at
Philadelphia surpasses every institution of
the kind that the wit and wisdom of men has
ever before conceived" The Herald calls
for some general and systematic method to