The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04
Indian assault, and the situation was
A.

Indian assault, and the situation was
desperate in the extreme.
In the afternoon the sun became very
hot, and the men, who had been without
water for thirty six hours, were almost
famished. The horses showed signs of
perishing and the wounded begged pite-
ously for water. 1t was full 200 yards
down the hill to the waters edge. Every
inch OF the ground was commanded by
Indian sharpshooters, and line in the
timber on the opposite bank of the mar
row river. Col. Reno determined to get
water at all hazards, and number of
canteens were gathered. While one
company took the complexities and
canteens, another charged down the
hillside and engaged the attention of
the Indians while the kettles were filed.
The dash was made and the men went
bravely to the river and dipped up the
water, while heavy stream of fire was
kept up over their heads. 1t was a
brave deed to crrry camp kettle to the
river and fill it; but it was done, and
sufficient water for present use was OBJ
tanned. Five men fell in the charge to get
water. At nightfall the Indians drew
off, and Col. Reno ordered the river
front of the camp to be cleared in order
that water for animals might be had.
The work was done, and all the animals
were watered, and good supply for
next days use obtained. The wounded
were suffering terribly, DIR. De Wolf
having been killed early in the action,
leaving only one surgeon, DIR. Porter, to
attend to the wounded, over twenty of
whom were in bad condition, and but
few supplies of any kind on hand to re-
lieve their sufferings. Every one won.
dered what had become of Custer, and
many thought he had been cut off and
gone down to the Big Horn to join Gen.
Gibbons column, which was expected to
be at the mouth of the Little Horn, only
twenty miles distant, on the Goth.
On the morning of the Goth the In
dams renewed the attack fiercely. They
seemed to regard it only as a question of
time, but were unwilling to wait until
the men ran out of supplies or died for
want of water. For miles back the
country was full of Indians to cut off
any who attempted to escape, and not
even a courier could be got through their
lines. The fighting continued on the
Goth from 6 o'clock till noon, when the
Indians began to leave, and about
o'clock great commotion was observed
in the villages. Lodges wero pulled
down, and Indians in crowds of hun
dreds hurried out of the valley and wild
hills. Until dark the stampede con-
tinued, but was conducted in so orderly
manner as to lead Col. Reno to believe
they were only removing their villages
to get grass for their immense
herds of animals. At nightfall Col.
Reno front was entirely free from Indi-
ans, and the command passed quiet
night. On the morning of the 9th not
an Indian was to be seen. This hasty
departure was, OF course, due to their
knowledge of Gibbons advance with in
fantry.
Many of the men found dead on Gus
ter's field were horribly mutilated, and
most had their skulls smashed by stone
mallets. This was the work of the
squaws, who swarmed to the battle field,
robbing and mutilating the bodies of the
dead, and killing the dyingand wounded.
There were in Clusters regiment, when
he went into battle, 585 men and twen-
ty-six officers. OF these forty men were
killed with Reno, and fifty-one wounded.
With Custer were about 240 men in the
battle, and 210 bodies were found and
buried. 1t is believed not single man
or officer who was with Custer escaped.
-Ne,O York Herald.