The Worthington advance., 1876-08-03
"LONESOME CHARLEY"
Daring Deeds Of Brave Scout Who Fell in
Custer's last Charge.

Daring Deeds Of Brave Scout Who Fell in
Clusters Last Charge.
Correspondence Of the New York Graphic.
Now that the details of the terrible
battle on the Little Horn have come :
now that the list of the dead is spread
out before us, and the story of their
terrible fate is told with all it's horrors,
the more we realize what an act of
awful bravery that ride of Clusters was.
Linking facts with circumstances, and
the truth is apparent that over.con.
fdence was the cause of their death.
Three hundred Drawer men never died
in war there never was q sterner test
of personal courage.
1 see in the list of the killed the
name of Charley Reynolds-''Lone.
some Charley Reynolds. He was one
of those remarkable characters some.
times met with in the rude life of the
frontier-more remarkable in some
respects than any it has ever been my
fortune to meet in a somewhat varied
experience and a somewhat wide as.
sociatlon with people of his class for
under his rough exterior there was /,
soul as refined and gentle rs ever reign.
ed in woman's breast, and, as is un-
usual in such cases, no amount of
vulgar association or want of kindred
sympathy could dull its lustre one de.
gree.
When Custer was at the base of
Harney's peak in 1874, and our camp
was ablaze with excitement over the
gold discoveries, Custer sent for Bloody
Knife, the chief of his scouts, and ask
ed for an Indian to carry dispatches to
Fort Laramie, 200 miles below us.
Bloody Knife shook his head s0lemnly,
and said in reply:
''My warriors are brave, but they
are wise. They will carry Il bag Of
letters to Fort Lincoln, but l cannot
ask them to go through the Sioux
country to Laramie
Fort Lincoln was 200 miles farther
than Laramie, although the route to
the latter place was beset with tenfold
more dangers. 1t led directly through
tho Sioux hunting ground, and just ut
this particular time. of the year the
young men were al out in hunting
parties, so that the plains were full OF
them. Bloody Knife's braves were
Rees-a tribe for which the Sioux ha.
a hereditary enmity, and he was toe
wise to ask one of them to undertake
so suicidal project. But mails must
be sent somewhere, and Custer was
pondering what to do. Charley Rey.
nolds was sitting by on the ground
with his legs crossed, cleaning re,
volver, seemingly inattentive to the
conversation. Custer had been think
ing but moment when Reynolds look
ed up and said:
"1'll carry the mails to Laramie
general.r
Custer was familiar with courage ir
every form, but such a proposition
surprised even him.
Il wouldn't ask to go, Reynolds, ,
he said.
Il have no fear," responded tn,
scout qaietl y; "when will the mails
be ready?'
81 was intending to send sometlins
tomorrow night" replied Custer.
"1'll go tomorrow night"
And picking up his piece of buckskil
and bottle Of oil, Reynolds strod'
quietly away.
'.There goes a man." said Custer
who is constant succession of sur
prises to me. l am getting so that
feel a humiliation in his presence
Scarcely day passes, and hav'
known him three years, that does moi
develop some new and strong trait il
his character. would as soon have
asked my brother Tom to carry a mai
to Laramie as ReYnolds,''