Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-02
THE CUSTER MASSACRE,

Brave Troops Were Hemmed
In on all Sides and
Slaughtered.
ST. PAUL, June ga special to
the Pioneer Press from the Custer
battlefield, Montana, describes the
celebration of the tenth anniversary
Of the battle by few of its survivors.
The great Sioux Chief Gall went over
the field and described the manner
In which Clusters command was de-
stroyed. Gall is a fine looking In
dian, 46 years old, and weighing over
2O0 pounds. lie was reticent at first,
but finally he told his story with dig
nifty and animation:
eve saw the soldiers early in the
morning crossing the divide. When
Reno and Custer separated we watch
ed them until they came down into
the valley. The cry was raised while
the soldiers were coming and orders
given for the village to move imme-
diately. Reno swept down so rapid
ly upon the upper end that the In
dians were forced 10 fight. Sitting
Bull and l were at the point where
Reno attacked. The women and
children were hastily moved down
stream where the Cheyennes were
encamped. The Siouxs attacked Re-
no and the Cheyennes Custer, and
then all became mixed up. The wo-
men and children caught the horses
for the bucks to mount, and then the
bucks mounted and charged on Reno,
checked him and drove him into the
timber. The soldiers tied their
horses TO the trees and came out and
fought on foot, as soon as Reno was
beaten and driven back across the
river, but was met half mile up the
ravine now called Reno Greek. They
fought the soldiers and beat them
back step by step until all were killed.
Gone 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 J The Indians ran
out of ammunition and then used ar
rows. They fired from behind their
horses. The soldiers got shells stick
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 fake a
position, and were just as many as
The grass. The first two companies,
Keogh's and Callahan's, dismounted
and fought on foot. They never
broke, but retired step by step, until
forced back to the ridge, where they
all finally perished. They were shot
down i'll line where they stood. Kc-
ogh's Company, rallied by Company
A, were all killed in bunch. (rhis
statement seems borne out by facts, as
thirty-eight bodies of Keogh's troop
were found piled in heap.) The
warriors directed special fire against
troops who held horses while others
fought. AS soon as the holder was
killed by waving blankets and great
shouting the horses were stampeded
which made it impossible for tile SOL
diers 10 escape. Afterward the SOL
diers fought desperately and never
surrendered. They fought standing.
They fought in line along ridge.
AS fast as the men fell horses were
herded and driven toward the squaws
and old men, who gathered them up
When Reno attempted 10 find Custer
by throwing out skirmish line, Gus
ter and all with him we've dead.
When the skirmishers reached the
high point overlooking Clusters field,
the Indians were found galloping
around and over the wounded, dying
and dead popping bullets and arrows
into them. When Reno made his at
tack at the upper end, he killed my
two squaws and three children, which
made my heart feel bad. They fought
with the Ratchet, (Which means of
course mutilating soldiers). The SOL
dlers ran out of ammunition early IN
the day. Their supply of cartridges
were in the saddle pockets of their
stampeded horses. The Indians then
ran up to the soldiers and butchered
them with hatchets. A lot of horses
ran away and jumped into the river,
but were caught by squaws. Only
forty-three Indians were killed alto
gether, but a great many wounded.
One came across the river and died
in the bushes. We had Ogallallas,
Mineconjons, Brute, Teton, Uncapa-
pas, Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes
and Gros Ventres. When the big
dust came in the air down the river
(meaning Terry and Gibbon) we
struck our lodge and went up a creek
around White River Mountains. The
Big Horn ranges were covered with
snow. We waited there four days
and then went over to Woj Mount |
aims" 1t has been popularity suppos-
ed that Custer entered the river but
such was not the case. There were
no ceremonies or exercises gone |
through with.