New-York tribune., 1876-07-10
TrPRy,s OFFICIAL REPORT.
c,,srgR's IRAN AND THE EVIDENCE or DR.


Sheridan:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA,
CAMP on LITTLE BIG HORN RIVER, June Z''
In The administered Of the Military Dipi8on Ct th<
Missouri at Ckieago, Ill.,;
II Is my painful duty to report that day pciore
Yesterday the 25th inst. great disaster overlook
Cen. Cpster and the troops under his command AT
- o'clock on the 22d he started with hls whoie
regiment and a strong detachment of scouts and
onards from the mouth of the Rosebud. Proceeding
mn that river about twenty miles he struck
very heavy Indian trail which had previously
been discovered, and pursuing fonnd that
il led as was supposed 10 tbe Little BIG
Horn River Here he found village of almost
nnexsmplcd extent aud at once attacked 1t with
that portion af his force which was immediately at
hand Major RonO, with three companies, A, u, ana
~ of the regiment was sent into the valley OF Ihe
stream NJ tbe point where the trail struck it, Gen.
Cpster. with five companies, G., t. +, /, and l.,
a+em,ad TO enter il about three miles lower down.
Reno forded the river, charged down its left bank
and dismouutel and fought on foot until hnai!y,
completely overwhelmed by numbers, he was con-
peled to mount the river, and seek retEge
on the high bluffs which overlooked ITS rlght bank'
inst as Ae recrossed Capt Benteenwho, with three
companies, d, II, and X, was somc two niles to the
left Of Reno when the action commenced, but wL6
had been ordered by Gen. Custer to returu-came TO
fhe river, and rightly concluding that il would be
useless for his force TO attempt TO the fight IN
the valley he Joined Reno the Bluffs. Capt.
McDougall, with his company OBJ was at first at
some distance III the with train OF pack-mulcs
de also came TO Reno soon. This united force vas
nearly surrounded by Indians many of whom. armed
with rifles occupied positions which commanded the
ground held by the cavalry ground from when
there was no escape. Riiie-pits were dug and the
fight was maintained, though with heavy .oSS, from
about half-past o'clock Cf the 25th till o'clock Of
the 2Gth, when the Indians withdrew from the val
lev, taking with them their village.
OF the movements Of Gen. Custer and the live
conpanies 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 tho point
where Reno crossed the stream passes along and IN
the rear Of the crest Of tho bluffs the right bank
for nearly or quite threc miles then II comes down
to the bank Of the river but at once divorges from
it, Is If he had unsucccs5fuily attempted 10 cross;
then turns upon itself, almost completes circle,
and Closes Ii is marked By the remains OF his
officers and men, tho bodies Of his horses some ot
them dropped along the path, others heapcd where
halts appear to have been made. There Is abundant
evidence that gallant resistance was offered by the
troops but they were beset all sides by oyerpog-
e-ng numbers.
The officers known to be killed are Gen. Custer,
Capts Keoeh, Yates and Custer; Lieuts. Cooke,
Smith, Mcintosh Calhoun, Porter, HOdgsOn, Sturgis,
and Kelley Of the cavalry Lieut. Crttenden Of the
goth Infantry, and Acting Assistant Surgeon
DeWof. Lieut. Harrington of the cavalry and As
siStant Surgeon Lord missing. Capt. Benteen and
Lieut.. Yamum of the cavalry are slightly wounded.
Mr. Boston Custer brother, and Mr. Reed,
nephew of Gen. Custer were with him and were
killed. No other officers than those whom | have
named are among the killed, wounded, and missing
1t is impossible yet to obtain q reliable list Of the
enlisted men who were killed and wounded, but the
number of killed, including officers, must reach
$50. The number of wounded is 81.
At the mouth Of the Rosebud l informed Gen.
Custer that should take supply steamer Far West
up the Yellowstone TO ferry Gen. Gibbons column
over the river; that should personally accompany
that column, and that would in all probability
reach the mouth of the Little Big Horn on the 2Gth
inst. The steamer reached Gen. Gibbons troops,
near the mouth Of the Big Horn. early in
the morning of the oath, and at o'clock
in the afternoon all his ard animals
were across the Yellowstone. At . o'clock
the column consisting of five companies Of the 7th
Infantry. four companies of The "a Cavalry, aud
battery of Gatlmg guns marched out to and across
TuilOck's Creek starting soon after o'clock on the
morning OF &OIu Inc lJlan1Il laTCll oI
~ miles over the most diic alt country which have
ever seen in order that scouts might he sent into
the valley of the Little Biz Horn The cavalry with
the battery was then pushed on 13 or II miles fur
ther reaching camp Mt midnight. The scouts were
sent out Ut 4;}0 on the morning of the 26th. The
scouts discovered the Indian who we're at first sup
posed 10 be Sioux, but whenever taken they proved
10 DC Crows who had been with Gen. Custer They
brought the first intelligence OF the battle. Their
story was not credited 1t was supposed that some
fighting, perhaps severe fighting, had taken place,
but 1t was not believed that disaster could have
overtaken so large a force - companies Of cav
airy. The infantry which had broken camp very
early soon came up, and the whole column entered
and moved up the valley of the Little Big Horn.
During the afternoon efforts were made TO send
scouts through 20 what was supposed to be Gen.
Clusters position, and TO obtain information of the
condition Of affairs, but those who were sent ont
were driven back by parties Of Indians who. in
increasing numbers, were seen lowering in Gen.
Gibbons front.
At 20 minutes before o'clock in the evening the
infantry had marched between 30 and 80 miles
The men were very weary and daylight was fading
The column was therefore halted for the night at
point about IL miles in q straight line above the
stream. This morning the movement was resumed
and after march of nine miles, Major Renos
mtrenched position was reached. The withdrawal
OF the Indians from around Ren0's command
and nom the valley was undoubtedly caused
by the appearance Of Gen. Gibbons troops.
Major Reno and Capt. Benteen, both of whom are
Of Qreat exDerieues al "a. CO. lar...