The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-19
A Connected Account of Clusters Disaster and
Death.
FYO1n inc 81. FNuI D1spaCCn.
GEN. TERRY's ORDERS.


his views OF what Clusters action should
unless he should see sufficient reason for
departing from them. These were, that
Custer should proceed Up the Rosebud
until he ascertained definitely the direc.
ton of the trail above spoken Of. Should
it be found, as appeared almost
certain. TO-, lead towards the Little
Big Horn, the General thought
Custer should still! proceed
southwark as far, perhaps, as the head.
quarters Of the Tongue river, which are
directly southwark. twenty-five miles,
from the head Of the Rosebud and bout
the same distance southeast from the 10.
cality on the Little Big Horn where Gus.
ter found and attacked the Indians. This
route would have taken Custer lin di.
rect line) about one hundred miles south
ward from the mouth. of the Rosebud.
From the headwaters of the Tongue river
the General advised that Custer should
turn, westerly or .northwesterly, towards
the Little Big Horn, feeling constantly
to his left so as to prevent the
escape Of the Indians to the south or
southeast by passing around to Clusters
left. Custer was informed by the Gen.
eral that the column Of Col. Gibbon was
then in motion and would move up the
Big Horn to the parks at the mouth of
the Little Big Horn, whence its move
ments would be controlled, by circum.
stances.v~4The hope was expressed that
the Indians upon the Little Big Horn
might be so nearly enclosed by the two
hot fhoiv ho
possible. Custer was desired, on his way
up the Rosebud to thoroughly examine
the upper part Of bTullock's Unlock 81
creek, IA stream rising on the
divide between the Big Horn and Rose.
bud and emptying near the mouth of the
Big HORNY and to send scout to Gibbon
informing him of the result of this ex.
animation. Custer was further desired
to report to Gen. Terry on the the sup
ply steamer at the mouth of the Little
Big Horn not later than the expiration
of the time for which his command was
rationed, or July LIST.
,: CuSTER's FORCE.
The command consisted of the Seventh
Cavalry, about seven hundred and twenty
strong and q detachment of scouts and
guides, increasing the whole number of
fighting men to near eight hundred. .
CUSTER 9 MovEMENrs. ~ =,
About twenty miles up the Rosebud.
at about nine O'Clock on the morning of
the 23d, Custer struck large lodge. pole
trail, about ten days old, the same which
Reno had before discovered in the Tongue
river valley. This lodge.pole trail indi-
Gated the recent movement Of an Indian
village. It led UP the Rosebud and Gus
ter's command camped on it at night, At
miles up the Rosebud Or about east from
che sources Of Tinlock's creek, which it
appears he did not stop2to examine.
ABANDONED INDIAN CAMP.
The morning Of the 24th, after pro-
ceeding six miles farther, the scouts re-
ported the trail growing freshcr, some
ten miles ahead, and there was a consul.
tation by Custer with his officers. At
four in the afternoon, having rode that
day IS miles and being now about ninety
two miles from the mouth Of the Rose.
bud, andfat the forks of that river. about
thirty miles north from the sources of the
Tongue river and about thirty miles cast.
ward from the Little Big Horn, the
command was rested on the site. of an
Indian village which had evidently been
moved laway but a few days before.
NIGHT MARCH.
At eleven o'clock on the night of the
oath, the command was again mounted
and moved, the scouts leading, up creek
emptyiHg into the Rosebud. About day
light there was halt for res: and coffee
Soon after the scouts brought word that
they had seen an Indian village from the
top of the divide. The command was
then moved up near to the head of the
creek, about three miles from the top of
the divide, and halted in ravine. The
distance Of this night march from the
abandoned Indian camp on the Rosebud
is estimated at % miles.
DISCOVERED BY THE SIOUX.
Custer and few soldiers and guides
rode forward to the top of the divide to
look at the Indian camp. He could not
see it but the Indian scouts insisted that
they could see it, some ten to-: fifteen
miles off. Custer returned to the ra-
vine in about an hour. Meantime he was
seen by Sioux scouts and others had dis
covered his command in the ravine.
FORWARD.
Custer again assembled his officers and
then the command was arranged in fight
ing order and the forward movement re.
sumed, the scouts leading and the reei.
ment following at walk. Over the d.
vide the trail led down little creek, a
branch of the Little Big Horn. About
six miles from the ravine where the com.
mand was halted at daylight q freshly
abandonedaSiou camp was discovered in
which one lodge had been left to shelter
q dead Indian. From this point a park
or level nrairie surrounded hY hills xaa