Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1876-07-09

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bank, dismounted and fought on foot,
until finally, completely overwhelmed
by numbers, he was compelled to
mount and recross the river and seek
/. refuge in the high bluffs which
overlooked its right bank.
Just - be recrossed the Little Big
Horn, Benteen, who, with three com
panies, d, n aud X, WAS some two
miles to the left of Reno, when the
action commenced, but who
had been ordered by General Custer
10 return, came to the river, aud right
7 " concluding that it was useless for
his force to attempt TO renew the fight
in the valley, he joined Rens on the
bluffs. Captain McDougall, with his
company B, was At first ut some dis
tance in the rear with . train Of pack
mules. He also came up to Reno,
and soon this united force WAS nearly
surrounded by Indians, many of whom,
armed with rifles, occupied positions
which commanded the ground held by
the cavalry, from which there was no
escape. Rife pits were dug and the
fight wsszmain,sined, though with y
hsavy loss from about half past two
o'clock of.the 25th till 6 o'clock OF the
26th, when tho Indians withdrew
from the valley, taking with them
their village. OF the movement Of
General Custer and HE FIVE compa-
MES under his Immediate command,
scarcely anything is known from those
who witnessed them, for no
soldier or officer who accompanied
him has yet been found alive. His
trail from the point when Maj. Reno
crossed the stream passes along and
in the rear of the crest Of the bluffs
on the right bank for nearly, or quite
three miles; then it comes down to
the bank of the river but at once
diverges from it as il he had uusuc.
cesfully attempted to cross; then
turns upon itself, almost completes .
circle, and closes. q
1t is marked by the remains of his
officers and men, aud the bodies,of his
horses. Some of them dropped along
the path; others are heaped when halts
appear to have been made. There is
abundant evidence that gallant re
sistsnce was offered BY the troops,
but they were beset on all sides by
ovefpowerin & numbers.
Mr.. Bristol and Mr.. Reed, nephew
OF General Custer, were with aim and
were killed. No other officers than
those whom have named are among
the killed, wounded and missing. 1t
is impossible as yet to obtain re-
liable list Of the enlisted men who
were killed, including officers. L,
must reach $50; tne number of wound
ed is s AT the mouth of the Rose
bud Informed General Custer that I
should take the supply steamer Far
West up the Yellowstone to ferry
General Gibbons column over the
river, that l should personally accom-
psny that column, and that it would
in all probability reach the mouth OF
the Little Big Horn on the 26th inst.
The officers known to be killed are
Gen. Custer, Capts Keogh, Gates and
Custer; Lieuts. Cook, Smith, McIn-
tosh, Calhoun, Porter, Hodgson, Stur,
gis and Kelley of the cavalry. 1t.
Crittenden, of the 2Oth infantry aud
Asst Surgeon Lord are missing. Capt
Benteen and Lieutenant Varnum
Of the seventh cavalry are slightly
wounded.
The steamerreached Gen. Gibbons
troops, near the mouth Of the Big
Horn, early on the mort,ing of the
oath, at o'clock in the afternoon
All his men and animals were across
the Yellowstone =. o'clock. The
column, consisting Of FIVE companies
Of the 7th infantry, four companies Of
the I'd cavalry and battery of three
gatling guns, marched out to and
across Tulloch's creek, starting soor
after 6ve o'clock in the morning.
Fifty infantry made . march of ~
miles over the most difficult country
which l have ever seen, in order that
the scouts might be sent into the
valley Of the Little Big Horn. The
cavalry with the battery was then
pushed on l3 or IA miles further
reaching camp at midnight. .l,h,
scouts discovered the Indians, wht
were at FIRST supposed to be Sioux
but when overtAken proved to b.
Crows, who had been with Custer
They brought the first intelligence o
the battle. Their story was not ere
dited. 1t was supposed that som,
severe fighting perhaps had take,
4 place, but it was not believed tha
| Custer could have overtaken SO larg.
force as IL companies of cavalry
The infantry had broken camp yer.
early and soon came up, and tn
whole column entered and moved vi
i the valley of The Little Big Horn
. During the afternoon efforts wer