The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
CUSTER'S FATE.
AN INDIAN CHIEFS ACCOUNT
OF THE MASSACRE.
Graphic Recital by Sioux Brave Of
the Horrible Scenes of SlauTh-
ter-The Bravery of Gus
ter and His Men.

The celebration of the tenth anniver-
sary of the Custer massacre by few OF
it.; survivors took place on the scene @!
, slaughter in Montana a short time ago.
The great Sioux Chief Gall went over
the field and described the manner in
which Clusters command was destroyed.
Gall is a fine-!ooking Indian, forty-six
years old. He was reticeat at first, but
finally told his story with dignity and
/ emotion. His acc unit of the massacre
contains many particulars not heletofor
given. He said:
"We saw soldiers early in the morning
crossing the divide. When Reno and
Custer Separated we watched then, until
they came down into the valley. The
CRY was raised that the white soldiers
were coming and orders were given for
the village to move. Reno swept down
so rapidly upon the upper end that the
Indians were forced to fight. Sitting
Bull and were at the point where Reno
attacked. Sitting Bull was the big med
icine man. The women and children
were hastily moved down the stream
where the Cheyennes were encanped.
The Sioux attacked Reno and the Chcy-
ennes Custer, and then all became mixed
up. The women and children caught
horses for the bucks To mount, and the
bucks mounted and charged back on
Reno, checked him and drove him into
the timber. The soldiers tied their
horses to trees, 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. Custer did not
reach the river, but was met about half
mile up the ravine now called Reno
Creek. They fought the soldiers ami beat
them back step by step until all were
killed."
One of Reno's officers confirms this,
saying: ''It was probably during the
interval of quiet on Reno's part that the
Indians massed on Custer and annihi-
lated him." Gall continued:
"The Indians ran out of ammunition
and then used arrows. They fired from
behind their horses. The soldiers got
their shells stuck in the guns and had to
throw them away. Then they fought
with pistols. The Indians were in
couples behind and in front of Custer as
he moved up the ridge, and were as many
as the grass Z. S,e plains. The first two
companies (Keogh's and Calhoun's) dis
mounted and fought on foot. They
never broke, but. retired STRIP. BY step
until forced back to the ridge, upon
which all finally died. They were shot
down in line where they stood. Ksogh's
company rallied and were all killed in a
bunch. This statement seems borne out
by facts, as thirty eight bodies of Keogh's
troopers were found piled in heap.) The
warriors directed special fire against
the troopers who held the horses, and as
soon as holder was killed, by waving
blankets and great shouting, the horses
were stampeded, which made it impossi-
tle for the soldiers to escape. Tie SOL
diers fought desperately and never sur
rendered. They fought standing along
in line on the right. AS fast as tie men
fell the horses were herded and driven
toward the squaws and old men, who
gathered them up. When Reno at
tempted to find Custer by throwing out
skirmish line, Custer and all who were
with him were dead. When the skir-
rnishers 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 hert
bad. then fought with Ratchet
(meaning mulitated the soldiers.} The
soldiers ran out of ammunition
early in the day. Their supplies of
cartridges were in the saddle pockets OF
their stampeded horses. When their
ammunition was gone the Indians killed
the soldiers with hatchcts; lot of horses
ran away and jumped into the river but
were caught by squaws. Only forty
three Indians were I'iled altogether, but
a great many wounded ones came across
the river, and died in the bushes. We
had Ogallalas, Mineconjous, Brule,
Teton, Uncarapa, Sioux, CheJennes,
Araphoes and Grosventres. When the
big dust came in the air down the liver
(meaning Terry and Gibbon), we struck
our lodges and went up creek coward
the White Mountains. The Big Horn
ranges were covered with snow. We
waited there four days, and ther went
over to the Wolf Mountains.
1t has been popularity supposed that
Custer entered the river, but such was
not the case.