The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-08

sLAUGHTER-CUsTERC COMPARED TO j. E.
b. STUART, &C., &C.
Clusters Calnmitous Charge.
DETAILS AND CONFIRMATION OF THE MAssA-
CRE-oSLY ONE SCOUT LEFT TO TELL THE
TALE. :r-
BISMARCK, July General Custer left
Rosebud on the 22d Of June with twelve
companies Of the Seventh cavalry. On the
oath fresh trail was reported. On the
morning of the 25th an Indian village three
miles long and half mile wide was report
ed fifteen miles of, and Custer pushed for
! it. They had made seventy-eight miles in
| twenty-tour hours preceding the battle.
When near the village the Indians ap-
peared to be moving in hot haste, as If re-
treating. Major Reno, with seven compa-
MES, was ordered to attack the right, and
Custer, with five companies, vigorously at
tackled the left of the camp. Reno felt them
with three companies and was Immediately
surrounded, and after an hours fighting and
losing Lieutenants Hodgson and Mcdonald,
and twelve men and several Indian scouts
killed and many wounded, cut his way out
and gained a bluff three hundred feet high,
where he entrenched. He was soon after
| Joined by Colonel Benton with four compa-
MES. Here the Indians made repeated as
saults, but were repulsed with great slaugh-
ter. The Indians finally gained higher
ground than Reno, and with longer-range
guns than the cavalry kept up CALLING fire
till night. The Indians renewed the attack
at daylight. Reno had lost forty-odd killed
before reaching the bluff, many in hand to-
hand conflict, the Indians outnumbering
them ten to one. The men were without
water thirty-siX hours, when they deter
mined to reach water at all hazards, and
Colonel Benton made rally, routing the
main body guarding the approach to water.
The water was gained with the loss OF one
killed and seven wounded. The fighting
then ceased for the night, during which
Reno prepared to resist further attacks.
There had now been forty-eight hours fight
ing with no word from Custer, when the
Indians abandoned their village in great
haste. General Terry, with General Glib
bons commanding his own infantry, had ar
rived. and as the comrades met men wept
on each others necks. Inquiries were then
made for Custer, but none could tell where
he was. Soon dn officer came rushing into
camp and related that he had found Custer
dead, stripped naked, but not mutilated, and
near him his two brothers, Colonel Tom and
Boston Custer; his brother-in-law Colonel
Calhoun, and his nephew, Colonel Yates
Colonel keogh, Captain Smith, Lieutenant
Crittenden, Lieutenant Hurgis, Colonel
Cooke; Lieutenant Porter, Lieutenant Har-
rington, DR.. Lord Mack Kellogg, the Bis
marck Tribune correspondent, and one hun
dred and ninety men and scouts. ~ a.
Custer went into battle with companies
G., L, I, F, and E, OF the Seventh cavalry,
and the staff and non-commissioned stat
officers of the regiment, and a number OF
scouts, and only one Crow scout remained
to tell the tale. All are dead.
NO OFFICIAL REPORT YET.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July There is yet
no official report Of the battle. General
Terry gives detailed account OF events be-
fore the fight. and operations after the 18th,
which were mainly confined to bringing of
the wounded. ,,5,.,
OFFER OF VOLUNTEERS.
SALT LAKE, July 7.-Several parties have
made an offer to the Secretary OF War to
raise regiment Of volunteers in ten days
for the Indian war.
MORE DETAILS OF THE FJGHT-CUsTER AMONG
| THE LAST TO FALL-HEAYY LOSS OF THE
| INDIANS.
BISMARCK, July 7.-General Custer was
surrounded on every side by the Indians,
and men and horses fell as they fought on
the skirrnish-line or in line OF battle. Custer
was among the last who fell, and when his
cheering voice was no longer heard the In
dams made easy work OF the remainder.
The bodies of all save the newspaper cor
respondent were stripped, and most OF them
horribly mutilated. Custer was shot through
the body and through the head.
The troops cared for the wounded and
| bI,r ba 6oa6 ap5 r,atI1rp oI n fbair In Sn
for supplies and instructions from the Cen
eral OF the Army. Colonel Smith arrived at
Bismarck last night with thirty-tiye OF the
wounded.
The Indians lost heavily in the battle.
The Crow scout, who escaped by hiding in
a rayine, believes the Indians lost more than
the whites.
The village numbered 1880 lodges, and it
is thought there were 1000 warriors. Gene
raj Custer was directed by General Terry to
find and feel OF the Indians, but MOTTO fight
unless Terry arrived with infantry and with
Gibbons column.
The Herald correspondent, Kello gg, was
killed.
WASHINGTON, July 7.-General Sherman
telegraphs Secretary Cameron that 2G1 were
buried on the field, and 81 wounded were
brought to the steamboat.
| GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE OF GUS
TER's LAST STAND.
BISMARCK, July IA party was sent on
Clusters trail to look for traces OF his COM
mand. They found awaiting them sight
fit to appal the stoutest heart. At point
about three miles down the right bank OF
the stream Custer had evidently attempted
to ford and attack the village from the ford.
The trail was found to lead back up to the
bluffs and to the northward, as il the troops
had been repulsed and compelled to retreat,
and at the same time had been cut off from
regaining the forces under Reno. The
bluffs along the. right bank of the river come
sharply down TO the water and are inter-
spersed by numerous rayines.
All along the slopes and ridges and in the
ravines, lying as they had fought, line be-
hind line, showing where defensive posi-
tons had been successfully taken up and
held till none were left to fight, huddled in
narrow compass, horses and men were
piled up promiscuously. AT the highest
point OF the ridge lay Custer, surrounded
by chosen band. Here were his two
brothers and his nephew, DIR. Reed,
Colonies Yates and Cook, and Captain
Smith; all lying in circle OF o few
wards, their horses beside them. Here
behind Yates's company the last stand had
been made, and here, one after another,
these last survivors Of Clusters five compa-
| mics had met their death. The companies
had successfully thrown themselves across
the path OF the advancing enemy, and had
/ No. u