The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-03-02
Who Killed Gen, Custer 7
Rain-in-the-Face Declaring that
He did it, and that He
was Glad Of it.

The Milwaukee Sentinel received
the following dispatch from a spec
ial correspondent at Miles City, Mon
: tana:
~ witnessed an incident to-day
which brought to mind the events
of the campaign which was opened
against the Indians in Montana by
Gen. Terry on June q, 1876, and
which eliminated in the death oi
Gen. Custer and the annihilation oi
his band on the 25th. While the
command under Gen. Terry was at
the mouth of Rosebud River, in
June, 1876, it was decided, after a
consultation, that Gen. Custer should
move up the Rosebud until he came
into an Indian trail discovered by
Major Reno a few days previous
His instructions were to take with
him his entire regiment, and on
| striking the trail he was to leave
his scouts to follow it, it being sup
posed to lead to the Little Big Horn,
while with his engineers he should
make a detOur to the south, regu-
iating the distance SO as to reach
the Little Big Horn at the same
time and form a junction with Gen
Gibbon. This would also prevent
all Indians from slipping in between
him and the mountains. Gen. Gus
ter refused to take Gibbons cavalry
or battery of Gatling guns with
him, which he was urged to do, he
preferring to depend on his own
regiment After following the Rose
bud for twenty miles he found the
trail, and, instead of carrying out !
his instructions, he followed the |
trail until he came to the Little Big
Horn and found large Indian vii
lage. Taking five companies of 315 |
men and fifteen officers, he attempt |
ed to enter the village lower down,
while Major Reno, with three COM
panies, was to charge up the valley
from the point where the trail en-
tered the village. The result was
that Gen. Custer was OverpOwered
and his command annihilated, while
Major Reno was forced on to a side
hill' and beseiged by Indians until
he was relieved by Gen. Gibbons
troops. The Indians fed from the
valley on their approach, and it was
not until then that the fate of Gen
Custer was fully known. From that
day to this there has been a sort of
mystery hanging over the tragedy
of the Little Big Horn. Not man
Of Gen. Clusters band escaped to tell
the story of it's fate, and the histor-
ian had no other source from which
to fill the page than the horrible
imaginings which clustered around
the dead and mutilated bodies of
the gallant commander and his
troops
"While l was in the merchandise
ng house of Mr. J. J. Graham at
Fort Keogh, three Indian chiefs
Rain-in-the- Face, Two Roads, and
Spotted Eagle-who surrendered to
Gen. Miles last spring, came in as
was their custom, to converse with
Mr.. VIM. Courtenay, the chief clerk
and interpreter of the establish
nent. Mr.. Courtenay was reading
Life of Custer and in
the leaves Of the book one
If the Indians caught sight of his
)wn picture, which he Immediately
recognized They then took the
rolume from Mr.. Courtenay and
ound all their portraits, but exhib-
ted little emotion of pleasure or
otherwise until one of them turned
| page and the picture of Gen. Gus
er was revealed At this Rain-in- =,
he-Face became greatly excited,
going through with all the gyra-
ions Of the war dance, and giving
he Sioux war whoop at the top of
lis voice After he was through
With his wild demonstration, but
till exhibiting the greatest anger, 6
lie struck the picture with his hand, ,
nd with a demoniacal sneer on his
ace, said in the Sioux tongue:
"1 killed him. / made many
loles in him. He once took my lib
rty; took his life I
On being told by bystander that /
Tom Custer was still living, Rain-in- !
he-Face became very violent and
issed between his teeth: Your +
ongue is forked, which is the Sioux
gure for you lie. Continuing, he +
aid: .
Il visited his body after the bat :
le. | cut him open, and eat piece :
f his liver. | am glad l killed him.
1e was bad to my people. He a
ill many warriors. ," 8