New-York tribune., 1876-07-14
CUSTER'~ DEFEAT.
TIE BAITLE-Fu,LD'S OWN STORY.

HINES or ADVANCE AND ETTREAT-wHE1E TIE
FIRST MAN WA, KIIEp--wHfRE CUSTER Difp.
Gen. Clusters battle with the Indians oa tie L;ttl"
Big Horn has been dc>lrhrl IN InE lIB Ms
correspondence from the Yellowstone. lie account
Of the massacre which appeared ~ ycsI"ruiyS
ThIBUNE was necessarily Il uca-"r one, Tor the H'c
coupalics that followed Custer in tic main attack
upon the Sipax village prrShed To u Iuan Bnt th'
silent iat;lc-tcli could not keep il, secret Vnr
bodies of the soldiers on llsi and ~ rayi" hor'
witness of the conflict, r'y ding unrrurrF w'"'"
the irs shot va, l.cd wirfc t.r column divide! ~
i,srtfca; whcrr the fighting was t." hottest, ana
where thr last stand Vas made. Ih.. record ''
brought b,f3rr t!c rv" V the dccomgau. i.S diagram
OF thr scene Of slaughter.
Th. soldiers col Goa. Custer, command had Parted
with tlcr c.ruraaos 81 ia. month oi tl.~ .j'
on the morning. OF jan" p. TLcy ma!r long
marches during tha. aHd thc two following days,
tmv,Is,G the haiks of tir Ro-ciUd ri Tor
many nirs turned westward toward TIC i.i'''
Bag lfrrn River, Jri carly on thc morning oi June
-. while marching rorth along the h.n., II t's'
river cam, upon q iag.o Indian village i"r 'i'ia<.
was situated In 70 h,.E'ilal meadow, SIRE. CHING
7loag the west side of d., IA;'c g Horn fIgsoyrrd
miles. and oy.rs... tpacd east and wet "y ti-u
barren Dafs. lhc bla.s oE fhr en-. side roc
abruUty from the opposite bank of ti. river hut ou
the west the ground d.d rrt nrTin r.." .r c":i-
siderable distance fom tic :roan'. leaving enough
lev Il country .or Ia: .e "urampmrut
Appfoarhue fro.r tl.c south, oI tee cast ..'" rf
the Little Bip Horn, Gen. yus.'f divided h's A;..'
army into tnrcr columns, aud gave 'rn'n ior ga a'-
tac. upon the I"U au camp from three different
points Oaa 81 these divisions co. ..stiHc Of three
COMPANIES under tho lrqdcr.lipo oi Capt. +. w E''-
t.cl crossed tbe river marched vest, AID attempted
70 ascend tine hluI. bounding the valley go th'
4 f.r,r lf.l
and descending into tn Iudiau lror ij.rrr down
;hc valley. Another division. composed of tlur
co,upani"S-FrcncL's MoyiluGs. and NclutostN-
uul,r the command az Major Eann also crossed ti"
river and proceeding north, cll~c - ~ banks, -"oT
entered the meadow. Along fh" plain inr NIL.
i'm front oi tho,u the soldier, -lN thr $50 tents nl
the Indian village. They LaI scarcely -orm,d Int"
line Of battle preparatory To- marching into the vi
lagc however before they were irfcrly at ackrd hr
hundred, OF Indians and forced back int" lrov" %
trees fringu., On" bank of the river. lucncc they
were soon driven acrp.s the river and mp the steep
bluff and were threatened with destruction. Capt.
Bcntccu's division however, was unable 10 scale Tie
west bluffs a. intended anG following L"n"'s ir'l
discovered the pcri!ous position oi that division AMI
rescued it. These movements took place south of
The village in a section of the valley no; rc c,cntcd
in tie diagram.
Ya..s's, KcOrh's ToIa Clusters, Smiths. and Cal
hoiii's-had marched three miles northwaTd in
laviuc running parallel with the BLUFFS on the "ast
side of the Little Biz Horn, aud had Reached break
IA the bluffs where Indian trail toward the river
indicated ford. Suddenly, before il was reached,
the Indians appeared on the trail behind them and
on their left flank. cutting off retreat III the direc
ton of RcnO's force Apparently Custer did not de-
scend TO the level Of the water, but, per
cciving that his little band was outnum-
Lcrcd five TO one, ordered retreat To
the north IN the direction of Gen. Terry infantry,
then marching up the Lutte Big Horn The lines of
advance and retreat shown in the diagram. Two
parallel faynes opened To the northeast away from
the river. Custer divided his force, leading Com
panies and f. INTO the rlyinc nearer the ryer,
while thc upper gully formed the line of retreat for
Cumpanc, T. |, and l.. As the Indians were III hot
pursuit il became necessary Ia max" stand nj the
head Of the gully. Company ]. hated at the head
of the upper rayiuc to defend the cn rance, the me-"
being dcploycd as skrmshers. Companies ana
passed on up the Iavne. Midway III the lower gully
companies fought their way i'll the direction OF
higher ground, and were cut to pieces StIdggeis
from the five companies joined Custer and h!s
brothers on tho crest oi little hill, and here the
last stand was made