Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-09
A Seemingly Circumstantial and Truth
full Statement-Custer's Bravery and
RenO's Courageous Encounter.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, September T.
The Pioneer Press and Tribune will to-
morrow publish an interview with an
old trspper, named Rgely, who has
been q long time in the Yellowstone
country, and claims to have witnessed
the Gutter massacre, being prisoner in
Sitting Bulps camp and seeing every
movement OF the troops. He was taken
prisoner last March, and kept in the
camp Of the IL ans until the Custer
massacre, He was treated kindly. He
says that Sitting Bull organized, not to
! fl int the whites bu. 20 drive the miCers
| from the hills. Previous 10 Cutters a..
tax. m,Uuted cOGriers from Sitting
Bulls camp bal for eigh. days watched
his fore; 8, / s div. sion iuiO small detach-
mel t. being notsd with manifestations
of sxtreue delight. AmbUscsdes were
immt diate!y prepared, snd while the
| Indians stood resjy for sn ATTACK, many
f them c!ambersd on the sidebill over
Icokirg Cast er's line OF march. The
Indian camp was divided by bluff
the point Of which ran toward X ise
bud, and in the direction Of one
of The available f-rds on the riV
er to the camp by this ford. Custer
followed their trail down to the waters
edge. There were but twenty i've teepes
visible TO Custer, but there Nera seventy
| five double teepes behind the bi2d, noL
visible. Custer attacked the smaller VII
lsge aud was Immediately met ~ IT,
| teen hundred or two thousand Indians
in regular order OF battle. Every move.
ment was made with military precision.
RigeIy says he stood on the side Of a
hill where he had complete view OF the
battle, which was not over mile and q
half distant. Custer began the fight
in the ravine, nea- the ford, and fully
half of his command seemed to be un-
horsed at the fire. Then the soldiers re-
treated toward him, in the rear, and
we're shot down on the way with as
tonishipg rapidity, the commanding Of
| ficer falling from his horse In the mid
die Of the engagement, which COM
menced at eleven O'Clock in the morn
ing and did not last more than forty-h five
minutes After the massacre OF Casters
force the Indians returned to camp
with six soldiers as prisoners, aud, de-
lirious with joy over their success, THESE
six were tied to stakes at wood pile IN
in the village and were bgrned to death.
While the flames were torturlng them
to death the Indian boys fired red-hot
|
until they died. Sitting Bull was met
after the fight, aud he eXultingly re-
marked that he had killed many SOL
diels and one damned general, but did
not know who he was. The squaws then
armed themselves and visited the battle
field, robbed and mutilated the bodies oi
the soldiers. While these soldiers were
being burned the Indians turned their
attention 10 the force, evidently RenO's,
attacking the lower end Of the valley.
Rigely says CusteI's command had been
slaughtered before a shot was fired by Re-
nos force, which attacked the lower end
of the camp about two O'Clock in the
afternoon, The Indians returned in the
evening and said the men had fought
like the devil, but Rigely says they did
not make g sta ement Of their losses
Thev said the soldiers had been driven
back twice, and then they piled uE
stones and the attack was unsuccessful
The prisoners were kept burning over ar
hour, but Rigely was not permitted tC
speak with them, so he was unable tC
state who they were. One was notice
able from his small size and grey hair and
Whiskers. Reno killed more Indians than
Custer, who fled in the midst Of the
fight, and two captains-believed to be
Gates and Keogh-were the last to die.
The night after the massacre the Indi-
ans were wild with delight. Many were
drunk on whisky stolen from the whites,
} snd the squaws who performed the duty
If guards for the prisoners, becoming
droWsy, Rigely and his two compan'
ions escaped, securing ponies, and began
the long journey homeWard. The party
ate game, ard laid ia the woods foul
days to avoid the Indians. On the way
the horse stumbled, breaking RigeIy'i
srm, but the party finely reached For
iAbercrombie, anu thence Rigely came
here. He describes Sitting Bull as {
half breed, of large sizs, very intelligent
, with peculiar gait.