The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-07-20
NARRATIVE OF A SCOUT.

George Herendon, a scout sent by
Gen. Terry with Gen. Clusters column,
relates the following as his experience
In the recent battle. He was sent by
Gen. Terry from the mouth of the Rose
bud, with Gen. Clusters command, to
carry dispatches from Custer to Terry ::
We left the Rosebud on the 22d of
June at 10 o'clock; marched up the
Rosebud about twelve miles and en-
camped 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 followed
it along the Rosebud until toward even
ing, when we went into camp on the
trad. On the morning of the Oath we
pulled out at o'clock and followed the
trail five or six miles, when we met six
Grow Indian scouts, who had been sent
out the night previous by Gen. Custer
to look for the Indian village. They
said they had found fresh pony tracks,
and that ten 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 a fast walk. We
moved at 1 o'clock, and, while the Of
ficers 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
f1ankers 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 two
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.
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
a divide that separates the Rosebud
from Little Horn river. We moved up
the creek until near its head, and con-
cealed ourselves in ravine. 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 a few orderlies, galloped
forward to look at the Indian camp. In
about an hour Custer returned, and said
Jh0 could not see the Indian village, but
the scouts and half-breed guide, ssNuch
Bayer," said they could distinctly see it
some fifteen miles off. While Gen.
Custer was looking for the Indian vii
1age the scouts came in and reported
that he had been discovered, and that
news was then on its way to the village
that he was coming. Another scout
said two Sioux war parties had stolen
up and seen the command and on look
ing III ravlne near by, sure enough,
fresh pony tracks were found. Custer
had ''officers' call" blown, gave his
orders, aud the command was put In
fighting order. The scouts We're ordered
forward and the regiment moved alta walk.
After going about three miles the scouts
reported Indians ahead, and the COM
mand then took the trail. Our way Law
down q 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 If at q
atlff trot In coming to it we found our
selves In observation-disclosures Indian
camp, all the lodges of which we're gone
except the one we saw, and on entering
ut We found it contained dead Indian.
From this point we could see into the
LATHE Horn valley, and observed heavy
clouds of dust rising about Eve miles
distant. Many thought the In iians were
moving away, and think Gen. Custer
believed so, for he sent word to Col.
Reno, who was ahead with three COM
pauies of the Seventh Regiment, to push
on the scouts rapidly and head for the
dust. Reno took steady gallop down the
creek bottom three miles to where it emp
tied into the Little Horn, and found
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 him. He crossed over,
however, formed his companies on the
prairie In line OF battle, and moved for