The Portland daily press., 1876-07-07
THE INDIANS.
A Terrible Fight with Clusters
Command.
GENERAL CUSTER AND HIS TWO
BROTHERS KILLED.

n = AshAe seSsSA -
Command.
GENERAL CUSTER AND HIS TWO
BROTHERS KILLED.
Three Hundred Troops Slain.
SALT LAKE CITY, July "a special cores
pondent of the Helena (Montana) Herald,
writes as follows:
STILL WATER, MONTANA. July 2, 1876.
Muggns Taylor, scout for General Gibbon,
got here last night, direct from Little HON
River. General Custer found the Indian camp,
of 1000 lodges, on the Little Horn and immedi.
ately attacked the camp. General Custer took
five companies and charged the thickest portion
of the camp. Nothing is known of the opera
tons Of this detachment only as they trace it
by the dead. Major Rice commanded the 9TH
er seven companies and attacked the lower por-
ton of the camp. The Indians poured in
murderous fire from all directions, besides the
greater portion fought on horseback. General
Custer, his two brothers, nephew and brother
in-law, we're killed, and not one of his detach-
ment escaped. Two hundred and seven men
were buried in one place, and the killed are es
timated at 300, with only 81 wounded. The
Irdians surrounded General Reno's command
and held them one day in the hills The Indi.
ans got all the arms of the killed soldiers.
There were seventeen commissioned officers
killed. The whole Custer family died at the
head of their column. The exact loss is not
major were killed. The Indian camp was from
three to four miles long, and was twenty miles
up the Lite Horn from its mouth. The Indi-
ans actually pulled men off their horses in
some instances This report is given as Tay
lor told it, for he was over the field after the
battle.
The above is confirmed by other letters
which say that Custer has met with fearful
disaster.
The Organization of Caster's Command.
WASHINGTON, July 6.-Advices received here
tonight, give the startling Intelligence that
General Custer has been killed in an engage
ment with the Indians. The news, although
unofficial, is undoubtedly true, and creates con-
siderable excitement in army circles. The de-
tails of the engagement are meagre, but it is
generally understood that the troops suffered
severe losses.
The following was the organization of Gen.
Clusters egiment:
Lieutenant w. w. Cook, adjutant.
Lieutenant H. j. Nowlan, quartermaster:
Major M A; ~ Reno commanding right t., wing;
Captain W. NJ keogh, commanding first battal-
ion.
Captain G. W. Yates, commanding second battal-
Captain 7. B. Weir, commanding third battalion.
Captain G. H. French, commanding fourth battal-
ion.
Captain G. Moiland, commanding CompanyA A.
Captain I. NJ McDougall, Go. B.
Captain I. W. Custer. Co. G.
Lieutenant F. ". $. Edgerly, Co. d.
Captain G. W. Yates, Co. F.
Lieutenant d. Mcintosh, Co. G.
Lieutenant f. M. Gibson, Co. Fl.
Lieutenant j. E. Porter, Co I.
Lieutenant e. S. Godfrey, Co. X.
Lieutenant Iicuten Z. Calhoun Calhoun, Go. I.
Lieutenant 9. c. Derudo, attached to Co. A.
Lieutenant D. G. Walker, attached to Co. G.
farriay ,n,,fa M Her kAa.l ,oI n
Lieutenant L. r. Hare, attached to Co. X.
Lieutenant j. G. Sturgis at tached to Co. E.
Lieutenant W. Y. w. Reilly, attached to Co. f.
scouts.
The Defeat Confirmed.
A despatch confirming the report sent last
night of Gen. Clusters fight on the Little Horn
river is just received at Gen. Sheridan's head
quarters.
Excitement in Army Circles.
The News of the death of Gen. Custer and
the terrible disaster reported from the West,
creates profound sensation here, particularly
in army circles. Up to noon there have been
no official advices received at the War Depart
ment. Secretary Cameron, Gen. Sherman and
It, Gen. Sheridan are now in Philadelphia and
it it is believed here that the earliest official re-
ports of the fight will be sent direct from Sher-
idan's headquarters to Philadelphia.
Adjutant General Townsend has telegraphed
to Sheridan's headquarters for an early report
L DIS uumUcTS VI pcISUuS dTo AuAiUuS W KNOW GQ6
fate of friends in the Indian country. Many
have visited the War Department to-day to
know ii there have been any advices confirm
ing the reports alrsady published and givin G
details.
Frontier COngressmen and the Indian
News.
Western Congressman are greatly outraged
at the report of the Indian massacre this morn
ing, and will make great use of this to oppose
in the Senate the House reduction in the army
bill. The bill has not yet been reported from
the committee. The frontier state Congress
men, irrespective of party, are unit upon this
question. A large number, of this class of
Congressman called this morning on Gen.
Sherman and the Secretary of War to ascer-
tain what means they propose to take to re-
press the Indian hostilities.
The frontier state men generally offer to
raise volunteer regiments if the government
will arm them. Under the present law the
Secretary of War is authorized to furnish the
Governors of states only second rate arms, while
the Indians are in nearly all cases supplied
with first class weapons Of government make.
The excitement created among the frontier men
by the massacre may tend TO prolong the ses-
sion, as they will certainly endeavor to refuse
supplies, and clothing and appropriations to
the bands Immediately concerned in these out
RACES, and they will also endeavor to prevent
the army reductions. These Indians had left
their reservations in violation of law and
treaty, and had started on war campaign.
Gen. Crittenden, of the regular army, now
here, nearly lost his mental balance upon re ad-
ing this morning that his son, Lit. Crittenden,
was victim to the massacre.
Excuses for the Indians.
Officers OF the Indian Bureau are inclined to
to take the side of the Indians in the recent
outbreak. They say the hostilities are directly
traceable to the encroachments of the army
and adventurous miners upon the Black Hills
country in defisnce of the most solemn treaty
obligations, and that the Indians in resentng
these encrOachmentS upon their territory are
acting under the treaty rights.
1t is singular circumstance that the Black
Hills excitement is more directly due to Gen.
Custer than to any other person as he con-
manifest violation of treaty, and circulated ex-
travagant stories as to the gold deposits.
Clusters Recklessness.
Army officers say Custer was very reckless
in going into ravine, and that such an act
was objectionable in an old Indian fighter.
They think that Custer with his customary
recklessness as to results wished to secure ali
the honor of defeating the Indians, and so
marched on, making the attack without wait
| ing for the other commands.
List OfOmcers Killed.
ST. LOUIS, July GA telegram from Gen.
Rugges at ST. Paul, to Capt Green Hale, COM
manding the cavalry at the arsenal here, gives
| the following names of officers killed in the
manG:-COl. Keagh, Col. Cook, Lieut. McIn-
tosh, Lieut.. Hodgson, Lieut.. Porter, Col Gus
ter, Col. Yates, Lieut. Smith, Lieut. Colbourn,
Lieut.. Reilly, and Lieut.. Sturgis. Lieut.. Har-
rington is missing.
AN IOWA TORNADO.