The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-07-20
THE STORY OF A SCOUT.
Bioody Fight and P%eriIous Position
sunerinRs of the soldiers-The Grsye-
yard of the Custer Family.

BISMARCK, d, T., July T-George
Herndon, a SCOTT sent by Gen. Terry
with Gen. Clusters column, relates the
following as his experience in the re-
cent battle. He was sent ty Gen. Ter
ry from the mouth of the Rosebud with
Gen. Clusters command, to carry dis
patches from Custer to Terry:
his STORY.
We left the Rosebud on the 22d of
June at IL O'Clock; marched up the
Rosebud about IL miles and encamped
for the night. On the morning of the
23d we broke camp at D O'Clock and
continued up the Rosebud until 0
O'Clock, when we struck u large lodge
pole trail about 10 days old, and follow
ed it along the Rosebud until toward
eveting, when we Went into camp on
the trail. On the morning of the 9th
we pulled out mt Q O'Clock, and followed
the trail five or six miles, when we met
six Crow Indian scouts, who had been
sent out the night previous by Gen.
Custer to look for the Indian village.
They said they had found fresh pony
tracks, and that ten miles ahead the
trail was frcsher. Gen. Custer had the
officers call blown, and they assembled
around him, but | did not hear what he
said to them. The scouts were again
sent ahead, and moved along at a fast
walk. We moved at 1 o'clock, and,
while the the officers were eating their
lunch, the scouts came back and report
Ell that they had found where the vii
lage had been quite recently. They
moved again, with ilankcrs well out to
watch the trail and see that it did not
divide. About 1 o'clock we came to
the place where the village had been
apparently only II few days before, and
went into camp two ihiic3 below the
forks of the Rosebud. The scouts all
again pushed out to look for the vii
lagc, and ut II O'Clock at night Custer
had every thing packed up and follow
ed the scouts up the right-hand fork Of
the Rosebud.
II VILLAGE DISCOVERED.
About daylight we went into camp,
made coffee, and 500 after il was light
the scouts brought Custer word that
they had seen the village from the top
of n divide that separates the Rosebud
from the Little Horn River. We
moved UP the creek until lea its head,
and concealed ourselves in Il ravine. 1t
was about three miles from the head of
the creek where we then were to the
top of the divide where the Indian
scouts said the village could be seen,
and after hiding his command, Gen.
Custer, with II few ordcrlies, galloped
forward TO look ut the Indain camp. In
about IN hour Custer returned and said
he could not see the Indian village, but
the scout and q %half-breed guide, Much
Bayer, said they could distinctly see il
ONE 10 miles off. While Custer was
looking for the Indian village, the
scouts came in and reported that he had
been discovered, and that news was
then on its way to the village he was
coming. Another scout said two Sioux
war parties had stolen up and seen tn,
command; and on looking in a ravint
nbar by, sure enough fresh pony track:
were found. Custer had officers cal
blown, gave his orders, and the com
mand was put in fighting order. The
scouts were ordered forward and the
regiment moved ut Il walk. Aftel
going about three miles The
scouts reported Indians ahead, ant
the command then took the trail. Oul
way lay down Il little creek, a branch o
the Little Horn, and after going som'
six miles we discovered an Indian lodg'
ahead, and Custer bore down on it ut
stiff trot. In coming to it we founC
ourselves in freshly abandoned Indian
camp, all the lodges of which were gon'
except the one we saw, and on entering
it we found it contained a dead Indian
From this point we could see into tn
Little Horn Valley, and observed heav.
clouds of dust rising about five mile
distant. Many thought the Indian
were moving away, and | think Gen
Custer believed so, for he sent word t.
Col. Reno, who was ahead with thre
companies of the Seventh Regiment, t
push on the scouts rapidly and head 70
the dust. Reno took II steady gallo
down the creek bottom three miles I
where it emptied into the Little Horn
and found "a natural ford across Littl
Horn River. lie started to cross, whe
t,e scouts came back, and called out t
hlu4 :, hold on, that the Sioux wcr
coming in large numbers TO meet hin
He crossed over, however, formed hi
companies on the prairie In line of ba
tie, and moved forward al a trot, BIT
soon took II gallop. The vale
was about three-fourths of II mi
wide. On the left IL line of low, roun
hills, and on the right the river bottom
covered with Il growth of COTTONWOOD
trees and bushes. After scatterin
. shots were fired from the hills, and
Z few from the river bottom, and Reno
skirmishers returned the shots, he a,
!, vanced about n mile from the ford to
= line of timber on the right and di
. mounted his men to fight on foot. III
horses were sent into the timber, III
. the men formed on the prairies and a
vanced toward the Indians. The Ind
y ans, mounted on ponies, came aero
: the prairies, and opened a heavy fire
~ the soldiers. After skirmishing for
II few minutes, Reno fell back TO
:" horses in the timber. the India
v moved to his left and rear, evident
with the intention of cutting him
from the ford. Reno ordered his m,
o mount and move through the timbt