The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
FIGHTING UNDER CUSTER.
An Indianian's Graphic Story of a Fight with
Indians, and How He Was MutiIated.

is visiting friends in West Thirteenth street,
this city. Mr.. Holly was a soldier in the
United States infantry, under Custer, ana
participated III many of the battles with the
Indians during his campaign of 1869, among
them the bloody fight with Black Kettles
band in the Big Horn valley. In this en-
gagement MIR. Holly was wounded and
scalped by the Indians, and is one OF the
very few persons who were ever scalped and
lived to tell of it. AS evidence of his sacri-
flee, he shows a round, bare, fat spot on the
top of his head, probably three inches in di-
ameter, where his scalp was cut and torn
away. Although fourteen years have passed
since he was scalped, the spot is still ex-
tremely tender. 1t is of a pale red color, and
IN very damp or cold weather is painful. MIR.
Holly gives a graphic and realistic descrip-
ton of the circumstance which led to the
mutilation, and his sensations while the In
dian was securing the trophy from his head.
I'VE had heard that Black Kettle was en-
camped somewhere in the Big Horn valley"
says Mr.. Holly, 'and was almost daily send
ing out predatory bands of his warriors to
plumber settlers and emigrant trains, and
General Custer decided to hunt him up and
punish him. The infantry was some two
miles in advance of the cavalry, when one
day, just at daylight, We came in sight of the
enemy's camp. We were on a high hill over
looking the valley, and the Indians were be-
low. 1t was in the depth of winter and the
snow was very deep. Their camp was in a
rocky spot, and as the women and children
were there it was evident that it was the
headquarters of the band. 1t was determined
to surprise the village, and a portion of our
ommand was sent through the woods to the
right to get in the rear of the camp, while
the remainder advanced quietly down the
mountain, from the top of which a good trail
led to the valley through the thick woods.
This maneuvering vas so successful that
before our presence was discovered by the
Indians we we're within 400 yards of the
camp, and the detachment sent to open fire
in the rear had arrived in position. We
knew by the yells of the Indians and the
great commotion among them that we were
discovered, and we at once began the attack.
Firing began on both sides of them at once,
and thus caused what at first promised to be
a panic among the Indians that would make
our victory an easy one, but suddenly an In
dian of unusual size, with his face streaked
with bright yellow and vermillion paint, in
cross bars, came dashlng from some place
among the rocks OH a black pony. His yell
could be heard above everything else as he
tore to and fro among his warriors, and the
effect of his presence at once became appar-
ent. In less than two minutes after our first
fire every Indian was in position behind
some rock or tree, and we knew that the
fight would be a desperate one. We were in
a secure position, but the Indians were just
as secure as we were, and the only way we
could hope to defeat them was to charge
upon their strongholds, dislodge them and
settle the fight hand to hand. We were
ordered to charge down the hill upon the
enemy, and, every man OF us yelling as
hideously as the red devils themselves, we
rushed right into the enemy's camp. AS
soon as we emerged from the woods we were
met with rihe-balls from every side, and a
good many poor fellows never reached
the camp. The detachment in the
rear of the camp came into the conflict from
that side, and we forced the Indians out from
| THAR hiAirr N1aOac IN fho nnop upo1 nd and
the battle waged right among their tents.
Black Kettle seemed to be everywhere, and
his hideous grsfspGaf rff6bqge Go p65eeiip f 9ereedah fdde
and the fight became free and general. The
indian women, and even the children. took
part IN 1t, and among the dead that soon
strewed the snow, squaws and papooSes were
mingled. In a few minutes the snow was
as red for rods around as paint on Black
Kettles face from the blood of dead and
rounded In a hand-to-hand fight like this.
OF course, it was every one for himself, and |
soon found myself in one edge of the camp,
nrlng ana bayoneting and clubbing my gun,
just as the situation required. A soldier
named Wilson, who had messed with me,
was Killed right by my side by an Indian
VINO fired from behind a tent. The next in.
slant a ball shattered my arm at the elbow.
ana 1t fell helpless at my side. immediately
following that shot a big Indian. no douht
the one who killed Wilson and wounded me
sprang from behind the tent and rushed at
me with his tomakawk raised. NV gun was
empty, and my left hand being useless
could not load. l think I could have run
my bayonet through the Indian. though. hui
an Indian woman stole up behind me and
throwing one arm about my neck, ierked me
back ward in the snow. the thickest mart nj
the fight was in another part OF the camp.
ana none OF our men were near me. excent
poor dead Wilson. The Indian seemed to be
the only one, too, that was not in the cen
6ral engagement PY0pDt n lnt 0F ~ ,,l
opposes that swarmed in tents from all di-
rections to the spot where | lay, the sauaw
VINO had thrown me holding me down bv
the hair, while other women and papooses
spit IN my lace, Jumped on my body. kicked
me, punched me, and tortured ME in every
way they could. My arm was very painful
and was bleeding profuselv. Fortunately,
the indian who had jumped from behind the
tent with his tomahawk drawn, gave the
and papooses too much time to have
their fun with me, thinking, perhaps. that
he had me sure. Suddenly | heard a shot, and
squaws fell dead in the snow by
side. One of our boys had discovered
situation. The papooses and souaws in
stantly scampered away, but the Indian was !
to run the risk of getting NV
scalp anyhow, and he bounced down on me A
With his knees on my chest, drew his knife.
and the next second, although it seemed
hours to me. the top of my head was in his
land and he was gone. -
Imagine some one who hates you with =
he utmost intensity grabbing a handful of b
your hair while you are lying PROSTATE and
and giving it a sudden jerk upward
With force enough almost to loosen the scalp;
hen, while this painful tension is not re- A
aAed, imagine the not particularlv.sharp
,iade OF a knife being run quickly in a cir
lie around your scalp with a saw-like mo-
ion. Then let your Imagination grasp, ii it =
an, the effect thata strong, quick Jerk on the -
uft OF hair to release the scalp from an Y y
particles that may still hold it in u
lace would have on your nervous and phys
systems, and you will have some idea
it feels TO be scalped. When that Indian
awed his knife around the ton of NV head