Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-10-05
THE CUSTER MASSACRE.

THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, September 1S.-The
Pioneer, Press and Tribune publish an inter
view with an old trapper, named Ridgely
who has for long time lived in the Yellow
stone country, and claims to have witnessed
the Custer massacre, being prisoner in Sit
ting Bulls camp and seeing every movement
of the troops. He was taken prisoner last
March aud kept in the camp of the Indians
ever since until the Custer massacre. He was
kindly treated. he says Sitting Bull orga.
nized not to fight the whites, but to drive the
miners from the hills.
Previous to Clusters attack, mounted cour.
iers from Sitting Bulls camp had, for eight
days, watched his forces. It's division into
small detachments was noted with manifesto.
tions of extreme delight. Ambuscsdes were
Immediately prepared, and while some Indians
stood ready for an attack, many of them
clambered on the side of the hill overlooking
Clusters line of march. The Indian camp was
divided by bluff, point Of which ran to-
ward the Rosebud, and in the direction of one
of the available fords of the river to the camp.
By this ford Custer followed their trial down
to the waters edge. There were but twenty.
FIVE teepes visible to Custer, but there were
seventy-fve double teepes behind the bluff
not visible. Custer attacked the small vii
lage, and was Immediately met by 1900 or
1000 Indians in regular order of battle. Ev.
cry movement was made with military pre-
cision. Ridgely says he stood on side hill,
where he had complete view of the battle,
which was not more than a mile and half
distant. Custer began the fight in the ra vine
near the ford, and fully half of his command
seemed to be snhorsed at the first FIRE. Then
the soldiers retreated towards the hill in the
rear, and were shot down with astonishing ra-
pidity, the commanding officer falling from
his horse in the middle of the engagement,
which commenced at II a. M, and did not last
more than fifty-6ve minutes. After the mass
acre of Clusters forces, the Indians returned to
camp with six soldiers as prisoners, and delir.
ious with joy over their success. Those six
were tied to stakes at wood pile in the vii.
lage and burned to death. While the flames
were burning them to death, Indian boys fred
red.hot arrows into their quivering flesh until
they died.
Sitting Bull was met after the fight, and he
exultantly remarked that he had killed many
soldiers and one damned general, but he did
not know who he was. The squaws then
armed themselves with knives. visited the
battlefield, and robbed and mutilated the bo-
dies of the soldiers. While those soldiers
we're being burned, the Indians turned their at
tention to force, evidently Reno's, attacking
the lower end of the village. Ridgely says
Clusters command had been slaughtered be-
fore shot was fred by Reno's force, which
attacked the lower end of the camp about 2
o'clock, p. M. The Indians returned in the
evening and said the men had fought like the
devil; but Ridgely says they did not make
statement of their loss. They said the sol.
diers had been driven back twice and they
piled up stones, and the attack was unsuccess-
full The prisoners were kept burning for an
hour, but Ridgely was not permitted to speak
with them, so we are unable to state who they
were One was noticeable from his small size
and gray hair and whiskers. Reno killed
more Indians than Custer. Two captives, be-
lieved to be Yates and Keogh, were the last
to die. The night after the massacre, the In.
dians were wild with delight, and many were
drunk on whisky stolen from the whites. The
squaws performed the duty of guards for the
prisoners, and becoming drowsy, Ridgely and
two companions escaped-securing ponies
and began their long journey hsmeward.
The party ate game, and laid in the woods
four days to avoid the Indians. On the way
his horse stumbled, breaking Ridgely's arm /;
but the party finally reached Fort Abercrom-
bic, and thence Ridgely came here He de-
scribes Sitting Bull as halfbreed of large
size and very intelligent, with peculiar gait
to his walk.