Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-07-02

close as to touch with his 'coup-stlck+
the dead body of soldier lying with
in the trenches. When we consider
that a s'coup-stick' is only 10 OF y
feet long, we may form some idea Of
the desperate fighting of the savages.
The soldiers repulsed this desperate
charge, and Colonel Benteen, taking
advantage Of the moment, sprang
the trenches with bis men and making
a counter charge completely routed
the Indians. The work was not yet,
however, over, for the Indians charged
again and came close enough to fire
their arrows among the soldiers on
the line held by companies D and K.
This charge was met also by a coun-
ter charge and the Indians routed.
Colonel Reno now had his wounded
attended to, and as many of the men
had been without water from 6 clock
the previous evening until now, about
10 a. H., sixteen hours, it was impor-
tant~that water should be obtained
The night and day had both been
very hot, and the tongues Of the
wounded as we'll as the soldiers in the
line of battle were swollen and in
famed from thirst Many Of the men
had eaten cactus TO asuage their thirst,
but this had only seemed to increase
it, as well as parched and cracked
their lips. The Indians still held the
water line on the river, and a slir-
mish line was formed under Colonel
Benteen to drive back the Indians and
protect volunteer body of men who
had offered to down the hill and get
water for their furnishing comrades.
Covered with canteens they succeeded
in reaching the river and filing them,
although several were hit and badly
wounded in doing SO.
RETREAT OF THE INDIANS
It was now evident the fury of the
attack was over, and to the great re
lief OF Reno and his men the Indians
were seen going back in parties Of
from fifty to q hundred toward the
village Many believed they were
merely going to get something to eat
and more ammunition, but the older
and more experienced Indian fighters
knew that the Indians were whipped,
as some Of them had been seen throw
ing away their guns and bows and az
rows. Reno took advantage Of the lull
in the battle to fill up all the vessels
in camp and soon had a sufficient sup
ply on hand to last for a full day
should The battle berenewed. But the
Indians continued to withdraw, and
all firing soon ceased except an occa-
sional shot from some sharpshooter
who fingered on a hill top at a safe
distance.
About 2 p m., the grass on the river
bottom was observed to be on fire.
and the Indians were seen to be firing
the whole country. The older Indian
fighters said it was done to conceal
their movements and cover their
withdrawal, and such latter proved to
be the case. Under the dense clouds
of smoke which rose from the valley
they pulled down their tepes, packed
them up and prepared to move their
village.
It was about 7 o'clock in the even
ing, when the village came out from
behind the dense cluds Of smoke and
dust, and moved up the Little Big
Horn on the opposite side of the river
Reno and his men had a good view of
the savages as they fled away in the
direction Of the Big Horn Mountains,
moving in almost perfect military or
der. Reno says: ''The length Of the
Indian column was fully equal to that
of the division of cavalry in the Army
of the Potomac" where he had served
during the late war for long time.
THE APPROACH OF TERRY
As soon as the Indians were gone,
Reno's first thought was of his wound
ed, and then of Custer, of whom moth
ing had been heard since the day be-
fore. Where could he be, and what
was he doing? No one for q moment
believed Custer had been massacred,
yet his absence was unexplainable,
and no one could even guess what
had become Of him. Reno believed
that the Indians had got between him
and Custer and driven Custer down
the river toward the mouth of the
Little Big Horn, where he had joined
Terry and Gibbon, who were known
to be coming up the Little Big Horn.
The awful fate which had befallen
Custer did not occur to Reno or any
of his people as within the range of
possibility.
When the Indians all left Reno's
front it was near nlghtfall; the men
We're exhausted by long fighting, and
he was hampered by large number
of wounded, He determined, and
wisely, not to attempt any movement
until morning. During the night