Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-26

ONE OF CUSTER'S VICTORIES.
A Vivid Picture of the Battle of Washita.
Nym Crinkle in the World.
The best we can do at this moment,
when doubts OF the discretion are
mingling with the praises of Clusters
gaJlantry, is to turn from the battle of
Rosebud Creek, with it's mistakes, it's
retreat, its sacrifice, to the sagacity, the
swift vengeance, the glory of the Wash
tia Valley fight, than which there are
few episodes in American history SO
admirably adapted to the use of the
story teller. Custer has himself told
that story, and perhaps not the least
charm Of the narration is the writer's
Inconsistencies of the poetic and ro-
mantle character Of it. General Sheri-
dan planned the campaign, and it was
undertaken in driving snow storm.
On the morning of November 23d
General Custer started out with eleven
companies of cavalry, numbering be-
tween 800 and 900 men, and heavy
army train, to find, if possible, the
secreted Indian village. Three days it
wound through the bleak and desolate
wilderness. assembled the foot hills Of
the Antelope range to the plains, and
there striking an Indian trail came
slowly and surely upon the village of
1000 or 5000 Cheyenne warriors. They
can hear the neigh of the Indian ponies
and the barking of the dogs. The blue
smoke curls up in numerous wavy jets
from the wigwams. It is midnight,
and you are to picture in the back
ground of shadows the 900 troopers,
massed and silent, holding their horses
while this reconnaissance was being
made.
"Just as I returned to retrace my
steps," says Custer, another sound was
borne to my ear through the cold, clear
atmosphere of the valley. 1t was the
distant cry Of an infant, and, savages
though they were and justly outlawed
by the number and atrocity of their
murders and depredations on the help
less settlers of the frontier, could not
but regret that in a war such as we were
forced to engage in, the mode and cir
cumstances of battle would possibly pre-
vent discrimination"
The command was then divided into
four equal detachm ents, three of which
set out at once upon circuitons march
in order to reach the points assigned
them for simultaneous attack. The
fourth remained under the personal
command of Custer. The plan was
for each division to approach as closely
as possible to the village without being
discovered, and then await the APP
preach of daylight. The regimental
band moved with Clusters detachment,
and it was to strike up "Garryowen"
the instant the attack was opened.
It is not possible to read the naive,
unadorned account of the lamented
oficer..without addingsall the details cor
rectly from an excited imagination.
His own detachment approached so
near without disturbing the savages
that the commander began to fear they
had been warned of the approach, and
had slipped away. Behind him were
the cautious lines of his men, leading
their horses over the SNOW crust. All
at once a rifle shot rang out clear and
sharp upon the still air from the far
side of the village. At an instant the
order was given for "Garryowen;" every
man was in his saddle, and as the roll
licking notes of what Custer calls "a
fighting air" sounded in the valley, loud
and continued cheers came back from
the other detachments.
" In this manner" remarks the mar
rator briefly, " the battle of the Washita
commenced" The simultaneous
charge of the four divisions was to all
intents the descent of four thunderbolts
from clear sky upon the savages. We
can discern the mad onslaught the
headlong gallop through that village,
the flash of sabres. We can hear the
peal of bugles and the crack of rifles,
and see the dusky forms leaping be
hind the trees. We perceive that it is
hand-to-hand fight, with men, women
and children transformed by the hid
den invasion into fierce antagonists
And looking at it from the safe position
of the romancer, we find for once our
cavalrymen in an instant converted in
to the flaming messengers of ven
geance swift and sure, as indeed they
should be. 80 &
Custer on the Indian.