The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-08-30

Col. Keogh
and SO
soldiers :
of
Col, 9TH Cavalry,
killed
here
June 25th,
1876.
BONE HEAPS

DUNE HEATS
extend to the right and left in a regular
line from Keogh's " grave" and in many
instances human bones lie behind horse
skeletons, indicating that here a deter
mined but fatal stand was made. Fol
lowing up the line to the top of the divide
we find well-worn trail leading north
to g Custer hill" where the last shot was
fired, and the last man was killed. The
position is an elevated one, overlooking
the entire field, the river below,
and the site of the village opposite,
and was doubtless selected as a
deT7ljer resort for the salvation of
the handful of men who, with Custer es-
capped the destructive FIRE encountered
at the other side of the field. Accord
ing to hostile reports, Custer had about
a hundred men when he Tell back to this
point, and by the same authority, as well
as by the evidence OF the field, we know
that here occurred one of the most ter
rible conflicts known to mankind. 1t
was literally war to death" Mug
gins J" Taylor, the first white man on the
ground after the massacre 1.-TWO days Ia
ter), says that the horses were all shot
behind the left shoulder, and that the
hair was singed and full of burnt powder,
which statement, with certain Indian
&c PO4 70 SLldS INC EOlulOIS klllCu GuEl1
horses, proves that the poor brutes were
sacrificed to make breast works for the
men.
The fight at this point lasted not 10
exceed twenty minutes, and at its close
the entire command was exterminated.
Custer fell upon the most conspicuous
portion of the knoll, and the locality is
still well defined by the carcass of his
horse, whose beautiful sOrrel-cclored hide
is still recognizable. In close proximity
are four heaps of bones, or graves"
and the skeletons of twenty horses, and
Just over the crest, upon the side facing
the river, are twenty-eight "graves,"
with, probably, three or four human
skeletons, or portions thereof, in each,
and fourteen horse skeletons. These are
all huddled together in a very small
space, and, as they are supposed to be
where death FRUSTRATED them, the posi-
tiOns are suggestive of the appalling ter
ror that must have possessed the remnant
at bay as the thousands of relentless saw
ages and inevitable death pressed closer
and closer. The ground for many yards
around is strewn with bones, torn from
bodies by beasts of prey, and clothing, a
noticeable condition o. the dead sOldiery
being its nudity, the bodies having all
been stripped of clothing Immediately
after the battle, except the feet, the In
dians not caring for boots or shoes; but
they have cut the tops from the boots,
probably to convert them into gun slings
and thongs. Further down the hill are
| several remains, both human and animal,
and at a distance of three hundred yards
and very near the river, one solitary skel-
eten of a man, with three bullet-holes
and sickening cut as with an axe in the
skull. This poor fellow evidently tried
to escape, and succeeded in running the
! gauntlet as far as this point, where he
was laid low by savage shot, and death
! insured by some miserable squaw, mum
! bers of whom came over, and with clubs
rocks and hatchets brutality placed tn,
wounded out of misery.