Connecticut western news., 1886-07-07
THE NEWS OF ADAY,
Interesting Notes from all
 Sections of the World.
WHAT IS GOING ON AT HOME AND
 ABROAD.
Con. Custer and His Men Fought to the
 Last-An Indians Story.

CUSTER BATTLEFIELD, Mon., June 26-The celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Gus ter Massacre by few of the survivors of the battle took place. The great Sioux Chief Gall went over the field and described the manner in which Clusters command was destroyed Gall IS 8 fine-looking Indien, forty-six years old, weighing over two hundred pounds. He was reticent at first, but finally told his story with dignity and emotion. He said:
 "We saw soldiers early in the morning crossing the divide. When Reno and Custer separated we watched them 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 ct the point where Reno at tackled. Sitting Bull was the big medicine man. The women and children were hastily moved down the stream where the Cheyennes were encamped. The Sioux attacked Reno and the Cheyennes Custer, and then all be came mixed up. The women and children caught horses for the bucks to mount and the 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 up the ravine nowlealled Reno Creek. They fought tho soldiers and 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 annihilated him."
 Gall continued: s'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 tbem away. Then they fought with little guns Cpistols). The Indians were in couples behind and in front of Custer as he moved up the ridge, and were as many as the grass on the plains. The first two companies, (Keogh's and Calhoun's) dismounted and fought on foot. They never broke, but re- tired step by step until forced back to the ridge, upon which they all finally died. They were shot down in line where they stood, keogh's company rallied and were all killed in bunch. (This statement seems borne out by facts, as thirty-eight bodies of Keoghs 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 impossible for the soldiers to escape. The soldiers fought desperately and hard, and never surrendered, They fought standing along in line on the right. AS fast as the men fell the horses were herded and driven toward tke squaws and old men, who gathered them up. When Reno attempted to find Custer by throwing out skirmish line, Custer and all who were with him were dead. When the skirmishers reached 8 high point overlooking Custer's 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 hatchet (meaning mutilated 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 hatchets. A lot of horses ran away and jumped into the river, buS were caught by squaws. Only forty three Indians were killed altogether, but 8 great many wounded ones came across the river and died in the bushes. We had Ogal- lalas, Nneconjous, lBrule, Teton and Unca- papa, Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes and Gros- ventres. When the big dust came in the air down the river (meaning Terry and Gibson), we struck our lodges and went up a creek to- ward the White Mountains. The Big Horn ranges were covered with snow. We waited there four days aud then went over to the Wolf Mountains"