The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-07-23

mount; then bucks mounted and charg-
cd back on Reno, checked him, and
drove him into the timber. The soldiers
tied their horses to trees, and came out
and fought on foot. AS soon as Reno
was beaten and driven back across the
river, the whole force turned on Custer
and fought him until they destroyed
him.
Cluster did not reach the river, but
was met about half II mile up the ra-
vine, now called Reno's Creek. They
fought the soldiers, and beat them back
step by step until all were killed. One
of Reno's officers confirms this saying:
1T was probably during this interval OF
quiet on Reno's part that the Indians
massed on Custer and annihIlated
him. The Indians ran out of ammuni-
ton and then used arrows They fired
from behind their horses. The soldiers
got shells stuck in their guns and had
to throw them away. They then fought
with little guns (pistols). The Indians
were in couples behind and in front of
Custer as he moved up the ridge-to take
his position, and were just as many as
the grass. First two companies, Keogh's
and Calhoun's, dismounted and fought
on foot. They never broke, but retired
step by step until forced back to the ridge
upon which all finally persisted. They
were shot down in line where they
stood. Keogh's company rallied by
company and were all Killed in bunch.
(This statement seems borne out by
facts, as thirty-eight bodies of Keogh's
troops were found piled in a heap.)
''Tke warriors directed special fire
against trooper who held the horses
while the others fought AS soon as the
holder was killed, by waving blankets
and great shooting the horses were
stampeded, which made it impossible
for the soldiers to escape afterward.
The soldiers fought desperately, and
hard, and never surrendered. They
fought standing; they fought in line
along the ridge. AS fast as men fell,
horses were herded and driven toward
squaws and old men, who gathered
them up. When Reno attempted to find
Custer by throwing out a skirmish line,
Custer and all with him were dead. When
the skirmishers reached high point
overlooking Clusters field, the Indians
were galloping around and over the
wounded, dying, and dead, popping
bullets and arrows into them. When
Reno made his attack at the upper
end he killed my two squaws and three
children, which made my heart bad. !
then fought with Ratchet (Which
means, of course, mutilating the SOL
diers). The soldiers ran out of ammu-
milton early in the day. Their supplies
of cartridges were in the saddle pockets
of their stampeded horses. The Indians
then ran to the soldiers and butchered
them with hatchets A lot of the horses
ran away and jumped into the river,
but were caught by the squaws.
''Only forty-three Indians were killed
altogether, but great many of the
wounded ones came across the river
and died in the bushes. We mad Ogal-
lallas. Mineconjous, Brule, Teton, and
Uncapapa Sioux, Cheyennes, Arrapa-
hoes, and Grosventres. When the big
dust came in the air down the river
(meaning Terry and Gibbon) we struck
our lodges, and went up creek toward
the Whitehall Mountains. The Big
Horn ranges were covered with snow.
We waited there four days, and then
went over to the Woj Mountains"
1t has been popularity supposed that
Custer entered the river, but such was
not the case.