Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-07-13
TIE MASSACRE IN MONTANA.
Graplaic 41ccouast Of the Disaster.

Gropiaic -1ccou,2 OF the Disaster.
FIVE COMPANIES ANNIHILATED..
Discovery Of the Slaughtered Troops.
CHICAGO, July THE following ac~
count Of the Custer massacre has beer
received here's.
"Sioaa EapetlitiSas, Mouth Of the
Big, Horn, July J, via Bismarck, ID. T..
July e.-Long before the arrival of
this dispatch you will have heard of the
tragedy which has been enacted here
The CHASTITY details would seem TO
court oblivion If it were iii the nature
of things possible 10. forget or cloak
them up.
DEPAglgRE, OF CUSTER RRoM RosERup
CAMP.
At noon on the 22d of ,Inne Gen.
Custer, at the head of his fine reoi,
ment of twelve veteran companies, left
camp at the mouth of the Rosebud to
follow the trial ofa very large band OF
hostile Sioux leading up the river, and
westward in the direction of the Big
Horn. The signs indicated that the
Indians were making for the eastern
branch of the last named riyega marked
on the map as Little Big Horn" A,
the same time Gen Terry, with Glib
bons command of FIVE companies Of
infantry, four Of cavalry and the Cat
ling battery, started to ascend the Big
Horn, aisaipg to. assail the enemy IL. the
rear..
PLAN. OF GO OPERATION.
The march of the two columns. was
SO planned as to bring Gibbons forces
within cooperating distance Of The
anticipated scene Of action by the eyen'
ing OF the 26,h la this way onl,
could the infantry be made available
as it woal3 not do to cucumber Custer,
march with foot soldiers. On the
evening OF the 9th Gibbons command
was landed on the south bank Of th4
Yellowstone, near the mouth OF the Big
Horn, and on the 25lh was pushet
twenty~three miles over country Sc
rugged that the endurance oftEe mel
was tasked to the utmost The infan
try then halted for the night, but thu
department commander, with the cav
airy, advanced twelve miles further tt
the mouth OF the Little Big Horn
marching until midnight in the hop
of opening communication with Gus
tsr.
SUDDEN NEWS OF BATTLE.
The morning of the 26th brought tn
intelligence communicated by thre'
badly frightened Grow scouts Of TIL
battle Of the previous day, and It's re
suits. The story was not credited be
cause it was not expected that an at
tack would be made earlier than thu
9th, and chiefly because no one cou {
believe that force such as Custe
commanded could have met with dis
| aster. STILL the report was in no wa,
disregasdea. All day long the toll
some a,areh was Piled aud every ey'
bcns upon cloud of smoke restin:
over the southern horizon, which wa
hailed as sign that Custer was sue
cesstul and had fired the village. l
was only when night was falling tina
the weary troops lay down upon thei'
arms. The infantry had marched 2;
miles.
TRACES OF CONFLICT.
The march of the next morning r.
yealed at every step some evidence 0
the conflict which had taken place two
days brf're. At an early hour The
head OF the column entered a plail
half a mile wide bordering the lief
ba.sk of the little Big Horn, which
had been. ali immense Indian village
extending three miles along the stream
aud where were still standing severa
lodges, with horses slaughtered aroune
them, and containing the bodies Of Mint
chiefs. The ground was stTewn every
where with carcasses Of horses, cavalry
equipments, besides buffalo robes, pack
ages of dried meat and weapons ane
utensils belonging to the Indians.
On this part OF the field was found
The clothing Of Lieuts. Sturgess ant
Porter, pierced with bullets, and /;
blood stained gauntlet belonging te
Col. Gates. Further On were touni
bodies of men,. among which were
recognized Lieutenant McIntosh, the
interpreter from Fort Rice, and Rey'
nolds, the guide.
RELIEF OF RENO.
Just then breathless scout arriv.l
with the intelligence that Col. Reno
with number of the Seventh Cavalry
was entrenched on bluff near by
waiting for relief The command push
ed sapidly on and soon came in sigh
of a ground surrounding cavalry guare
upon lofty eminence on the RICH
bank of the river. Gen. Terry fordee
the stream, accompanied by a small
party. and rode to the spot, Al the
way the slopes were dotted with the
bodies of men and horses. The genera
approached and :he men swarmed ou
of the works and greeted him will
hearty and repeated cheers. Within
was found Reno with the remains o
seven companies of the. regiment. will
the following named officers, all O
whom. are unhnrt :. Coils. Benteen anc
Wier, Capts Felix. Maylaa. and McDon-
aid, Lieuts. Godfrey, Mathey. Gibson
De Rudio Edgerly, Wallace, Varnum
and Hare.
In the centre of the enclosure, was a
depression in the surface in which the
wounded were sheltered, covered with
canvas. Reno's command had beer
fighting from Sunday noon. the 25th,
until the night of the 26th, when
Terry's arrival caused she Indians to