The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-09
How Custer Died.

A letter to the Tribune from Mon
tana Territory tells of the adventures
| Of one Howard, an eX-soldler, who was
sent into Sitting Bulls camp by Gen.
Miles rs q spy. Howard married q
niece Of this chief, and was able to 90
among his band without suspicioa. lie
| gathered from them some particulars
of the Custer massacre. The letter
says: Howard talked with the camp
followers regarding the Custer masss.
ere and disclosed some new facts.
This body of hoStlles, or portion of
1t, was with Sitting Bull in that bloody
affair, and thus the story Howard re-
lates may be depended upon--as they,
not suspecting his mission among
them, and in consideration of his resi-
dence among and relationship to them,
talked to him as one of themselves.
They state that many of Clusters men
were killed by mounted Indians, who
ran oyer them and killed them with
their knives. The poor fellows
were huddled together here and
there and fought at very great
disadvantage; yet they killed great
many of their assailants, fighting des-
perately to the last. Sitting Bull as
serted that the battle lasted only thirty
minutes all told, ending With the deSth
of Custer and few men and officers
who had rallied around him. THIS
forlorn hope had gotten off some dis
tance, and could have escaped hut,
unfortunately, Custer changed his
mind, turned, and ordering aC ar se,
the devoted party rushed upon tho lu-
dians with revolyers, shooting down
the astonished savages right and left.
Custer killed five himself, when his
pistol emptied, and the foe pressing
about him, he closed with a graphing
savage, and beating out his brains with
the butt, was shot as his victim fell to
the ground. This doubtless true story
supports the theory advanced by mili-
tary men at the time of the massacre
the idea of some desperate final act re-
ceiying support from the position and
location of the group OF bodies about
Custer, viz: that, he seeing his COM
mand annihilated, and fearing to face
the consequences or scorning to live
when his soldiers lay dead about him,
had deliberately rushed TO certain
death.
His body was not recognized at first,
the Indians thinking him q scout; but
being soon identified, all that remained
OF the famous general was propped up
against the corpse of two soldiers, and
so left to receive the advancing but
too late troops. Poor Tom Custer's
heart was not cut out, as previously
reported, but he was barbarously killed
with knives. Lieutenant Sturges was
knocked off his horse, shot and knitted,
his body stripped and thrown into the
river. 1t must be Sturges's death
WHICH is thus described, as the Indians
tell of this poor fellow as q young
warrior who rode with a buckskin
coat strapped to his saddle, and 1t is
known he was so equipped. They also
relate that two soldiers, who threw
down their guns and surrendered, were
turned loose, and advised ''to return
to their people and tell them all
the whites would follow Custer
unless they would let the Sioux
alone" The poor fellows left, but the
next day, probably crazy from fright,
attempted to return, when they en-
countered some Indians who had been
engaged against Reno, and were killed.
Howard recognized many Custer tro-
phies in the camp, among them Cookies
saddle and accoutrements. He thinks
this camp of hostiles must be severely
l--iL --.iih that-Siiti RI,ll-ssa..ai- Ia
successes and surrenders will go almost
for naught. am convinced that Gen.
Miles shares this opinion, at least par
TALLY, and that he is right in opposing
any cessation of active and offensive
operations until the suggested results
be attained. 1t must not be imagined
that he is bloodthirsty in his plans or
ideas IN this business. On the con-
trary, he recognizes the fact that the
Sioux even has rights the government
must respect; but at the same time he
feels with all intelligent observers that
its strong arm must now thoroughly
assert itself before the field be aban-
doned. Any other course can but re
suit in loss of all that has been gained,
and endless repetition of campaigns
against the Indians.