The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-22

miles, when We came TO the top. The scouts under
Lieuierauts Varnum ana Hare. then pushed on ahead
al iopc and the cont and followed at a trot. was
with the scouts, and we kept Gown creek which led
toward the Little Horn. When We got near tho
mouth of the lodge standing on THO
bank We rode ur on h'li SO as
nx VA. and From me ana o.
| we looked ahead down the Little Big
Horn aud saw heavy cloud OF dust ana
some stock apparently running We could see be-
yond the stream lew Indians on the hills riding very
fast, and seemingly running away. | said. the In
or We would not catch them. Lieutenant Hare wrote
note TO Custer, but do not know what he reported
indians getting away. Custer was near hand.
and was riding at fast trot.
MASS Lodge.
Tho scouts charged down on The abandoned lodgo,
cut II open, ana found IN II dead Indian. Custer
came up wniie We were at the lodge, Colonel Reno
having the advance. | heard Custer say 10 Keno,
''Reno, lake The scouts, lead out, and viii be with
you Reno started AZ gallop. hnd as ho rode called
OUT, Keep your I'll IN hand" Ny horse Tell,
ana for few moments was delayed, but caught up
with Keno at The ford. As We were crossing heard
The Crow scouts cali out ono another ''The
are coming up 10 meet us, and, understanding their
Language, called 10 Reno, "fne Sioux are coming"
Reno waited few moments uni. tue COMMAND closed
up, then crossed the Little Big Horn ana ioined IN line
OF battle ON the PRAIRIE just outside some timber The
formation was made without hating, ana the line.
kept on moving, hrst AL trot and thcn at gaiIop
.e THE INDIANS HOLD THEIR FIRE.
We could see large body OF Indians just ahead OF
us and apparently waiting for us We advanced prob
ABLY naii miie the Indians setting hreto some tim
Der our rigEt aud ia our front lew Indians wero
IN tlInDer ana We ureu Oh then, wore
returned
THE SLAUGHTER BEGINS.
Very soon we dismounted, anu The soluiers formed
skrmish line, iacins tue his The iinr extended 10
the lett ann front, anu firing almost immeoiueiy be-
gan, the ndans being the foot h,lis OF tue little
valley. la suor time The firing became quite heavy,
the Indians moving 10 The iclL and WORKING TO our
Tho horses were now led INTO the timber on our
right ana rear, anu soldiers fell back 10
among Inc bushes aud small trees There was tlc
PARK meadow just witbin the TIMBER, anu on this
tho com ma nd formed and mounted was one of he
In ms In gel % al
OF The bushes to- hfe at some INDIANS VINO
wcrc coming INTO The timber GA our lett and
mand, Which / ioaud mouosea and sitting
in line oil battle IN tho park open space among the
then received volsy rom the bushes Bloody
KNIFE was just IN my front NJ the time, and Reno on
NY Jeff. Iuc yoiley Siiied Bloody Kniie aud one sol
der. heard thc soldicr call Out us he fell, Uh my
God lave got IL" ND
RENo's onASGE or MIND AND PRECIPITATION.
Reno gave the order 10 disinount, ana ~ most inme
dlaeiy gave the order 10 mount again. The soldiers
were NOT all on horseback when Keno started out Of
The timber toward the prairie, the men following HIM.
The scattered getting OF he WOODS best they
could They ran qaarter.ng toward the Little Big Horn
mad started out OF the timber wncn. tho command
DID, about half OF IL being ancad OF and the other
hall IN my rear. There WAS such cloud oil dust 10
one coud see where lie was going Just as got out on
tho edge oil the prairie my horse elI, Throwing me OF
and running away. ran back TO The timber about
$50 yards and took cover among The bushes Just as
! turned back heard some officer call out:-"Halt
mem halt let Us tight lhem!'
SURROUNDED
the timber the Indians closed down upon thcm some
ahead, some alongside and SOME 10 the rear OF thcn
When went back 10 the timber, alter my norsc
threw me- just rs l reached the cover met Lieu
tenant Deliudio aud stopped 10 talk TO him. AS we
spoge together about aozen soldiers, somc on loot
aud some OH HORSEBACK, camc along and called 70
them 10 some into the timber and We could stand The
Indians on The soldiers joined us at once and We
concealed ourselves. Tying the horses 10 the trees.
NOISE OF cUsrER's
just rs we got sc;Lcd down nring below us opened
up ana knew Custer engaged. The Indians
IN
considerable numbers al iul speed. The Dring down
the valley was very heav.. There were about niue
voieys at intervals and the intermediate firing
quite rapid The heavy hring lasted from three
quarters OF an hour 10 an hour aud thcu il died away
ESCAPING FROM HIDING.
said 10 the men VINO were with me, "Boys VIC had
better get out OF his" told them that the fight
below had stopped and II was guess now had gone,
but thought likely in favor OF the Indians and We
had better get away before they came back up the
valley. started out and the men followed me- We
only i've indians between ourselves and Major
Reno. We could See Reno's troops on hill about
mile distant, where ihcy nad hated. IL was i've
O'Clock whvn Joined Reno.
SECOND ATTACK OK RENO
When wo baa got Out Of tho timber we could see the
Indians coming up rhc valley in large numbers.
As came up Inc hill Reno started down the way
Custer went, but did not 90 more than a thrd OF
mile before The indians met nim and grove HIM back
10 his Old stand on the NIL. Tho Indians attacked
Reno with great Jury ana fought HIM until dara.
On me fotiowlns day, The 10Th OF June, The fight
four O'Clock 7. N. The men had no water and SUI
Tered greatly. As many as seven men were nit while
Trying 10 bct wafer.
RESCUE.
l think Captua Bcntecn saved Inc hSht on the hill
None Of Us knew with ccrtaiLty what mad Decomc Of
Genera Custer III tai General Terry came up with Gib-
bon's command on the morning OIL tne 27th oil June.
WILL RENO ANSWER TAsY
The number oil lnians that atacned RcnO's
mand in lbc HAT the 10Th OF June couiu not have
exceeded 200 warriors. 10 not think any ono had
kilcd 10 the time wAea he rrtreaLcd INTO the
TIMBER and only hau been killed ut tho time
wncn he broke Tor the bluffs.
NEITHER MIN NOR HORSES TIRED.
hnt4a NfnT lr.u ffIn Al m "a n IN
ana sleepy Jus mas Decu represenedl When VIC arrived
al The balIlo Ield The animals were iresn and
Custer led well ted and cheer set oI men
10 battle. Everybody thought the Lndians wero
and tins ony lear Was that they would escape before
could strike them.
ris CHANGING TIDE OF BATTLE.
do not tiiink Custcr's night iustcd very long Ger
fanny II was all over less than two hours but ut
one Time irpg wax ncavy We Thought custer
doubt as 10 the resulL OF the battle Tor they
nenced TO take down the lodyea and pack up The VII
lage us IL Tor ilignL
MARCHES BEFORE FIGHT.
The distance from tho mouth oil the Rosebud, where
Custer slartca ou, to the battle Held at the mouth Of
miies. ihlnk The nrst day marched twcive miles,
Inc second thirty miles, tue tnird day tnIry
three miles, ana the ourh and last day TWEEN -nvc
10 twcutyeght MICS We started at noon on the I'D
OF june did not rcacn the battle held un ABOUT
On the 25(h OF june All about Custer
running his inch and horses until they
by The time lucy arrived on the Dattlc fled are un
qualliicdly false. ncavy rnck TAIN Kept up with
Tho movements OF Custer throughout the marcn,
far couid judge, were deliberate aud solsiorly
the extreme. GEORGE b. HERENDEEN.
CUSrEh'o COMRADES