The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-27
WHERE CUSTER FELL.
The B,ttI. Fi.Id,s own story.

The Battle Fields own Story.
From the New York Tribune's Correspondent
The five companies that followed
Custer in the main attack upon the
Sioux village persisted to a man. But
the silent battle field could not keep its
secret. The bodies of the soldiers on
hillsides and in ravine bore witness of
the conflict, revealing unerringly where
the first shot was fired, where the col
umn divided in its retreat, where the
fighting was the hottest, and where the
last stand was made.
The soldiers of General Custer's COM
mand had parted with their comra" es
at the mouth of the Rosebud on the
morning of June %. They made long
marches during that and the two follow
Ing DAYS, traversed the banks of the
Rosebud southwark for manly miles,
turned westward toward the Little Big
Horn River, and early on the morning
of June Is, while marching north along
the banks of that river. came upon a
large Indian village. The village was
situated in beautiful meadow, stretch
ing along the west side of the Little Big
Horn for several miles, and Overshad-
owed east and west by high barren
bluffs. The bluffs on the east side rose
abruptly from the opposite bank of the
river, but on the west the ground did
not begin to rise for considerable dis
tahce from the stream, leaving enough
level country for large encampment.
Approaching from the south, on the
east side of the Little Big Horn, Gen.
Custer divided his little army into three
columns, and gave orders for attack
upon the Indian camp from three diff
ferent points. One of these divisions,
consisting of three companies under the
leadership of Captain f. w. Benteen,
crossed the river, marched west, and
ing the valley on the west, with the in
tention of passing along n ridge and
descending into the Indian village
further down the valley. Another d.
vision, composed of three companies
French's, Moyland's and Mcfhtosh's-
under the command of Major Reno,
also crossed the river, and proceeding
north, close to its banks, soon entered
the meadow. Along the plain for three
miles in front of them the soldiers saw
the 1900 tents of the Indian village.
They had scarcely formed into line of
battle, preparatory to marching into
the village, however, before they were
fiercely attacked by hundreds of In
dians and forced back into grove of
trees fringing the bank of the river.
Thence they were soon driven across
the river and up the steep bluff, and
were threatened with destruction. Cap
tain Benteen's division, however, was
unable to scale the west bluffs, as in
tended, and following RenO's trail dis
covered the perilous position of that di-
vision and rescued it. These move
ments took place south of The village,
in section of the valley not represent
ed in the diagram.
Meanwhile General Custer with five
companies-Yates S, Keogh's, Tom Gus
ter's, Smiths, and Calhoun's-had
marched three miles nOrthward in ra-
vine running parallel with the bluffs on
the east side of the Little Big Horn,
and had reached break on the bluffs
where an Indian trail toward the river
indicated ford Suddenly, before it
was reached, the Indians appeared on
the trail behind them and on their left
flank, cutting off retreat in the direction
of Reno's force. Apparently Custer
did not descend to the level of the wa
ter, but, perceiving that his little band
was outnumbered five to one, ordered
retreat to the north in the direction of
General Terry's infantry, then march
ing up the Little Big Horn. The lines
of advance and retreat are shown in
the diagram Two parallel ravines
opened in the northeast away from the
river. Custer divided his force, leading
Companies C and E into the ravine
nearer the river, while the upper gully
formed the line of retreat for Companies
F, | and L. AS the Indians were in hot
pursuit it became necessary to make a
stand at the head of the gully. Com
pany | halted at the head of the upper
ravine to defend the entrance, the men
being deployed as skirmishers. Com
panies F and L passed onup the ravine.
Midway in the lower gully a stand was
made, and twenty-eight men were kill
ed. Two compani fought their way
in the direction of higher ground, and
were cut to pieces. Stragglers from
the five companies joined Custer and
his brothers on the crest of little hill,
and here the last stand was made.