The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-11-01
the Indians; but Il seems. IS the indians
had said. stheir medicine was good. y

the Indians; but it seems, IS the indians
had said, stheir medicine was good" for
all worked to their veal.
At last morning broke-a9lorious morn
indeed. Not the slightest breeze caused
a rifle in the leaves of tho giant cotton
woods that lined the camp. in the rear.
Spies were now sent out to watch and re.
port the advance of the soldiers, runners
were sent to warn the Ogallalas, and all
In q short time the spies came dashing
into camp with the news of the near APP
proach Of the troops. who soon APP
peared on the river bottom, in full
view. Here the troops made . short
halt, and. forming company front, boldly
advanced. guidons and colors flying
with the motion of their noble steeds, at
full charge-Custer's last, but q noble
one-on, on they came, certain doom only
awaiting every soul, toward the point best
prepared to meet them, past q part Of the
now deserted lodges, until the line be-
came necessarily broken to avoid the
tepees. Here n portion of their horses
became manageable at the sight Of half
dried meat and uAtanned skins that every
whore strewed the ground.
In the midst of oil this confusion the
b~loOd-curdling war-cry Of the Sioux
sounded OH their ears, aud hundreds Of
painted savages. heretofore hidden by
the underbrush, sprang up and delivered
their CALLING fire in the front, while Rain
in-the-face, from his position with his
braves, delivered q raking, murderous
fire on their flank.
Custer now probably saw his mistake
too late; but the splendid courage that
always marked the man did not desert
him. Both himself and men fought like
demons.
"Hult! .Dismount!" rang out in stem
torian tones, and these we're the last or.
ders the gallant Custer ever gave that
were obeyed by his men. The firing nov
became general. Tho horses, unioosed
and maddened by thirst, dashed into
the stream, where they were easily
caught by the Indians. Groups and
squads of dead soldiers here and there
marked the spot where some brave cap
tain or lieutenant fell while stimulating
his men by word or deed land men with
empty cartridge shells between their legs,
sitting where they fell, with gun living
close by, went to show how dearly they
had sold their lives), for in this awful mo-
ment probably no one of Clusters men
dreamed of victory.
At this critical juncture the Ogallala
chief, Crazy Horse, appeared on the left,
and, taking i'll the situation at a glance,
ordered his legion to charge.
Let us now close our eyes as the horri-
bic work of butchery goes on. Unaccus-
toned to such warfare, and overcome by
vastly superior numbers, before the sun
had fairly reached the meridian the last
OF Clusters bold riders had succumbed 10
the inevitable.
Not much remains to be told. The
soldiers were hurriedly stripped of their
arms and Announcements. Tn Indian al
lies, fifteen in number, were scalped, and
the field was left to the squaws, who
went the rounds with stone war.clubs
aud tomuhawks, Drained the soldiers
who were not quite dead, stripped
them of watches, jewelry, etc., and hor-
ribly mutilated their bodies. For some
reason, not II white man was scalped.
A thousand warriors had perhaps
boastedthat the long yellow hair of Gen.
Custer should that day dansle Mt his belt,
owing to the fact that he started on
this expedition with his hair cut short he
was not recognized by the Indians.
The casualties of the Indians were COM
parativcly smnll-thirty-six on the field
dead. The number dying of wounds will
probably never be accurately known, as
the village was shortly afterward broken
up. Probably seventy wouldbe a fair es.
innate.
Why Major Reno did not support his
Colonel in the charge or rescue him in
retreat, Indian logic can find no answer.
GEO. E. BARTLETT.