Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-20
The Indian Massacre.

the expedition telegraphs to that paper
the following particulars, learned on
the arrival of Gen. Terry's forces at
the scene of the carnage:
At an early hour the head of the column
entered plain half mile wide, border
ing the left bank of the Little Big Horn.
where had recently been an immense In
dian village, extending three miles along
the stream, and where were still standing
funeral lodges with horses slaughtered
around them and containing the bodies of
nine chiefs The ground was strewn ev-
erywhere with carcasseS of horses, cav
airy equipments, besides buffalo robes,
packages of dried meat and weapons and
utensils belonging to Indians. On this
part of the field were found the clothing of
Lieuts Sturgis and Porter, pierced with
bullets, and blood-stained gauntlet be-
longing to Col Yates Further on were
found the bodies of men. among whom
were recognized Lieut.. Mcintosh, the in
terpreter from Fort Rice, and Rey-
nolds, the guide. Just then a breath
less scout arrived with the intelli-
gence that Col. Reno, with a rem
nant of the Seventh Cavalry, was en-
trenched on bluff near by, waiting for re-
lief. The command pushed rapidly on,
and soon came in sight of group sur
rounding cavalry guard upon a lofty en-
inence on the right bank of the river.
Gen. Terry forded the stream, accompa-
MED by a small party, and rode to the
spot All the way the slopes were dotted
with the bodies of men and horses. The
General approached, and the men
swarmed out of the works and greeted him
with hearty and repeated cheers. Within
l. IL.
companies of the regiment with the fol-
lowing named officers, all of whom are
unhurt: Coils. Benteen and Wier; Capls.
Felix Maylan and McDougal; Lieuts God
frey, Mathey, Gibson, De Rudid, Edger-
ly, Wallace, Varnum and Hare. In the
center of the Enclosure was a depression
in the surface, in which the wounded were
sheltered covered with canvas RenO's
command had been fighting from Sunday
noon (the 25th) until the night of the Goth,
when Terry'S arrival caused the Indians
to retire Up to this time Reno and those
with him were in complete ignorance of
the fate of the other five companies, which
had been separated from them early on
the 25th to make an attack under Custer
on the village at another point. While
preparations were being made for the re
moval of the wounded, party was sent
=
command. They found awaiting them !
sight fit to appall the stOutest heart.
At point about three miles down the
right bank of the stream, Custer had evil
IDENTIFY attempted to ford and attack the
village from the ford The trail was
found to lead back up the bluffs and to
the northward as If the troops had been
repulsed and compelled to retreat, and at
the same time had been cut off from re-
gaining the forces under Reno. The bluffs
along the right bank come sharply down
to the water, and are interspersed by nu-
merOus ravines all along the slopes and
ridges, and in the ravines lay the dead,
arranged in order Of battle, lying as they
had fought, line behind line, showing
where defensive positions had been sue
cessively taken up and held till none were
left to fight. Then huddled in narrow,
compass, horses and men were piled pro
miscuOusly. At the highest point of the
ridge lay Custer, surrounded by a chosen
band. Here were his two brothers and
his nephew, Mr.. Reed, Coils. Yates and
Cooke and Capt. Smith, all lying in cir
them. Here, behind Yates company, the
last stand had been made, and here, one
after another, these last survivors Of Gus
ter's five companies had met their death.
The companies had successfully thrown
themselves across the path Of the advanc-
ing enemy, and had been annihilated.
Not a man has escaped to tell the tale,
but it was inscribed on the surface Of
these barren hills in a language more elo-
quent than words. Two hundred and
iXty-One bodies have been buried from
Clusters and RenO's command. The last
one found was that of Mr.. Kellogg, CORE
spOndent Of the Bismarck Tribune, and
also, [ believe, of the New York Herald.
The following are the names of the officers
whose remains are recognized: Gen. Gus
ter; Cols KeOgh, Yates Custer, Cooke;
Capt Smith; Lieut's Mcintosh, Calhoun,
HodgsOn and Reilly. All of these be
longed to the Seventh Cavalry
Lieut.. Crittenden, of the Twentieth In
fantry, who was serving temporarily with
the regiment.
Lieut's Porter, Sturgis and Harrington
and Ass't-SurgeOn Lord are reported
missing as their remains were not recOg-
nized but there is small ground to hope
that any Of them survived, as it is obvious
that the troops were completely surround
ed by a force of ten times their number.