The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-07-21

ward at a trot, but soon took gallop.
The valley was about three-fourths OF q
mile wide. On the left line OF low,
round hills, and on the right the river
bottom, covered with growth OF cotton
wood trees and bushes. After scatter
ing shots we're fired from the hills and
few from the river bottom and henos
skirmishers returned the shots, he al
vanced about mile from the ford TO
line OF timber on the right ana dis-
mounted his men to fight on foot. Inc
horses were sent into the timber, and
the men formed on the prairies and adj
vanced toward the Indians. The In
dams, mounted ON ponies, came across
the prairies and opened a heavy fire on
the soldiers. After skirmishing for a
few minutes, Reno fell back to his
horses in the timber. The Indians
moved to his left and rear, evidently
with the intention of cutting him of
from the ford. Reno ordered his men
TO mount and move through the timber.
Just as the men got into the saddle, the
Sioux, who had advanced in the timber,
fred at close range al d killed one soldier.
Col. Reno then commanded the men to
dismount, and they did so, but he soon
ordered them to mount again and moved
out on to the open prairie. The COM
mand headed for the ford, pressed close
ly by Indians in large numbers, and at
every moment the rate of speed was in
creased, until it became dead run for
the ford. The Sioux, mounted on their
the soldiers and fired at them, killing
| L. Il. L
was offered, and it was complete rout
to the ford. / did not see the men at
the ford, ard do not know what took
place further than that a good
many were killed when the COM
mand left the timber. Just as 1
got out my horse stumbled and fell,
and l was dismounted, the horse run
ming away after Reno's command. 1 saw
several soldiers who were dismounted,
their horses having been killed or
having run away. There we're also some
soldiers mounted who had remained be-
hind. / should think in all there were as
many as thirteen soldiers, and, seeing no
chance to get away, I called on them to
come into the timber and we would stand
off the Indians. Three of the soldiers
were wounded, and two of them so badly
they could not use their arms. The SOL
diers wanted to go out, but ] said no, we
can't get to the ford, and, besides, we
have wounded men, and must stand by
them The soldiers still wanted to go,
but told them was an old frontiers
man, understood Indians, and if they
would do as said, would get them out
of the scrape, which was no worse than
scrapes / had been in before. About
half of the men were mounted, and they
wanted to keep their horses with them,
but told them to let the horses go and
fight on foot. We stayed in the bush
about three hours, and / could hear
heavy firing below at the river, APP
parently about two miles distant. did
not know who it was, but knew the In
dams were fighting some of our men,
and learned afterwards it was Clusters
command. Nearly all the Indians in the
upper end of the valley drew off down
the river, and the fight with Custer lasted
about one hour, when the heavy firing
ceased. When the shooting below be.
gan to die away said to the boys,
"Come, now is the time to get out. I"
Most of them did not go, but waited for
night. told them the Indians would
come back, and we had better be off at
once.
Eleven of the thirteen said they would
go, but two stayed behind. deployed
the men as skirmishers and we moved
forward on foot toward the river. When
we had got nearly to the river we met
five Indians on ponies, and they fired on
us. Ireturned the fire and the Indians
broke and we then forded the river, the
water being breast deep. We finally
got over, wounded men and all, and
headed for Reno's command, which 1
could see drawn up on the bluffs along
the river about mile off. We reached
Reno in safety. We had not been with
Reno more than fifteen minutes when l
saw the Indians coming up the valley
from Clusters fight. Reno was then
moving his whole command down the
ridge toward Custer. The Indians
crossed the river below Reno and
swarmed up the bluff on all sides. After
skirmishing with them Reno went back
to his old position, which was on one of
the highest points along the bluffs. 1t
was now about O'CLOCK, and the fight
lasted until it was too dark to see to
shoot. AS soon as il was dark Reno took
the packs and saddles off the mules and
horses and made breastworks of them.
He also dragged the dead horses and.
mules on the line and sheltered the men
behind them. Some of the men dug
rifle pits with their butcher knives, and
all slept on their arms. At the peep of
day the Indians opened heavy fire, and
a desperate fight ensued, lasting until
10 o'clock. The Indians charged our
position three or four times, coming up
close enough to hit our men with stones,
which they threw by hand. Capt. Ben
ton saw q large mass of Indians gather
ing on his front to charge, and ordered
his mon to charge ON foot and scatter
them. Benton led the charge, and was
upon the Indians before they knew what
they were about, and killed a great
many. They We're evidently much sur
prised at this offensive movement, and
l think in desperate fighting Benton is
one of the bravest men 1 ever saw in a
fight. All the time he was going about
through the bullets, encouraging the SOL
diers to stand up to their work and not
let Indians whip them.
He went among the horses aud ,,aot