The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-07-18

ooking this ford they dismounted and
opened fire on the Indians 10 cover the
crossing of.tlieir comrades The re-
serve, which had been left with tue pack
train, was now reported coming up, and
soon occupied the bill above the ford.-
The Indians who had crossed the river,
both above snd below the ford, charged
the hill, but were repulsed, and began to
draw off. AS soon as the command was
collected Captain Benton, commanding
the reserve, ordered Captain Weir to
push his company along the crest of the
hill, on the right bank of the river, and
see if he could find Custer, wEo had
gone in that direction with the five COM
pauies. Captain Weir pushed out about
mile, fighting heavily. when the Ia-
dians becane SO strong in his front and
on his fianks that he sent word to Cap.
tain Benton that il he advanced any
further lie feared he wonld be cut off
and surrounded, and Captain Benton at
once ordered him back. He returned
with difficulty, hut succeeded in bring
ing off his company with a loss of five
men. Colonel Reno, seeing large DO lies
Of Indians on the plain, ordered the
men to put their animals in the ravines.
and lie down behind the crest of the
little ridges that extended in all direc-.
tions The Indians kept up a brisk fire,
but it was evident that the masses had
gone off somewhere, and Colonel Reno
looked for sudden attack in some other
quarter. Two hours went by and there
was no news from Custer. All wonder
ed where he had gone, or what he could
be doing. Another hour and then Col
onel Reno became anxious about Custer
and his command. He was about to
try and advance up the ridge to look for
Custer, but had so many wounded it
took whole company to carry them
While he was debating what was best to
be done, and waiting to hear from Gus
ter, he saw large bodies of Indians com
ing up the valley, and soon terrible at
tack began on his position. The men
had dug rifle pits as well as they could
in the hard ground and were, very i'm
perfectly sheltered. The Indians char
ged on foot, and bv tremendous effort
attempted to rout the soldiers. The
fight for few minutes was desperate in
1.-The extreme, and almost hand to hand,
some of the Indians who were evident
ly unarmed or out OF ammunition, throw
ing stones by hand st-the soldiers. Re
nos men stood firm, and, after des.
perate struggle, the Indians@fell back q
little Two or three more efforts, were
made to carry Reno's position, but with.
ont success, and then the lndiansj drew
off to hills completely covering them
on every side Of the command. A large
I body at one time got into q ravine close
by, and Colonel Reno ordered Captain
Benton to charge them out Of it with
his company, The men sprang out Of
their rifle pits, and, with cheer, dashed
forward, the Indians breaking and run.
lining at their approach. }2sH5''i,
! ,tfg rRENo's POSITION DOMINATED.
1t was iEow discovered that two OF
,lthree small hills near by were higher
'Ethan the one occupied by Reno and com.
manded it.o On these hills the Indians
gathered and poured In calling fire.
i One of the hills overlooked the, corral,
and from it the savages shot down scores
Of fine horses and mules. and killed and
wounded eleven packers WHO were with
the pack train. The fighting closed al
q rsolool vpbou - 1,ooo. 80 80 Jorl, e.
see to, shoot. But at dusk the Indians
!. were on all the hills, in the ravines, and
the command was completely surroun.
ded. The soldiers worked all night to
strengthen their position; bnt the ground
was very hard, and they had nothing tc
ldig with except their butcher-knives
hands and tin plates and cups for shov
4 lels. AT daylight on the morning Of the
L, 26th the battle was renewed. The In.
dians opened with a tremendous fire and
deafening warwhoop. The hills were
black with them, and their number was
varionsly estimated at from s, 900 to a,
LOCO, while Reno's command at that time
) did not number over 400 men, one.thirG
} of whomshad to protect the horses ani
pack animals, and were, in great meas
ure,a of no use in resisting an iIndianhs
sault. and the situation was desperate j
1 the extreme. ae ian Hlao. oi al
r. FIGHTING FOR WATER. 4iit
In the afternoon the sun became ven
hot, and the men, who had been withou
water for thirty-six hours, were almos
4 famished. The horses showed signs o
tperishing, and the wounded begged pit
Y eously for water. 1t was full two hun
dred yards down the hill to the water
edge, Every inch Of the, ground wa
commanded by Indian sharpshooters
and line in the timber on the opposit
bank Of the narrow river. Colonel Re
no determined to get water at all haz
ards, and q number Of canteens wer
gathered. While one company took. th
camp kettles and canteens, another char
ged down the hillside and engaged th
attention Of the Indians while the ket
!, ties were filed. The dash was made
and the men went bravely to the rive
and dipped up the water, while heav,
stream of fire was kept up over thei
heads. It was brave deed 10 carry
camp kettle to the river and fill il, but
was done, and sufficient water for pres
ent use was obtained. Five men fell i
!, the charge to get water. At nightfal
= the Indians drew of, and Colonel Rem
! ordered the river front Of the camp t
! be cleared, in order that water for th
animals might be had. The work wa
!, done, and all the animals were watered
! and good supply for next days us
obtained. The wounded were suffering
terribly, DR.. De Wolf having been killei
1early in the action, leaving only on
!, surgeon DR.. Porter. to attend to th'
| wounded, over twenty Of whom were ii
t bad condition, and but few supplies o
! any kind on hand to relieve their suffer
! ings. Every one wondered what hat
become Of Custer, and many thought b,
had been cut off and gone down 10 thl
/ Yrs- p . = n - 4 =