The New York herald., 1876-07-23
PRIVATE DOLAN'S STORY.
TIE INDIAN BATTLE AS TOLD By ONE OF THa
soLDIEIs-Cusg ERs BODY NOT MUTILATED-
RENO NOT BLAME.


soLpIERs-cUsg ERs BODY NOT MUTILArED-
RENO NOT TO BLAME.
From tue ST. Paul Dispatch.1
John Dolan, late soldier OF Company ", Seventh
United States cavalry, who discharged Rosebud
River, July s. by expiration of of enlistment and
whose character in his discharge papers put down
"excclent,' arrived here this morning the Lake
Superior Mississippi train and was subsequently
found by Dspatch reporter at the Montreal House. on
Minnesota Private Dolan, who born In
Dublin and thirtytwo years old and has becn the
Uncd.statcs since 1862, gives the following
count of the light of the 25th, which the Inflated
lost his life and entire command observed by
himself as the par, Major Reno and his com.
mand played therein.
rALH or An EyE-wrrSEss
On the o5;h OF June Major Reno ordered BY Gus.
ter charge lanks of the Indian village with three
companies Custer saying he would supper. him alter
he got in When he bad made the charge the roll.
ing INTO the nat The Indians gave way
timber, whereupon Reno dismounted his men and
fought them aioot, doubling his skirmish line and
pushing the Indians back tue timber and leaving
the horses IN the shelter Of he same Reno had
been long in the tnucr when the Indians commenced
TO surround them on all sides, and, seeing that his
position was untenable, he remarked 10 Captain
French, ''We surrounded al SIDES and must cut
way out Every man follow me Thercupon tho
force remounted ami charged across the river That
charge was ike passing through fiery furnace, the
Indians trying To keep them from the buils. But
Reno made the bluffs through the terrific fire II
handio-hand tight, and you might readily push your
pistol INTO an Indians face. know man.
RYAN, TWO INDIANS
putting his revolver square into their breasts saw
more than Que i"siauce in which soldier had his
horse and two indian ponies shot from under HIM
before the buG was gained
MILLING LIEUTENANT Hopdsoy
Private Dolan gives thc following IN relation to the
death Of Lieutenant Hodgson On reaching Inc creek
his horse shot from under HIM he himself shot
in The back In the passage of the creek one OF Com
pany NJ, having also hs horse shot from under him,
HAIr m thn s4lfy hn ludTv
ana having hold oil an Indian ponys tail This trooper
throw h!mseit on the pony, when he heard hodgson
ing Company ", named Fisher. told him hang on
his strrup and he woud bring him across which he
did. but Hodgson sooner reached the opposite bank
than he fell, shot through the head Fisher, however,
male the bluns and escaped. The troops under Reno
sealed the bluffs under a CALLING IRE from the Indians.
1t was here he made his final stand. Here and no
further; We will al die together here his
remark. He had then only handful OF
men, not more than 100 There they stayed from tho
afternoon of the 25th the night OF the Here
bsrcade. brcastworks were made OF sacks OF bacon
work boxes blankets. dead horses pack mules in iact
OF everything that could be used Tor tho purpose.
rHE FiRs
Stacked q short time the bluffs but was renewed
very aierward The attack being pressed vigor-
ously on all sides. Some Of these were nearly up
the brcastworks. The bluffs surrounding Reno's po.
siiion literally covered with Indians All access
TO water was entirely cut OIL Wounded men and AMI.
mails suffered terribly from want o water. which could
not ue obtained except under hre OF the Indians who
commahdeG every a'onue thereto In the soruc Tor
water four men were killed and five wounded. One
man Ociongns 10 company N, named michael MAIDEN.
while the intOlerabic thirst prevailed among the
wounded, sezcd camp kettle and said he would I'LL
1t II they Oiled him iui OF holes He reached the
river amid shower OF balls. no ding in his hand tho
kettle which had bcen repeatedly struck
bored iuil OF holes In coming away, aiier nling the
kettle he struck by ball between the knee and
ankle, from which he lost his leg brought the
wafer. Both Reno and BeBtcen considers excellent
officers, aId both cid all they could encourage their
troops IN The night They exposed their persons all
through the battle constantly, and passed around
oOuragiug the under ire and telling them to keep
low behnd the hreastworss Tncy paid no attention
TO their own SAFETY
CUSTER MrrILArHp.
Reno and his command knew nothing of Cusiers
movements and were expect Ig him hourly until the
ARRIVAL OF Lieutenant Bradley OF the on the
heiG and reported that he had found Custer Aud 100
% hs dead. Private Dolan says no assisted
In b1rying the dead and Cusiers BODY
IL was stripped, hut not muiatcd. There
were only shols hm-onc ia the
head and the other IN the body. Tom Custer his
LAID beside him lie ay his back. Easea. .Iac sol.
dlcrs lay IN companies, Il they alrr ~ pia-
toon@ Custer mus have struck the oi the
village IN h.s charge, amt tryiu. his way out
was casly surrounded and cut OF. THIS evident
from where he nr.t charged 10 where he made his
stand There were arross IN Casters body. Saw
a man named Fncy. whose bead crushed in anu
by whom were yins some twenty oil his own cartridge
shclis.
HoSEiRLE SIGHTS YIELD.
Charley Reynolds. the GUIDE. lcl by the Side OF his
have died IN hand.so-nand conalct for
he had revolver open anu empty his
hand Isaac, colored Interpreter fsom Rice