The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-06-30
The Custer Massacre.


The tenth anniversary OF the custer
massacre. which was observed at the
battlefield in Yellowstone county last
Friday by a few army officers and others
Ill. riyidIv 10 the minds of many the
history of that momentous encounter,
General James s. Brisbin has written
1otoiIod account in relation to the mas
Socro He believes that one Of Clusters
farco Crow Indian, escaped, and ne
rocites his story as follows:
"Tbe only man known to have escaped
from, the Custer massacre was Curly,
Crow indian. l knew Curly well, and
toIked 70 him about the battle. lie was
ono If the six Crow scouts detailed from
G,bbon's column to 60 with Mich Boyer
ord George Herenden to guide Custer.
Inst before the battle Custer sent hereh-
don UalC-Yellow Face and two other
Crow scouts with Reno. and TOOK MICH
Rover Curly and two Crows win MS
ou,r column. Hercnden, Halt ello"
Eoco and the two Crows with Reno
oscaned death, but Boyer and two OF
tho Crows with Custer were killed.
CnrIv was the only man who escaped,
ond will let him tell his own story
his were the only eyes Of all the hun
dreds in Clusters column that saw the
hattie and were not closed in DEATH
Curly said:
"i went down with the two other
Crows and went into action with Custer
The General kept down the river on the
north hank four miles after Reno had
crossed 70 the south side above. lie
tI,orobt Reno would drive down the
valley 50 that they could attack the vii
Iage on two sides he believing Keno
would take it at the upper end, while he
(Custer) would 90 in at the lower end
Custer had to 60 further down the river
and further away from Reno than he
wished on account of the steep bank
along the north side; but at last he FOUND
a ford and dashed for it. The Indians
met him and poured volley in heavy
fire across the narrow river Custer dis
mounted to fight on foot but could not
geC his skirmishers across the stream.
Meantime hundreds Of Indians on foot
and on ponies poured over the river,
which was only about three feet deep,
and filled the rayine on both sides OF
Clusters men. Custer then fell back to
some high ground behind him and seized
the rayines in his immediate vicinity.
The Indians completely surrounded Gus
ter and poured in a terrible fire on all
sides. They charged Custer on foot Ill
vast numbers. but were again and again
driven back. The fight began about two
o'clock and lasted until the sun went
down oyer the hills. The men fought
desperately, and after the ammunition
III their belts was exhausted, went to
their saddle bags, got more and contin-
ued the fight. The Big Chief Custer
lived until nearly all his men had been
killed or wounded, and went about en-
couraging his soldiers to figth on. Custer
got shot here lin his left side and sat
down with his revolver in his hand.
Another shot struck him and he fell
over. The last officer killed was man
who rode a white horse (Lieut. Cook !
When | saw Custer hopelesslY surround
ed, l watched my opportunity, got a
Sioux blanket, put it on and walked up |
a rayine, and when the Sioux charged | |
got among them and they did not know |
me from any of their own men. There |
were some mounted Sioux, and seeing |
one fall ran to him, caught his pony, |
mounted it and galloped down as ifgoing |
toward the white men, but turned up |
little ravine and got away. As | rode of |
I saw, when nearly a mile from the bat
s3oqol,l, a. dozen Or moro ooldioro in
ravine fighting with Sioux all around
them. think they were all killed, as
they were outnumbered five to one and
all dismounted. l saw one
cavalry soldier who had got away. He
was well mounted, but shot i'll both hips.
| think he starved to death in the Bad
Lands, or more likely his trail was fol-
owed and he was killed by the Sioux
such was the story of the great battle.
"This, probably, is the most we shall
,ver know of Clusters battle. 1t is
enough. Curly was apparently truth
ul Indian and told his story in a
manner. The records
how that he was with Custer, and all
lie says is likely correct. So let it rest"