The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-04
HOW GEN. CUSTER DIED.
TALK BET wEEN AN OLD soLDIEE
AND s1rTITI aULL.
Rain.in -tho-FRce's claim TO be
CASTERS slayer DisprO el-Eho
Battle on the Little Zig Horn.

living white man who was a witness of
that scene. The Indians who did the
deed, and especially Sitting Bull, who
commanded them. have always been very
reticent about the matter, and their side
of the story has never been fully told
until now. Important and most interest
csting evidence has come into Record
report ers hands.
Before presenting this new story, it
will be necessary to recitc the circum'
stan ccs leading up to the fight in which
Gus ter lost his life. 1t will be remem-
bered that in the spring of 1876 the Sioux
tribe of Indians, whose reservation was
in Dakota, and who sometimes wandered
into Montana and the British Northwest,
had become aggressive, and that fire.
quent charges had been made against
them of murder and theft. They finally
burst away from the control of the
agents. The aid of the war depart
ment was invoked. The Seventh United
States cavalry, of wich General Custer
was the commander. in response to
orders, quickly took the field and started
in pursuit of the renegade" Sioux.
After hard march, following the
trail made by the Indians, scouts brought
was only short stance in advance,
and it was further learned that the camp
of the redskins which was a very large
one, extended along the Little Big Horn
creek or river, fan atlluent Of the Big
Horn, for some four or five miles.
Clusters plan of attack was to divide his
force, the second portion being under
command of Major Reno, and to strike
the Indians at both ends of their camp
simultaneously. On the morning Of
June 25th, all arrangements having been
made, Custer with his men filed of to
the right, or down the stream, while
Reno went to the left. The latter was
the first to arrive at the objective point,
and Immediately charged across the
stream and began the attack. A stout
resistance was met with from the Sioux,
and, after being surrounded in the tim
Der and forced to dismount his men,
Reno saw that he was greatly outnum-
! bercd and that his only chance of safety
was in regaining the bluffs across the
creek from whence he had come At
the command the men sprang into their
saddles and made the charge. They
did not arrive at place Of safety with
! out considerable loss. Here they in
! trenched their position as we'll as posi-
! bic and fought the Indians all that night
and the next day, until General Terry
came up with his expedition and relieved
them. Soon after Rcno's men had be-
come engaged on the first day Custer got
into position and made his attack, as
was arranged. lie was more unfortu-
nate, however, than Reno, for the In
/ dians, swarming around him, over
whelmed his command, completely put
ting to the sword all his detachment TO
the last man. Not single one escaped
to tell the tale.
Last week, when Record reporter
went out to Beacon park TO visit Buffalo
Bills Wild West show he was accom-
panied by John Ryan, well and favorably
, known as police officer in the service
of the city of Newton. Ryan has had a
most remarkable military career. lie
was n gallant soldier of the late war, hav-
ing served & term of four years in the
Twenty eighth Massachusetts, Regiment,
during which he was repeatedly and SC
vercly wounded When the war closed
his military ardor was not by any means
cooled, and he enlisted in the Seventh
Regular Cavalry, General Clusters regi-
ment. He served two terms of five years
each with that commander, and was in
all the expeditions, and in all the Indian
fights in which Custer and his regiment
were engaged Ryan was an active and
gallant participant. In the final battle
with Sitting Bull he bore the rank oil
orderly sergeant in Captain Frenche's
company, and was in the detachment
of the regiment under the command OF
Reno. Or course, in all these campaigns
he came to know nearly all the promi-
nent scouts and frontiersman, and he and
Buffalo Bill are old friends, having been
on many scout together. When Ryan
learned that his old enemy, Sitting Bull,
was in town, it was very natural that he
should desire to talk with that rcdoubt
able warrior, and the Record reporter ar
ranged meeting between them.
The meeting took place in the tent Of
Buffalo Bill, who introduced Sitting Bul
to Sergeant Ryan and the reporter, and
, summoning an interpreter, said that il
the old chief could be got to talk hi
should be very glad to hear the "pow
wow" At first Sitting Bull showed NJ
disposition to talk. But presently Ser
geant Ryan drew from his pocket blood
Despatched cavalry guidon and asked
Sitting Bull whether he had ever seen q
flag like that before.
The Indian showed a sudden awaken
ing of interest.
yes" he said.
"When was iii" asked Sergeant Ryan
"When we had the fight and killed
Clusters men," said Sitting Bull, through
, the Interpreter, 1--WE got number o
! them. Where did You get itl"
, ION the second day of the fight, an
/ swered Ryan, IL saw an Indian riding
and down in front Of our lines display
) ing this flag. Another man and myself
/, who had long range rifles, fired at hin
repeatedly, and finally dropped him OF
his horse. When night came on crawlet
out and brought the flag in
Sitting Bull then said:
con the first days fight do you rccol
lect an Indian mounted on black hors
who was armed with 'camp-stick (al
) Indian lance, and was cheering and urg
ING on his menu