Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-08-04
5tiseellamu.
The Indian War.

Clusters Battle Described by an Eye Wit
ness, and the only Survivor.
The Grow Indian, Curly, now at Bis
marck, the only survivor of Custer:
fight, furnishes the first account of the
massacre given by an eyewitness. He
says Custer kept down the river on the
north bank four miles, after Reno had
crossed to the south side above. Gus
ter's object was to cut off the Indians
Hethought Reno would drive them down
the valley and at the same time attack
the valley on two sides, he believing that
Reno would take it at the upper end
while he Custer would go in at the
lower end. Custer had to 90 farther
down the river and farther away from
Reno than he wished, on account of the
steepness of the bank. He finally found
ford and dashed for it. The Indians
met him, and poured heavy fire from
across the narrow river. Custer dis
mounted 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 vicinity.
The Indians completely surrounded him
and poured in terrible fire on all sides.
They charged Custer ON foot in vast
numbers, but were again and again driv-
en- back. The fight began about two
o'clock and lasted almost till the sun
went down over the hills. The men
fought desperately, and after their am
munition was exhausted went to their
saddle bags, got more, and continued the
fight. More Indians were killed than
Custer had men. Custer lived until
nearly all his men had been killed or
wounded, and went about encouraging
his soldiers to fight on. He got shot
in his left side and sat down with his pis.
tol in his hand. Another shot then
struck him in his breast and he fell over.
The last officer killed was a man who
rode white horse. This is believed to
be Lieut. Cook, adjutant of the 7th, as
Lieuts. Cook and Calhoun were the only
officers who rode white horses, and Lieut..
Calhoun was found dead ON the skirmish
line, near the ford, and probably fell
early in the action.
Curly says that when he saw Custer
was hopelessly surrounded, he watched
his opportunity, got Sioux blanket,
put it on, and worked up the ravine, and
when the Sioux charged, he got among
them, and they did not know him from
one of their own men. There were some
Sioux, and, seeing one fall,
Curly ran to him, mounted his pony.
and galloped down, as if going toward
the white men, but went up ravine and |
got away. He says that, as he rode off. |
he saw, when nearly a mile from the
battle field, dozen or more soldiers in
4 ravine, with Sioux all around them.
He thinks all were killed, as they were
five to one, and apparently
These men we're, no doubt.
'art of the missing men reported in the
'fficial dispatches of Gen. Terry. Curly
aw one cavalry soldier who had got
way. He was well mounted but shot
trough both hips, and Curly thinks he
lied of his wounds, starved to death in
he Bad Lands, or, more likely, his trail
vas followed and he was killed by the
sioux. Curly did not leave Custer till
he battle was nearly over, and he de-
cribes it as desperate in the extreme.
The soldiers fought on until the last man
ell. The other Crow Indians in the bat
lie besides Curly, we're killed.