Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-07
Custer'S Fight.

New YORK, July IA Chicago dispatch
saws A special to the Tlmes irom Bismarck
recouu,s most graphically the late eucouuter
with The Indians on the Little Big Horn. Gen.
Custer left the Rosebud Oh juno % with
twelve companies Of the 18th cavalry. Striking
a trail, where Reno left it, leading in the d.
rec,ion of the Little Horn, on the evening OF
the 24'h fresh trails were reported, and IN the
moruiug of the 25th au Indian village, twenty
miles above the mouth OF the Little Horn, was
reported about three miles long aud hall a
mile wide and fifteen miles away. Custer push.
cd his command rapidly through. They had
made a march OF seventy. eight mlIes 10 twenty
fou! hours preceding the battle. When pear
The village it was discovered that the ludlaus
we're moving 10 hot haste, as il retrcatsng.
Reno, with sever companies of the 7!h cavalry,
was ordered to the lett to attack the village at
its head, while Custer, with i've companies,
went to the right aud coulucnccd a vigorous
attack. Reno felt of them with three com
papies of cavalry and was almost Instantly sur
rounded, and alter Que hour Or more OF vlgor
GUS lighting, during witch he lost Lleuts.
Hodpson aud Mclulosh and DR.. Dcwulf AID
twelve meD, with several Indian Scouts killed
and many wounded, he GU his way through
to the river aud gained a bluff 800 feet IN
hight, where he intrcuchcd and Was soon JON.
cd by Col. Benton with four companies. ln
the meantime the Indians resumed the attack,
making repeated and desperate charges, Which
were r%epulsed with great slaughter TO the L.
dams. They gained. higher ground than
Reno occupied, and as their arms were long
err range and better than the cavalry'S
they kept up a CALLING fire until n%ightlall.
During the Dight Reno strengthened his posi-
ton and was prepared Tor another attack, w!!lch
was made at daylight. The day wore Oh, R4uo
had lost 10 killed and wOuUd.d a large portion
| of his command, forty odd having been killed
| before the uf was reached. many OF them IN
| hand to hand c%ontltc. with the Indians, who
outuumbercd them ten to one, aud bis men bad
| been without water for thirty SIX hours. ibe
suffering was heart rendiog. In this state Of
affairs they determined to resch the water at
all hazards, and Col. Bcntoo made a sally with
| his company and routed the main body of the
Indians who we're guarding the approach to The
river. The Indian sharp shooters were nearly
opposite the mouth OF the ravlue through which
the soldiers approached the river, bu, the at
tempt was made, and h,ugh Que mau was killed
and seven wounded the water Was gain,d a0d the
command relieved. w The lighting ceased for
the night Reno further prepared Tor attacks.
| There had been forty. eight hours fighting with
no word from Custer. TWenty-tOur hours more
fighting and the suspense ended when the In
uiaus abandoned their village in great haste and
| CO fusion. Reno knew then that succor was
ucar at hand. Gen. Terry, with G,bbou CON-
mandiug his oWu infantry, had arrived, aud as
| the comrades met men Wept on each other :
| necks. Inquiries were then made Tor Custer,
| but none could tell where be was. Soon an officer
csme rushing into camp and related that he had
| found Custer dead stripped naked, but not mu-
tilated, and pear him his two brothers, Col. Tom
and Boston Custer, his brother.iD law Col. Cal
noun and his nephew, Col. Yates, Col. keogh.
Capt. Smith, Leu. Critteni D. Lieut.. Sturgis,
Col. Cooke, Ll,ut. Porter, Lieut.. Harrington,
| Dr.. Lord Mack Kellogg, tie Bismarck Tribune
corresponds: Land one hundred and uincty men
aud scouts. Custer went into battle with com.
panies G, L, j. f., and +, OF the seventh caval
~, and the staff and non commissioner staff OF
bis regiment, aud a plumber OF scouts, and only
one crow scout remained to tell the tale.
All are dead. Custer was surrounded ou
every side by Indians, and horses fell as
thy fought outhe ,kirmish liue or IN the line
of battle. Custer Was among the last WAC fell,
but when lis cheering voice Was DO longer
heard the Indilns made easy work Of the re-
maiuder. The bodies of all, save the newspa
per correspondents, were stripped, and most of
them we're horribly nutlIsted. Custer Was
shot through the body aud through the head.
The troops cared for the wounded and bu!led
the dead, aud returned to their base Tor sup
plies aud il Instructions from the general OF the
army. Colooel Smith arrived a; Bismarck last
plight with 35 Of the wounded. The ludiaus
lost heavily in the battle. The Crow sc""'
survived by hiding in a irvine. He bee
| the Indians lost more than the White42
-streceived