St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-15
CUSTER'S DEATH.
The Scene and the Fight Spleen
didIy Described.

The Scene and the Fight Spleen
didIy Described.
Capt. Charles King in Harper's Magazine.
Never realizing. as L believe, the fear
full odds against HIM; believing that he
would find the village ION the rum"
and that between himself and Reno he
could double them up' in short order,
Custer had jauntily trotted down to his
death. 1t was a long five-mile ride
from where he had sighted the north
ern end of the village TO where he
struck its center around that bold point
of bluff, and from the start to the
moment his guidonS Whirled into
view, and his troopers came gallOping
''frOnt into line' down near the ford, he
never fairly saw the great village
never dreamed of its depth and extent
Rounding the bluff, he suddenly found
himself face to face with thousands of
the boldeSt and most skillful warriors of
the prairies. He had hoped to charge
at once into the heart of the village, to
hear the cheers of Reno's men from
the south, Instead he was greeted with
perfect fury of flame and Kissing lead
from the dense thicket of willow and
cottonwood, fire that had to be an
sWered at once. Quickly he dismOunted
run, each fourth man holding, cavalry
fashion. the horses of the other three.
The line seems to have swept in par
allei very nearly with the general course
of the stream, but to no purpose. The
foe was ten to one in their front. BOYS
and squaWs were shooting from the will
lows. ION, we had plenty guns!' said
our StOry-tellerS, and. worse than that,
hundreds of young warriors had
mounted their ponies and Swarmed
across the stream below him. and huh
dreds more were following and circliEg
all about him. And then it was that
Custer, the hero of hundred daring
charges, seems to have realized
that he must cut his way out. "Mountw
rang the trumpets, and, leaving
many poor fellow on the ground. the
troops ran for their horses. Instantly
from lodge and willow Ogalallas and
BruleS Sprang to horse and rushed to
the ford in mad pursuit. make for the
heights!" must have been the order, for
the first rush was to the eastward; then
more to the lett. as they found t leir
progress barred. Then as they reached
higher ground all they could see. as far
as they could see, circling. swoOping.
yelling like demons, and all the time
keeping up their furious fire, were thou
sands of the mounted Sioux.
Hemmed in. cut off, dropping fast
from their saddles, Clusters men saw
that retreat was impossible. They
sprang to the ground. turned their
horses loose" said the Indians. and by
that time half their number had fallen.
A skirmish line was thrown out down
the slope, and there they dropped at
five yards interval; there their COM
rades found them two days after. Every
instant the foe rode closer and gained
in numbers; every instant some poor
fellow bit the dust. At last, on a mound
that stands at the northern end of a lit
tie ridge. Custer, with Cook. Yates and
gallant Brother Tom.'' and some dozen
soldiers, all that were left by this time,
gathered in the last rally. They sold
their lives dearly, brave fellows that
they were, but they were as dozen
leaves of the forest at the end of twenty
minutes, and in less than twenty-five
all was over.