Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-07-20

s;1A.,y y'Ha'' j
ON THE BIG HORN.
Thrilling Story of Scout who was Present
at the Terrible Slaughter Gf Clusters Regi-
ment.
George Herndon, IL scout sent by
Gen. Terry with Gen. Clusters column,
relates the following as his experience
in the recent battle. lie was sent by
Gen. Terry from the mouth of the
Rosebud with Gen. Clusters command,
to carry dispatches from Custer to
Terry:
HIS STORY.
''Wo left the Rosebud Oh the 22d of
June at IL o'clock marched up the
Rosebud about IL miles and encamped
for the night. On the morning of the
23d we broke camp at o'clock and
continued up the Rosebud until 8
O'Clock, when we struck large lodge
pole trail about ten days old, and fol.
lowed it along the Rosebud until to.
ward evening, when we went into
camp on the trail. On the morning of
the oath we pulled out at S o'clock,
and followed the trail or miles,
when we met six Crow Indian scouts,
who had been sent out the night pre-
vious by Gen. Custer to look for the
Indian village. They said they had
found fresh pony tracks, and that 10
miles ahead the trail was fresher.
Gen. Custer had the officers call
blown, and they assembled around
him, but I did not hear what he said
to them. The scouts were again sent
ahead. and moved along at fast walk.
We moved at O'Clock, and, while the
officers were eating their lunch, the
scouts came back and reported that
they had found where the village had
been quite recently. They moved
again. with flankers we'll out to watch
the trail and see that it did not divide.
About 4 o'clock we came to the place
where the village had been apparently
only few days before, and went into
camp ? miles below the forks of the
Rosebud. The scouts all again pushed
out to look for the village, and at IL
O'Clock at night Custer had everything
packed up and followed the scouts up
the right.hand fork of the Rosebud.
THE VILLAGE DISCOVERED.
"About daylight we went into camp,
made coffee, and soon after it was
light the scouts brought Custer word
that they had seen the village from
the top of Il divide that separates the
Rosebud from the Little Horn River.
We moved up the creek until near it's
head, and concealed ourselves in a ra-
vine. It was about three miles from
the head of the creek where we then
were to the top of the divide where
the Indian scouts said the village could
be seen, and after hiding his command,
Gen. Custer, with few orderlies, gal.
loped forward to look at the Indian
camp. In about All hour Custer re.
turned and said he could not see the
Indian village, but the scouts and
half.breed guide, Much Bayer, said
they could distinctly see it some Is
miles off. While Gen. Custer was
looking for the Indian village, the
scout came in and reported that he
had been discovered, and that news
was then on it's way to the village he
was coming to. Another scout said two
Sioux war parties had stolen up and
seen the command; and on looking in
a ravine near by, sure enough, fresh
pony tracks were found. Custer had
officers call blown, gave his orders,
and the command was put in fighting
order. The scouts were ordered for.
ward and the regiment moved at 4
walk. After going about three miles
the scouts reported Indians ahead, and
the command then took the trail.
Our way lay down a little creek, a
branch of the Little Horn, and after
going some six miles we discovered an
Indian lodge ahead, and Custer bore
down on it at a stiff trot.
In coming to it we found ourselves
in freshly abandoned Indian camp,
all the lodges of which were gone ex-
cept the one we saw, and on entering
it we found it contained q dead Indian.
From this point we could see into the
Little Horn Valley, and observed heavy
clouds of dust rising about miles dis.
tant. Many thought the Indians were
moving away, and l think Gen. Custer
believed so, for he sent word to Col.
Reno, who was ahead with three com.
panies of the Seventh Regiment, to
push on the scouts rapidly and head
for the dust. Reno took steady gal.
lop down the creek bottom 3 miles to
where IL emptied into the Little Horn,
and found a natural ford across Little
Horn River. He started to cross, when
the scouts came back, and called out
to- him to hold on, that the Sioux were
coming in large numbers to meet Linn.
He crossed over, however, formed his
companies on the plairie in line OF
battle, and moved forward at trot,
but soon took gallop. The valley was
about three-f0urths of mile wide
On the left.a line of low, round hills
and on the right the river bottom, Gov
cred with q growth of cottonwood
trees and bushes. After scattering
shots were fired from the hills, and
few from the river bottom, and Reno!
skirmishers returned the shots, he ad
vanced about a mile from the ford to /;
line of timl,er on the right and dis
mounted his men to fight on foot. TIL,
horses were sent into the timber, an.
the men formed on the prairieS anS