New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-30
THE CUSTER MASSACRE
Standing on the Battle Field, the Lead-
er of the Attacking Sioux Corrects.
Historical Errors.
"A Flood of Light on the Conduct of
Keno-How Cnster's Men Fought
Bravely Till the Last Fell.
GALL DESCRIBES TEE. MAssNc,Rs.

GALL DESCRIBES THE MASSACRE:
CUSTER Battlefield, Mont, Special Tele-
gram, June 25.-The tenth anniversary OF
the dark and bloody tragedy which will be a
gloomy page in American history was to-
day appropriately celebrated by a few sur
vivors of that dreadful June day. Early in
the Gay the great Sioux chief, Gall. went
over the entire field and described in an in
telligent and straightforward manner the
exact manner in which the Custer command
was destroyed. Curlev, the Crow scout who
Was in reality the only survivor of all who
marched into the valley OF the Little Big
Horn with Custer, was also present, but Gail
turned his back on Curley and said she ran
away too soon in the fight. Gall is power
full, fine looking specimen of the red race, for
ty-six years old and weighs over 200 pounds
He first appeared reticent and was inclined
to act sulen but when he stood on the spot
which saw the last fight OF Custer on earth
his dark eyes lighted with fire, he became
earnestly communicative and he told all he
knew without restraint His dignitied coun-
tenance spoke truthfulness and there is lit
tie doubt that the true history Of that dread
full day is at last made known
AS GALL TOLD IT.
Calls narrative was as follows:
We the soldiers early in the morning
crossing the divide. When Reno and Custer
separated, we watched them until they came
down into the valley. A cry was raised that the
white men soldiers were coming, and orders were
given for the village to move Immediately. Reno
swept down so rapidly on the upper end that the
Indians were forced to fight. Sitting Bull ald l
at the point where Reno attacked. Sitting
Bull was big medicine man. The women and
children were hastily moved down stream where
the Cheyennes We're camped The Sioux at
tackled Reno and the Cheyennes Custer and
then all became mixed up. The women and
children caught the 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
trees and came out and fought on loot AS soon 4
as Reno was beaten and driven back across the
river, the whole force turned upon Custer and
fought him until they destroyed him. Custer
did not reach the river, but was met about half
: mile up ravine, now called Re 0 creek. They
fought the soldiers and beat them back step by
STEP
UNTIL ALL WERE KILLED.
Zone OF Renos officers confirms this by saying:
After we were driven back to the hill where the
stand was made, there was an interval of over
an hour that we had no fighting. This gave us
an opportunity to shelter our horses in ravine
and partially ntrench ourselves. It prob
ably during this interval of quiet on Reno's
part that the Indians massed on Custer and an
initiated him" J The Indians ran out OF a1nmu-
milton and then used arrows They fired from
behind their horses The soldiers got shells
stuck in their guns and had to throw them
away; they then fought with little guns (pis-
tols). The Indians were in coulees behind and
in front Of Custer as he moved up the ridge to
take position, and were just as many as the
grass. The first two companies, Keogh's and
Calhouns, dsmounted and fought on foot.
They never broke, but retired step by step until
forced back to the ridge upon which all finally
persisted. They We're shot down in line where
they stood Keoghs company rallied by com
pany and were all killed in bunch. This
statement seems borne out by facts, as thirty
eight bodies Of Keoghs troops were found piled
in heap.] The warriors directed special fire
against the trooper who held the horses while
the others fought; soon as a holder was killed.
by waving blankets and great shouting the
horses were stampeded, which made it impossi-
BILE for the soldiers to escape afterward The
soldiers
FOUGHT DESPERATELY AND HARD
and never surrendered. They fought standing
They fought in line along the ridge. AS fast as
the men fell the horses were herded and driven
toward the squaws aud old men, who gathered
them up When Reno attempted to find Custer
by throwing out skicmish line, Custer and all
with him were dead When the skirmishers
3
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, mutilating 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 Inuians then
ran up to the soldiers and butchered them with
Hatchets. lot OF horses ran away and jumped !
into the river, but were caught by
the squaWs Eleven Indians were killed |
on Reno creek, and several Indians fell over and
died. Only forty three Indians were killed ALTO
gethcr, but a great many wounded ones came |
across the river and died in the bushes. Some |
soldiers got away and ran down a ravine, crossed |
the river, came back again and We're killed We |
hao Ogallallas, Mlneconjous, Brue, Teton, INCA
papa Sioux, Cheyennes, Arrapahoes and eros
Fentres. When the big dust came in the air
down the river meaning Terry and Gibbon] we
struck our lodges and went up a creek toward
The White Rain mountains. The Big Horn ranges
were covered with snow. We waited there four
days and then went over to the Wyoming
mountains.
his ended Calls narrative It brings out
many new facts and corrects some others.
1t has been popularity supposed that Custer
entered the river, but such was not the case.
as the bodies found on the Little Horn were
those OF few stampeded soldiers There
were no ceremonies or exercises gone
through with-simply attempt, which was
successful. to correct history
Oddities of Gas.
A Pittsburgher was telling OF some or
the oddities OF natural gas the othet
.dav IT. seems that MANY houcoc :,