Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-30
Second Lieutenants. w. v. Reilly.

v
den, Twentieth Infantry, temporarily
attached to this regiment The bodice
OF First Lieutenant J.. II. Porter ant
Second Lieutenants II. M. Harrington
and J. G. Sturgis, Seventh Cavalry
and Assistant Surgeon G. W. Lord
United States Army, were not rccog
nized but there is every reasonable
probability they were killed. 1t wal
now certain that the column Of fiyt
companies with Custer had been killed
The wounded in my lines were, during
the afternoon and evening Of the 9th
moved to the camp Of General Terry,
and at 8 a. m. OF tho 2Sth | proceeded
with the regiment to the battle ground
Of Custer, and buried 204 bodies, in.
Guiding the following named citizens
Mr.. Boston Custer, Mr.. Reed "a young
nephew Of Gen. CUSTER, and Mr.. Kel-
logg, correspondent Of the Ne,o York
Herald. The following named citizens
and Indians who were with my com
mand were also killed: Charles Rey-
nolds (guide and hunter), Isaiah (col-
orcd), Interpreter; Bloody Kniic (who
fell from Immediately by my side) /;
Bob Tailed Bull and Stab, of the In
dian scouts.
After following over his trail, il is
evident to me that Custer intended
to support me by moving further down
the stream and attacking the village
in flank; that he found the distance
greater to the ford than he anticipat-
cd that he did charge, but his march
had taken so long, although his trail
shows he moved rapidly, that they
were ready for him that Companies
G and !, and perhaps part of Company
Il, crossed to the village or attempted
it at the charge, and were met by
staggering fire, and that they fell back
to secure a position from which to de-
fend themselves; but they were iol-
lowed too closely by the Indians TO
permit him to form any kind of a line.
l think, had the regiment gone in as a
body, and from the woods in which /
fought advanced on the village, that
its destruction was certain, but he was
fully confident they were running or
he would not have turned from me. /
think (after the great number OF In
dians there were in the village) that
the following reasons obtained for the
His rapid marching for
two days and one night before the
fight, attacking in tho daytime at IL
m, and when they were on the qiti
uire, instead Of early in the morning,
and lastly, his unfortunate division Of
the regiment into three commands.
During my fight with the Indians l
had the heartiest support from officers
and men, but the conspicuous services
Of Brcvet Col. F. W. Benteen / desire
10 call attention to especially, for il
ever q soldier deserved recognition by
bis Government for distinguished SER
vices, he certainly does.
! enclose herewith his report Of the
operations of his battalion from the
time of leaving the regiment until We
joined commands on the hill. / also
cnlose on accurate list of casualties as
far as it can be made at the present
time, separating them into two lists
"a" those killed in Gen. Custer's COM
mand l"B," those killed and wounded
in the command had.
The number of Indians killed can
only be approximatcd until we hear
through the agencies. saw the bodies
Of eighteen, and Capt. Ball, Second
Cavalry, who made a scout Of thirteen
miles over their trail, says that their
graves were many along their line Of
march. 1t is simply impossible that
OF them should not bc hit, in
The several charges they made so close
10 my line. They made their approach
through the deep gulches that led from
he hilltop to the river; and when the
ealous care with which the Indian
guards the bodies Of killed and wound.
ID is considered, 1t is not astonishing
'hne thOit pouicc Ncfc hut iouhu. ~
s probable that the stores left by them
md destroyed the next two days, were
Q make room for many Of them on
heir trdrois. iei ''''an'l' -i
The narrowing sight of the dead
'odies browning the height on which
Custer fell, and which will remain WV
dly in my memory until death, is too
'ecent for me not to ask the good peo-
,lc of this country whether a policy
hat sets opposing parties in the field
lrmed, clothed, and equipped by one
md the same Government, should not
20 abolished. All of which is respect
ully submitted. M. A. RENO,
Major 7th Cavalry, Com'fg Regt.