The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-09-05

brush. Just as Reno's troops reached
the hill the Indians fell back the cause
for this move appeared in few moments
when Capt. Bentecn's battalion swung
around the hill and joined Reno.
Benteen had ridden hard but had been
too far to the left to find Indians. When
the firing commenced from Reno's skirm-
ish line, Benteen turned and rode hard
for the scene Of the fight and his arrival
was opportune for it gave Reno's troops
time to recover their consciousness and
to prepare for the coming struggle.
At this time the pack and escort train
were about mile away and courier
was sent to hurry it up. After a short
time they came in and preparations were
made to defend the point on which the
united troops were.
Just after Beteen's troops joined Reno
volleys of nusketry we're family heard
from down the river; all supposed the
firing to be from Clusters command but
none thought that it was being annihila-
ted.
There were but few Indians around
Benteen's and Reno's position while the
fight with Custer was going on and those
officers moved their commands nearly
half a mile, looking for better position
than they had, but finding none, went
back to the original position and putting
the horses and mules in a little hollow
formed the troops by companies around.
There were several points higher than
the camp and from 500 to 900 yards away.
The troops were specially placed to
guard against attacks from there. Major
Reno had the command but Captain
Benteen was in reality the guiding spirit
of the defense and put his own company
in the position most likely to have the
hardest fighting, which was, where ra-
vine, that would hold and hide large
number of men, came up to within 100
yards of the defense line.
1t was between two and three p. m
when the troops retreated to the hill and
about half past three, the Indians who
had been fighting Custer, came in masses
and a sheet of flame and smoke encircl-
ed the little camp. The soldiers fought
bravely and well and held the savages in
check Capt. Benteen's company suffer-
ed greatly; 80 many were killed and
wounded in it that company was taken
from another part of the line to help it
defend this most important point.
The wounded men were suffering great
ly for water and quite large force tried,
about half past four o'clock to get to the
river which was about one-third of a
mile away; but all the Sioux on that
side of the river gave there attention to
this party and it was forced to turn back.
At dark most of the Indians drew off and
parched tongues and aching heads and
wounds were soon received by plenty of
cool water.
From the testimony of soldiers and
scouts that were in the fight of this day
an estimate of 1000 for the Sioux war
riors engaged, would be moderate.
When Reno first left Custer, George
Herendeen and Charley Reynolds were
with ten of the Rec and two of the Crow
scouts. Bloody Knife the leader of the
Rees stopped on the way, as did all the
rest, and taking piece of root from his
pocket chewed it a moment and taking
the SALIVA acquired rubbed it on each In
dams breast, thereby making them, in
their own belief, bullet proof. Two of
the number had so much confidence in
this medicine, that when this party had
caught up with the command and were
near the Sioux, they rode at full speed
toward a large body of the hostiles, that
as the two came near, opened out the
sides like huge horse shoe which as
the Rees rode in came together as the
jaws of trap and shot them out from
sight and hearing forever.
The death of these caused the others
to lose faith in their medicine or charm
| and all but two of the Indian scouts dis
appeared. These two were both killed.
Bloody Knife was hit in the head by a
bullet while standing at the edge of the
wood and his brains were splattered over
Mai. or Reno; which incident probably
had great effect in demoralizing that
officer. The other was shot while in the
mad race for the hill.
Reno's troops had but little rest the
following night, for strong force had to
be kept out to guard against a night at
tack. Some Indians were seen but there
was no fighting until daylight of the 26th
when the enemy again came in force and
as the day before fred continuously from
long range. At about 2 o'clock p. m. the
firing ceased somewhat and by the
clouds of dust and glimpses of moving
bodies seen at the Indian camp 1t was
known thatsome movement was IN prog
rees. At about five o'clock in the after
noon, the Indians had all left from
around the troops. The air was little
hazy and looking down the river the be-
leagured saw mirage that appeared like
body of troops coming.
Since the commencement of the fight
not bugle had been sounded. Now a
call was ordered as q greeting to the
coming troops. When the sweet and
familiar taAes filled the air, all of the SOL
diers that could for crying, shouted.
TO BE CoNrINUED.)
| 4 ssGOOd'' Hand.