Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-08-12
THE CUSTER FIGHT.

THE CUSTER FIGHT.
: A Now story Of the Little Big Horn Mass,
ere..Allexatisus or Guides Treacher
..The Indians Warned and Enabled
! Prepare An Ambush.
A letter written by o sergeant in th
8 Sixth infantry, dated Yellowstone d.
!. pot, July 10, has the following interest
l ing points in relation to the Custer mas
t sacre. You will note new theory @
! Clusters attack and defeat which is a
least plausible; but to the letter:
The impression prevails here tha
Custer was given away treacherously b,
half-breed guide he had with him, b,
the nome of Billy Gross, and every cir
cumstance, 40 far as ascertained, tend
to confirm the impression that this guild
had an understanding with the Indian
beforehand, and treacherously led Gus
ter's command into snare, where the,
were all massacred, with the exception
of one Grow scout and two guides
named respectively Girard and jackson
Gross, with the Indian scouts that cam.
from Lincoln with Custer, deserted the
command shortly after the fight begun,
and nothing was heard of them until
they came into this camp, about 16C
miles-four days travel-from the scene
of conflict. Had they joined Gibbons OF
Reno, the latter of whom was in close
proximity and the former no more than
twenty-five or thirty miles away, and in
formed the one or the other OF Custer q
situation the lives of at least some of the
brave men who perished might have
been saved.
The guides came in two distinct par
ties. Cross and one party about two
o'clock in the afternoon of the twenty
eighth of June, aud another party of
about nine or ten more, leading surplus
ponies, in about five hours after. When
their different stories were compared
they were found to want harmony in
several very essential particulars. Most
of the Indians cartridge frills were full
and none. of them had expended more
than two or three rounds. This, in con-
nection with their contradictory stories,
created in the minds of many, myself
among the number, doubts as to their
courage and honesty toward Custer on
this occasion, and I for one find it diff
cult to eradicate this impression from
my mind. Most all of them are mere
boys, and one of them gave evidence the
other day that he was deficient in cour-
age, and he is doubtless fair criterion
by which to Judge the whole. Parties
who have Arrived from Terry since with
dispatches inform us that the men who
were fortunate enough 10 escape this
dreadful carnage, the Grow scout espe-
cially, charge these Indians with cow
ardice, and say they ran away at the be-
ginning of the fight.
They say that the night before the
fight this Cross was sent out to scout
and reconnoiter and was gone ten or
eleven hours that he returned in the
morning and informed General Custer
that the village was a small one and he
would encounter but very little difficulty
in obtaining an easy victory. Custer,
who is said by his men to be very i'm
pulsive, without first satisfying himself
as to the truth or falsity Of the report,
mounted his command and gave the
forward. Tho command came
in sight Of the village within an hour
and half and he then gave the order to
charge it, which was gallantly done, but |
no resistance was met with until they |
arrived on the other side of the village
when they received a terrific
volley, which put an end to many
noble fellows existence, and the troops
then found themselves in the center of
q large camp of many villages and COM
pletely surrounded by the Indians.
At this spot the grass and brush were
found tied and knotted SO as to impede
The progress of horses, and the Indians
and some of the villages were screened
from viewby a sort of wicker breastwork
Of willow brush, behind which they
could quickly pick off any of the soldiers
without endangering their own precious
hides. All retreat being cut of there
was nothing for it but to forward.
Custer then designated knoll for his
command to rally at, which they did,
md gained the knoll, where they made
;he last stand, all hands fighting desper-
ltely, as men only can fight whose lives
ire at stake and Were the fight became
/ hand to hand conflict.
The squaws made themselves conspic-
lous, knocking in the skulls with a
leavy club with stone at tho end of it,
md mutilati g in divers other ways, too
'ickening TO mention, every soldier that
ell.
The breastwork referred to, and the
NOTED grass especially, presented
very indication of having been freshly
lone, and that the Indians were fully
and aware of Clusters inten-
ions toward them, and had accordingly
made every necessary preparation for
living him warm reception. Every
,ody was scalped and otherwise mutt
ated, excepting General Custer and
corporal Tiemann, whose scalp was ,
,artly off and who had the sleeve of his
,louse with the chevron uplaid over it :
n peculiar manner. This enabled
,ood many men of the Seventh cavalry, Z
vho are here dismounted, to detect one !
# the participants in the fight on the
indians side in the person of one Rain
n-the. Face, who was in the guardhouse !
ast winter and chained to a corporal, s
lso prisoner at the time. Not even a !,
utton was removed from Clusters uni !
orm, while Ills brother and the rest of :
be officers were terribly mutilated.
Reno's command was several miles !
way from the scene of Clusters fight, I
ut was not aware of his having been y
ngaged until the battle was all over u
nd General Gibbons had arrived with
is command to re-enforce him. To the
mely arrival of Gibbons with his
Dough Boys" is due the salvation of
.eno and his command, for they were :,
lso surrounded and fighting desperately y
nd with very slight hope Of ever COM a
lg out alive. :
One of the wounded of Reno's COM !,
land, who is in the hospital here, says !,
nat at one time during the fight they =
card the advance sounded on the trum- =
ct from Indians they all rose up.