Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-26
CUSTER'S LAST TERRIBLE FIGHT,
The story ~ Tetd by the Sole sarsI-
yOY Of Ine Hns&aere

NEW YORK, Jaly &-Tne Herald "a a
com munication from Bismarck, ID. T., dated
OF the forces operating against the indians
SAYS.
fhe Crow Indian. Curly. Is believed 20 bs
INFO action with Custer. He Is very clear Ia
his knowledge OF the light. aud has M .de a
s tstement. he says he went down with two
otner SroSs ADD went into action win Cls-
Ter. The General. he says, kept dowa on the
river on the north bank four miles, after
Reno bad crossed The south side above.
CUsrEk's oRIEcT
was 20 cut OF the Indians be thought Rsno
would drive down the valley, and At the
same time attack the village on two sides.
he believing Reno would take 10 a. the upper
lower end. Custer hsa TO 20 faTth ae down
the river and further away from Reno than
ne wished, on account OF the steep bank
along the north side, but At last he found a
ioru And dashed for it. The Indians met him
and poured In a heavy IRE from across the
narrow river.
CUSTER DTsNoUNrKD TO FrsHr on rooT,
but could not get hts skirmishers over the
stream; meantime hundreis of I1dians. ON
Ioot ana on ponies, poured over The river,
whlcn was only about three feet deem and
nIIed me fAvlnes on each side OF Casters
men. Custer then fell back TO tome hish
ground beyond him, and SCI red the ravlnes
IN bis immediate vicinity.
The INDIANS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED
CUsTER
ard poured In a terrible Ore on all sides
They charged Custer On foot. tn vast num-
oers, but we're again aud again drsvea back
The fight began about > O'Clock, and lasted ,
CoTly says, almost until the sun went
down over the hills. The men fought desper-
ately, and after the ammunition IN their
belts was exhausted went 70 their saddle
bags, GOT more, and continued the light Cur
MORE INDIANS WE'RE KILLED THAN Gus
TER HAD MEN.
lie also says the big chief (Custerl lived
= is "A m
wourded, and went about encouraging his
soldiers In tight on.
cUsrKRs DEATH WOUND.
he got a shot ia the left side and sat down
With his pistol In his hand; another shot
struck Custer IN the breast, aud he fell over.
The last officer killed was a man who rode a
aotutant Of the 7th, as Lisutenants Cook
and calhoun were the only officers who rode
white borses, and Lieutenant Calhoun was
found dead on the skirmish line near the
ford and probably fell early In the actiOnD
HOW CURLY ESCAPED.
Curly says when he saw Caster was hone
lessly surrounded be watched his opportu-
nifty, got Sioux blanket, put IL Ga, and
worked up a ravine. and when the Sioux
charged he got among them, ana they did not
know him rom one OF their own men. There
were some mounted Sioux, and seeing one
fall Curly ran TO him, mounted his pony,
and galloped down, as IL going toward the
white men, but went up a ravine and GOT
away. he says as he rode or he saw, whes
nearly mile from the battle field. dozen
or more soldiers In ravine nghting with
Sioux all around them. He thinks
ALL WERE KILLED,
as they were outnumbered i've 20 one and
apparently dis mounted. These men were
no doubt part Of the IS missing men reported
IN the official dispatches OF @ eneral Terry
Curly says be saw one cavalry soldier who
n .s got away; He was well m ounted, but
shot through both hips, and Curly thinks
ne died OF his wounds, starved TO death In
The bad lands, or more likely his trail was
followed and he was killed by the Sioux.
Curly did not leave Custer until the battle
was nearly over, and he describes AZ as des-
perate In the extreme. He IN quite sure the
Indians had more killed than Custer had
white men with him. and says the soldiers
fought on until the last man fell. The other
Crow Indians In the battle were killed.