Ellsworth American., 1876-07-13
General News.
THE INDIAN MASSACRE.
Details of the Big Horn Disaster
Clusters Defeat and Death.

The following Intelligence has been :e-
ceived from the camp at the mouth OF the
Big Horn dated July ID. via. Bismark. II.
l.. July 9Th:
Gepef al Custer left the Rosebud. June
22d, with twelve companies OF the Seventh
cavalry. striking a trail where Reno LEFT IT,
leading IN the direction OF the Little Horn.
on the evening of the 2ith. Fresh trails
we're reported. and on the morning of the
18th an Indian village, 20 miles above the
mouth OF the Little Horn, was reported.
about three miles long. half Il mile wide
and fifteen miles away.
Gen. Caster pushed his command rapid
ly, though they had a march OF IS miles in
twenty-iour hours preceding the battle and
when near the village il was discovered
that the Indians were moving IN hot haste.
a. Il retreating.
Maj Reno with seven companies Of the
Seventh Cavalry was ordered 10 the len 10
attack the villages at lis head. while Gener-
al Custer wiki five companies went 10 the
nGnt and coiutueuCcd vigorous aftacL
Major Reno began the attack with three
companies and was almost instantly sur
rounded. After an hour or more OF yisor-
Gus lighting. during which he lost I.ieutel,-
ants llOdgson and Mclntosh. Br. Dewolt
and twelve men, with several ludiau scouts
Killed. and many wounded. he cut hi, way
through 10 the river aud gained Llur 800
feet in height, where he intrenchcd. and
was joined b. Colonel Benton with four
companies.
In the meantime the Indians resumed the
attack, making repeated and desperate
charges which were reuulsrd with great
slaughter 10 the Indians. They gained
higher ground than Reno occupied, aud as
Their arms were OF longer range aud bet
Ter ihsn those of the cavalry, they kent up
calling fire until nightfan.
During the night Reno strengthened his
position and was prepared for another at
tack which WAS made at DAYLIGHT, and dur
Ing the day Reno lost. in killed and wound
ed. large portion of his command over
forty having been killed before the hluff
was reached, many OF them in hand TO
hand conflict with the Indians. who out
numbered them ten 10 one His men had
Deeh without water for thirty-six hours,
aud tie suffering WAS heart-rending.
In this state Of affairs they determined TO
reach water at all hszaris. and Colonel
Benton made a sally with his company and
routed the main body OF Indians. who were
guarding the approaches to the river. The
Indian shaip-shooters were nearly opposite
the mouth OF the ravine through which the
ora'e boys approached the river. but the
attempt was made. aud though one msu
was Killed and seven wounded. the water
was gained aad the command relieved
When the lighting ceased for the night.
MAJOR Eero prepared for further attacks.
There had been forty-eight hours OF fight.
ing with no word from Custer, but after
twenty-four hours more fighting. the sus-
pense ended. The Indians abandoned
their village in such great haste and con-
~ hot Naesa
was near at hand.
Gen. Terry with Gibbon. commanding
his own Infantry, had arrived, and as the
comrades met, men wept on each others
necks. Inquiries were then made for Gen.
Custer. but none could tell where he was.
soon an oiheer came rushing into camp
and related that he had found Gen. Custer
dead, stripped naked but not nut ed. aud
near hun his two broLhers. his brother-iu.
law, Calhoun. and his nephew, Col. Yates,
aud that Col keogh, Capt. Smith. Lieut..
CrltteDden, Lieut.. Sturgis, Col. Cooke.
Lieut.. Porter. Lieut.. Harrington, DIR. Lord,
Mack Kellogg, the Bismarck Tribune cor
respondent. and 100 men and scouts were
also killed.
Gen. Custer went into battle with com
panie> Z, l., L, aud +. of the 9Th cav airy.
ana the staff and non-commssioned staff
Of his regiment, and a number Of scouts.
Only one Crow scout was left alive.
Gen. Custer was surrounded on every
side by Indians and horses, and fell fight
ing lie was among the first who fell, but
waen his cheering voice was no longer
heard the Indians made easy work of the
remainder.
1t appears that Gea. Custer under-esti-
inating the enemy, separated his force and
was defeated in detail. He probably mis-
Judged the time necessary TO make the dis
tance between his own and Renos ford.
thus loosing the effect of simultaneous
attack and with only five companies at.
tackled the lower part of the camp down
the river some four or five miles from Re-
nos ford. They were repulsed at the ford.
but made gallant defense among the
bluffs, where the command was extermina-
ted. The loss is thirteen officers and over
two hundred men. The balance ard mis-
sing aud are probably killed.
Gen. Custer, Col. Custer, Col. Keogh
Col. Yates, Col. Cook, Capt. Smith, Lieut.
Calhoun, Lieut.. Porter, Lieut.. Sturgis,
kieut. Crittenden and DIR. Lord were killed;
also Gen. Clusters brother Boston, and his
nephew, and the Herald's correspondent,
Kellogg. Lieut.. Harrington is missing.
The bodies Of all, save the newspaper
correspondent, were stripped and most Of
them horribly mItilated. Clusters was not
mutilated. He was shot through the body
and through the head.
The troops cared for the wounded and
buried the dead, and returned to their base
for supplies and instructions from the Gen.
eral OF the army. Colonel Smith arrived
at Bismarck Wednesday night with 35 OF
the wounded.
The IEdisns lost heavily in the battle.
hsr lin<x in
rayine. He believes that the Indians lost