The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-16
THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
MOdOc Indian Participants Account Of the
Fight.
ChiCa go journal.

gentleman of Kenosha Wis. for many
years connected with the United States army,
and more recently Tin the fall of 1884 engaged in
trapping and shooting near Cottonwood Creek,
northern Wyoming. found an opportunity to
interview one of the Indians who participated
in the terrible fight in which General Custer and
his brave companions persisted. The interview
took place through an interpreter, in Sioux
tepee. and was few days ago reported in a
Kenosha newspaper-the Courier.
The Information received from the Modoc
warrior was freely given, and bore the semblance
of truth. In substance he said:
Sitting Bull was not their chief when General
Crook struck their trail and chased them across
the Rosebud river. but Raln-in-the Face, warm
friend of Sitting Bull was in command. After
crossing the Rosebud a council of chiefs was
held to decide whether they would fight General
Crook or run to the Big Horn mountains and
make stand. Some of the warriors wanted to
fight at once, and while the council was in ses-
sion a Sioux scout brought in word that General
Custer was advancing into the Big Horn country.
This intelligence naturally created ar excite
ment Rain -in-the Face made a great speech,
telling the chiefs that they were between their
white enemies Crook and Custer), and elo-
quently urging them to march across the country
as rapidly as possible, kill Custer and then turn
upon Crook.
After this "big talk" the Sioux warriors were
ready to go anywhere with Rain-in- the Face
who told them that Crook was a walk a. heap
and very bad man."
IF the above statement is true" adds the cor
respondent, lit is evident that Rain in the Face
although an unlettered savage, and scarcely
knowing the difference between parapet and a
Calling gun. had grasped the situation and with
the intuition of military genius had determined
to destroy his foes in detail, and that he went to
his task with the cunning of wolf and tho
ferocity of tiger. The necessary delay of
Crook, the rapid advance of Custer into the val
ley. and the division of his command almost
within sight of the battle ground aided the In
dams design, and when the blow came it was
crushing"
The warrior further stated, in answer to ques-
TONS that in the. fight with Clusters force a
party of about twelve soldiers shot their own
horses and fought behind them in a BUNCH"
that General Custer was one of that party, and
that they all fought like great soldiers, and
would not give up the struggle
In reply to the query whether General Custer
was the last white soldier killed the warrior said
that the smoke of the contest was so dense
when the Indians rode rapidly around the
''bunch" and finished their bloody work they
could not see whether Custer was then killed or
not. When asked how many Indians were killed
in the fight the warrior declined to answer The
interpreter said, in reference to this, that al
though ne had been with the Sioux several years
he could get no definite idea of the number of
warriors killed in the Custer battle that the In
dians are superstitious and do not like to speak
about their dead, but he thought their loss was
small, as the Indians "had the drop" and the
fight lasted only twenty minutes
The correspondent, referring to the censure
which was passed upon Major Reno for his part
in the unfortunate affair." defends the course of
that officer. and says: THAT Major Reno saved
any of his men, environed as he was by horde
of savages flushed by victory and eager for re-
venge. should rebound to his credit" Thus far
the correspondence.
At this late day no one will wish to disparage
the valor, the judgment and the military skill of
the lamented Custer That he should fall into
fatal ambush is mistake that no officer with
less bravery would be likely to make; but Custer
was daring and impulsive. 1t is said that Rey-
nolds, his scout, told him to '.go Slow" that the
valley was full of Indians, ard that they were in
the bush. The opportunity for a fight overruled
all other considerations, and the brave soldier
rode calamity to his death