The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-27
THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
TERRIBLE AFFAIR.
Story OF the Bloody Butchery as Told
By One Of the Indian
Chiefs.

ST. PAUL MIMI, June 90
tpecial to the Pioneer Press from Gus
ter Battlefield, Montana, describes the
celebration OF the tenth anniversary
OF the battle by a few Of It's survivors.
The gIeat Sioux chief, Gall, went over
the field and described the manner in
which Clusters demand was destroyed.
Gall is a fne-lookiug Indian, forty-six
years old, and weighing over 200
pounds. Reticent at first, finally he
told his story with dignity and ANNA
ton. I'VE saw soldiers" he faid,
''early In the morning, crossing the
divide, when Reno and Custer separ-
ated. We watched them until they
game down out OF the valley, The
cry was raised that the white soldiers
were coming, and orders were given
for the village 10 move. Immediately
Reno swept down 30 rapidly upon the
upper end that the Indians were
forced to fight. Sitting Bull and /
were at the point where Reno at
tackled. Sitting Bull was Big Medicine
man. The women and children
were hastily moved down the
stream where the Cheyenues
were encamped, The Sioux attacked
Reno and the Cheyennes Custer, and
then all became mixed up. The
women and children caught horses for
the bucks to mount. Then the bucks
mounted and charged back 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 Yves 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 q mile up the
ravine now called Reno creek. They
fought the soldiers and beat them
back, step by step, until all we're
killed. Zone OF Rene's officers con-
firms this, saying: at was probably
during this interval OF quiet on Reno's
part that the indians massed on Gus
Ter and snnihilated him."1 The Indi.
aus ran out OF ammunition and
then used arrows. They fired from
behiud their horses. The soldiers got
shells stuck In their guns and had to
throw them away. They then fought
with little guns (pistols). The In.
dams were in couples behind and In
front Of Custer, as he moved up the
ridge TO take position, and were just
az many as the grass. The hrtt two
companies (Keogh's and Calhoun'e)
dismounted and fought on foot. They
never broke, but retired, step by step,
until forced back 10 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 a bunch. (This
statement seems borne out by facts, a
thirty-eight bodies Of Keo4h's troops
were found piled in a heap The
warriors directed special fire against
the troopers who held the horses,
while others found rs soon as q
holder YVES killed that by waving
blankets and great shouting horses
were stampeded, which made II i'm
possible for the soldiers TO escape
afterwards. The soldiers fought des'
perately and hard and never surren-
dered. They fought standing. They
fought in line along the ridge. As
last as the men fell the horses were
herded and driven toward the squaws
and old men, who gathered them up.
When Reno attempted ~ find Custer
by throwing out a skiFmlsh line Custer
and ell with him were dead, When
the skirmishers reached the 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 the
Ratchet (which means, Of course, mu-
tilating 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,
The Indians then ran up to the SOL
diers and butchered them with hatch
| cts. A lot OF horses ran away and
jumped into the river, but were
| caught by squaws. Only forty.three
Indians were killed altogether, but a
| great many wounded ones came across
the river and died in the bushes. We
had the 0galAllas, Mineconjous, Brule,
Teton, Uncapapa, Sioux, Oheyennes,
Arapahoes and Gros Ventres. When
the big dust came in the air down the
river (meaning Terry and Gibbons),
we struck our lodges and went up a
creek toward the White Rain noun
tains. The Big Horn ranges were
covered with snow. We waited there
four days, and then went over the
| Vol mountains" II has been popu-
larly supposed that Custer entered the
| river, but such was not the case. There