New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-11

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then halted for the night, but the depart
vanced twelve miles further to the mouth
Of the Little Big Horn, marching until mid
night. in the hope of opening communities
ton with Custer. The morning of the
twenty-sixth brought the intelligence. COM
municated by three badly frightened Crow
scouts of the battle Of the previous day and
its results.
was not expected that an attack would be
made earlier than the twenty-seventh, and
chiefly because no one could believe that
force such as Custer commanded could have
met with disaster. Still the report was in
no way disregarded. Ali day long the toll
some march was piled, and every eye bent
upon a cloud Of smoke resting over the
southern horizon, which was hailed as
a sign that Custer was successful. and had
fred the village. 1t was only when plight
was falling that the weary troops lay down
twenty-n miles. The march of the next
morning revealed at every step some evil
dence Of the conflict which had taken place
two days before. At an early hour the
head of the column entered a plain half
mile wide, bordering the left bank
of the Little Big Horn, where had
recently been an immense Indian
village, extending three miles along
the stream, and where were still standing
around them and containing the bodies Of
nine chiefs. The ground was strewn every
where with carcasses of horses, cavalry
equipments, besides buffalo robes, packages
of dried meat and weapons and utensils
belonging to Indians. On this part of the
field was found the clothing of Lieutenants
Sturgls and Porter, pierced with bullets,
and blood-stained gauntlet belonging to
Colonel Yates. Farther ON were found the
bodies of men, among whom were recOg-
nized Lieutenant Mcintosh, the interpreter
from Fort Rice. and Reynolds, the guide.
just then breathless scout arrived with
the intelligence that Colonel Reno with q
remnant of the Seventh Cavalry was en-
trenched on a bluff near by waiting for
relief. The command pushed rapidly on
and soon came in sight of group sur
rounding q cavalry guard upon lofty
eminence on the right bank of the river.
General Terry forded the stream, accom-.
panied by q small party, and rode to the
spot. AL the way the slopes were dotted
with the bodies of men and horses. The
General approached, and the men swarmed
out of the works and greeted him with
hearty and repeated cheers. Within was
found Reno, with the remains of seven COM
panies of the regiment, with the following
named officers, all of whom are unhurt:
Colonels Benteen and Wier; Captains
ants Godfrey Mathey, Gibson, DeRudio,
Edgerly, Wallace, Varn1m and Hare. In
the centre of the Enclosure was q depression
in the surface in which the wounded were
sheltered, covered with canvass. RenO's
command had been fighting from Sunday
noon, the twenty fifth, until the night Of
the twenty'sixth. when Terry's arrival
caused the Indians to retire. Up
to this time Reno and those with him were
other five companies which had been sepa-
rated from them early on the morning of
the twenty.ifth to make an attack under
Custer on the village at another point
While preparations were being made for
the removal of the wounded, q party was
sent ON Clusters trail to look for traces Of
his command. They found awaiting them
a sight mt TO appsl the stoutest heart. At
point about three miles down the right
bank Of the stream, Custer had evidently
attempted to ford and attack the village
from the ford. The trail was found to lead
back up to the bluffs and to the n0rthward,
as if the troops had been repuised and COM
PEELED to retreat, and at the same time had
been cut of from regaining the forces
under Reno.
The bluffs along the right bank come
sharply down to the water and are inter
spersed by numerous ravines, all along the
slopes and ridges. and in the ravines
lay the dead arranged in order of battle,
lying az they had fought, line behind line,
showing where defensive positions had
been successfully taken up and held till
none were left to fight. Then huddled in q
narrow compass, horses and men were piled
promiscuously. At the highest point of the
ridge lay Custer. surrounded by chosen
band. Here were his two brothers and his
nephew, Mr.. Reed, Colonies Yates and
circle of few yards. their horses beside
them. Here. behind Yates company, the
last stand had been made, and here, one
after another, these last survivors of Gus
ters five companies had met their death.
The companies had successfully thrown
themselves across the path of the adyanc
ing enemy and had been annihilated. Not
a man has escaped to tell the tale, but il
was inscribed on the surface of these bar
rem hills in a language more eloquent than
words. Two hundred and slxty-one bodies
have been buried from Clusters and Reno Z
command. The last one found was that OF
Mr.. Kellogg, correspondent of the Bismarck
Tribune. and also, l believe, Of the New
York Herald.
The following are the names of the Off
GERS whose remains are recognized: Gen
eral Custer, Colonel Custer. Colonel keogh,
Colonel Yates, Colonel Cooke, Captain
Smith, Lieutenant Mcintosh. Lieutenant
Calhoun. Lieutenent Hodgson, Lieutenant
Reilly. All of these belonged to the Seventh
Cavalry. Lieutenant Crittenden, OF the
Twentieth Infantry. was serving tempo
rarily with the regiment.
Lieutenauts Porter, Sturgis and Hariing
ton and Assistant Surgeon Lord are re-
ported missing, as their remains were no:
recognized; but there is small ground to
hope that any of them survived, a. it is OBJ.
viOus that the troops were completely sur
rounded by force of ten times their num-
ber.
The history Of Reno's operations com.
prises all that is now known of this san
culinary affair. 1t seems that Custer, with
eight companies, reached the river in the
forenoon of the twenty fifth, having
marched continuously all the previous day
and night. Seeing the upper or southern
extremity of the village, and probably I'M
derestimating its extent he ordered Reno
to ford the river and charge the village
with three companies, while, he, with
five companies, moved down the
make a similar attack at the Other
end Reno made his charge, but finding
that he was dealing with force many
times his own numbers, dismounted his mer
and sought shelter in the timber which
fringed the river bank. This position ap-
pearing to him untenable, he remounted
and cut his way to the river, forded under
murderous fire. and gained the bluff
| where he was subsequently, found. Here
he was afterward joined by Colonel Bentor
with three companies which had just reached
the field, and by Captain McDougall with
his company and the pack mules. The Pc
sition was Immediately after completely IN
vested by the Indians, who for more thar
twenty four hours allowed the garrison
| no rest and inflicted severe loss. Blu,
| for the timely arrival of relief the com