The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-04-05
CUSTER'S RATTLE.
4 Hostile Indians Graphic story Of the
FiRht-What Red Horse SRw--AuthcntiC
Accnnnt Of the Indian ln-scN.


received an important statement con-
cerning the Custer massacre from Colonel
Wood, commanding the Cheyenne agency
post II is no less than the story of Red
Horse. a sub-chief of the MunecouiouN
Sioux. who assisted at this memorable
FIGHT The story comes from source
which the interpreter states may he de
pended upon ass Trustworthy ltappcars
that on the twentv-tifth 0t Fehru-
AIRY 229 Sioux. belonging 60 the Mime
coniouN, Sans Arcs and Two Kettles
bands arrived at the Cheyenne agency
from the main hostile camp ON Tongue
river ana surrendered. giving up their
arms and all thoir horses-somc 500 in
number The principal men Of this
party werc Red Horse, Spotted Elk and
White ESgle The former, upon coming
in at the agency, told Colonel Wood that
he and hJs people wanted ta behave
themselves in fuulra, and then, upon
close questioning hold what ho knew oi
the battle wherein Clusters command
was auuibilated
The following is his story ot the battle
OF Greasy Grass creek Little BlE
Horn
On Greasy Grass creek MAS the mann
camp oil the bostleS At that time
was one of the head couneilmen IN that
camp. The UncapapaS. lanktonnais
and Santees were campei northeast Nj
me, on the right, facing the battlefield
The MiuneconiouN, San ArrS. Two
Kettles and Bgults formed the center.
On the left 20 the west were th0 Ogal,al
las and Cheyenne. On the morning of
attack myself and several women were
out about n mile from camp gathering
Wild turuips Suddenly enc ut the
women called my attention to a cloud oi
dust rising I'm the ueighborhood If the
camp. soon discovered that troops
were making an attack. We ran fer the
camp, and when l got there I was sent
for at once 20 come 90 the council lodge
l found many cf the countilmen alrea~y
there when | arrived We had no time
70 consult enc another as % what action
we should take. We gave directi1us
Immediately Tor every Indian 10 set his
horse and arms; for women and children
10 mount their horses and get ont of the
way, and for Young men % - and meet
the troops Among the latter WAS an Off
Ger who rode a horse with white feet.
tribes oi people. and very brave ones.
too, but they all say that tins man was
the brayesg man they had ever met.
don't know whether tins man was Gener-
NJ Custer or not. Some SAY il was. /
saw the man IN the fight several times.
but did not see his boiy. Ii Is sall he
was killed by Santee Indian, who still
holds his horse This officer were q
large briInued hat and buckskin coat.
In speaking OF him the Indians call him
the man who role the horse with four
white feet. There were two men uf his
description, looking very much alike,
both having long yellowish hair. Il Is
believed thar General Clusters hair Was
cut comparatively short NO the time OF his
death
Some time before this fight we were
camped on the Rosebud; but We moved.
crossed over and struck tributary oi
Greasy Grass creek. following Il down 70
It's mouth. We then crlSsei Greasy
Grass creek and went into camp ON the
west hank. An Indian started 70 20 20
Red Cloud agency that day. and when
few miles from camp he discovered dust
rising. He turned back and reported
that q large herd Of buffalo was APP
preaching camp.
lhe day WAS very warm, anu short
time after ne reported this the camp
was attacked by troops who had follow
ei our trail down the tributary and
crossed Greasy Grass creek little
above where we did and above the mouth
Of TINS tributary. They attacked the
upper end Of the camp where the Tn
capapas were. The women and children
hel Immediately down Greasy Grass
creek a little way and crossed over. The
troops set fire 10 the lodges. All the
warriors then rallied and attacked tins
command In an overwhelming force and
drove them IN confusion across the creek.
They forced them ever a place below
where they first crossed The creek WAS
very high and swift and several OF the
troops were drowned
After driving this party back the In
dams c0rraIled them on the top of high
hill and held them there until they saw
that the women and children were in
danger OF beng taken prisoners by an
other party of troops which Just then
made It's appearance below. The word
passed among the Indians like "A whirl-
new party. leaving the troops on the
hill From this hill TO the point where
the troops were seen below it was open
ground al the way with the exception Of
the small tributary / spoke OF before
As soon as we had finished this tighJ we
all went back 10 massacre the troops ON
the hill After slirmishing around
awhile we saw the walking soldiers COM
ing. These new troops making their APP
pearance was the saving OF the others.
The attack was made ON the camp
about noon. The troops, it appears.
were divided, one party charging right
into camp. We drove them across the
creek. When we attacked the other
party we swsrmed down on them and
drove them in confusion.
No prisoners we're taken. All were
killed. None were left alive, even for
few minutes. These troopers used very
few OF their cartridges. / took q gun and
a couple Of belts of two dead men Out
Of one belt two cartridges were got: out
OF the other, five. Ii was with the cap
tured ammunition and arms that we
fought the other body Of troops. II they
had all remained together they would
have hurt rs very bad. The party we
killed made five different stands. Once
we charged right in until we scattered
the whole Of them, fighting among them
hand to hand One band OF soldiers
were right ia the rear Of MS. When they
charged we fell back and stood for one
moment facing each other. Then the
Indians got courage and started for
them in a solid body. We went but a
little distance when we spread out and
encircled them. All the time i could see
their officers riding IN front and hear
them, shouting TO their men. II was in
this charge that most OF the Indians
were killed.
We lost 136 killed and 1G0 wounded.
We finished up this party right there in
the ravine.
General Sheridan is Of opinion that
Red Horse meant 10 say that l36
We're killed and 100 were wounded dur
ing the entire engagement, and not in
any one particular charge.
The troops up the river made the first
attack by skirmishing A little while af-
ter the fight commenced with the other
troops below the village. While the lat
ter fight was going on we posted some
Indians to prevent the other command
from forming a junction. Some Of the
young men took the clothing off the dead
and dressed themselves in it. There
were several men among them who had
citizen clothing. The then went up
4 1,4A, = 4 Al =