Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-10
Clusters Massacre.

estlDg article on the incidents sur
rounding the death of Custer. The
article is too long 70 be republished in
its entirety, but the following extracts
from it will be OF interest:
Nine years ago last June occurred
on the Little Big Horn River. in
Montana, near the present site of Fort
Custer, the complete humiliation Of
Lieut., Col. George A Custer, 7,b U.
5. Cavalry, and i've troops Of his reg
iment. Very little is known of the
happenings of that dreadful June day,
since every soldier, citizen and team
ster who marched into the Valley of
the Little Big Horn with the intrepid
cavalry leader persisted CA the field
with him. There is however, single
survivor, Crow scout named Curley
who saved himself by donnine Sioux
blanket hastily snatched from dead
warrior and escaping amid the cons
fusion to the Wolf Mountains. Cur
ley has often been questioned by the
writer as the exact manner in which
so many soldiers were killed without
one being left alive, but the poor fell
lows mind seems to become unhal~
anced when the subjtc of the fight is
preached, and he wanders off inform
coherencles foreign TO the subject.
About his own escape he talks intelli>
gibly enough. He says he darted up :
a ravlne apparently in pursuit of a
party of fleeing soldiers, and when at
a safe distance paused on a ridge and
saw the Sioux massacre every blue
coat. When the soldiers were all
killed, Curley continued his flight,
and afterward joined Gen. Terry's
command at the Junction OF the Little
and Big Horn rivers Tae writer has
talked with Sitting Bull, Rain in the
Face (the most desperated and blood
thirsty Indian Ia the whole north
wesD, Iron Horn and a number of
other famous backs, besides the sauaws
and other Indian women who undeni.
ably did the mutilating and scalping.
but one and all of them seem TO shun
the subject and will tell nothing about
it.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION. 4
The only reliable information is to
De had froRa an actual inspection of
the held, close conversation with the
officers present, with Reno on the hill.
what can be gathered from Curlev's
narrative, and the notes of the New d
York Herald correspondent, Kellogg.
who was killed with Custer, bat who
kept an accurate account of the
marches and occurrences up to the
night of June "a, the eve of the fight.
Ii Sitting Bull had only been aware
OF his power, be could, without the
slightest difficulty, after finishing
Custer, have turned his attention to
Reno and kept at him until the latter
was overpowered by numbers. then
attacked and annihilated Benteen's
three companies, then used up Nc
Douglas one company which was
guarding the pack train, and finally
wiped out Gen. Terry's whole outfit,
which numbered less than Clusters,
and which was camped few miles
below at the forks Of the Little and
Big Horn Rivers. Sitting Bull and
Crazy Horse were both at the Battle
of the Little Big Horn, and Sitting
Bull has been credited with an inn
portance in that affair which really
does not belong to him. His own d.
rect following was comparatively
small, numbering not more than forty
lodges all told Rain-in~the<face was
undoubtedly the leader Of the hostiles,
and he was ably backed up by Grow
King, Gall, Grow Eagle, Low Dog and
numerous other doughty chieftains
and head men. Of this latter class
was the Bull family. father and son,
Jumping Bull and Sitting Bull, who
has never accepted the reservation
system, would not recognize tbs auth
GRITTY of the government, and insisted
upon remaining wild and perfectly
free from control. They were head
men or medicine men, and not chiefs.
The valley of the creek was follow
ed toward the Little Big Horn, Custer
on the right of the creek, Rene Oh the
left Of it, Banteen off still further to
the left aud not In sight About IL
o'clock Custer motioned to Reno to
cross over and come to him, when
their last conversation was held priol
to charging the village. At 1890
the report was brought back by the
scouts that the village was oniv two
miles ahead and running away. Reno
was now directed to recross his COM
mand, to move forward as rapidly as
Outstanding Custer would follow him
up and support him"
THE LAST SEEN OF CUSTER
This was the last seen of Custer
and his five companions until found
on the morning of the 9th lying on
the hillside dead, with his officers and
men dead around him. After receiv~
ing his final orders, Reno moved at
fast trot for about two miles, when
they came to the river. and saw lying
before the opposite valley, the largest
Indian village ever gathered together
on the North American Continent.
One of the officers with Reno says the
village stretched up aad down stream
for defiance of three miles, and for
at least q mile and half back to the
bluffs, and msst have contained not
less than 5000 shooting men. The
actual number of people in the village