The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-07-13
The Indian War and Terrible
Nfassacres.
Death of Gen. Custer and the Slaughter
of His Men Confirmed.

BISMARCK, d. T., July Cen. Custer
left Rnsellnd on the twenty-second of June
with twelve companies of the Seventh Cav
airy, and on the twenty fourth fresh trail
was reported. On the morning of the
twenty-ffth an Indian village three miles
long and half mile wide was reported,
fifteen miles off. Custer pushed for it, They
had made seventy-eight miles in twenty
four hours preceding the battle. When
near the village the Indians appeared to be
moving in hot haste, as if retreating. Major
Reno. with seven companies, was ordered
to attack the right and Custer, with five
companies, vigorously attacked the left of
the camp. Reno felt them with three COM
panies, and was Immediately surrounded,
and after an hours fighting, losing Lieuts.
Hndgson and Mcintosh and twelve men
and several Indian scouts and many wound
ed, ne cut his way out and gained bluff
three& hundred feet high, where he en-
trenched himself, and where he was soon
joined by Col. Benton with four companies.
Here the Indians made repeated assaults,
but they were as often repulsed, with
great slaughter. The Indians finally
gained higher ground than Reno, and, with
&onger range guns than the cavalry, kept
up CALLING fire till night.
The Indians renewed the attack at day
light. Reno had lost forty odd killed be-
fore reaching the bluff. There were many
hand to hand conflicts. The Indians out
numbered them ten to one. The men were
without water thirtysix hours; they were
determined TO reach Water at all hazards
Col. Benton made u sally and routed the
main body, guarding the approach to the
water; the water was gained with loss of
one killed and seven wounded.
The fighting ceased for the night, during
which time Reno prepared to resist further
attacks. There had now been forty weight
hours of fighting with no word from Gus
ter. Twenty-four hours more of suspense
and the fighting ended, when the In
dians abandoned their village In
great haste, Gen. Terry with Glib
bons commanding his own in
fantry, had arrived, and as the comrades
met, men wept on each others necks. In
quiry was then made for Custer, but none
could tell where he was. Soon an officer
came rushing into camp and related that
he had found Custer dead, stripped naked,
| but not mutilaued, and near HIM was his
two brothers, Col. Tom and Boston Gus
ter; his brother-in-law, Col. Calhound; his
nephew, Col. Yates; Col. Keagh, Capt.
Smith, Lieut.. Crittenden, Lieut.. Sturges,
Col. Cooke, Lieut.. Porter Lieut.. Harring-
ton, DR.. Lord, Kellogg, the Bismarck Tri-
b,tne correspondent, and 100 men and y
| scout.
| Cus'er went into the battle with compa.
mes G, L, l, f, and Z, of the Seventh Cav
airy and the staff and non-commissioned staff
of his regiment and a number of scnuts.
and only one of the Crow scou's remained
| to tell the tale. All are dead.
| Custer was surrounded on every side by
Indians, and the horses fell as they fought
on the skirmish line or in line of battle.
Custer was among the last who fell, but
when his cheering voice was no longer
heard the Indians made easy work of the
remainder. The bodies of all, save the
news paper correspondents, were stripped
and most of them were horribly mutilated.
| Custer was shot through the body and
through the head. The troops cared for
the wounded and buried the dead, and re-
turned to their base for supplies and instruc-
tions from the general of the army. Col.
Smith arrived at Bismarck last night with
thirty-five of the wounded. The Indians
lost heavily in the battle The Crow scou,
survived the battle by hiding in ravine
He believes the Indians lost more than the
whites. The village numbered eighteen
hundred lodges, and it is thought there
were four thousand warriors. Gen. Custer
was directed by Gen. Terry to find and fee
of the Indians but not to fight unless Terry
arrived with the infantry and with Glib
| bOns's column.
The Herald correspondent, Kellogg, was
| killed