The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-01-27
Clusters Last Battle.

ly illustrated description Of " Clusters
Last Battle" by Capt. Godfrey, the COM
mander Of "a troop under Custer. From It
We quote the following
The accepted theory for many years
after the battle, and still persisted in BY
some writers, was that Clusters column
had turned the high bluff near the river,
moved down the dry (Reao'sl creek, and
attempted to ford the river near the low
est point Of these bluffs that ne Was met
there by an overpowering force and driv-
en- back that he then divided his battal-
/ lion, moved down the river with view
/ Of attacking the village, but met with
! such resistance from the enemy posted
/ along the river bank and ravines that be
was compelled 10 fall back, fighting 70
the position on the ridge The numerous
bodies found scattered between the river
and ridge were supposed to be the irst
/ victims Of the fight. l am now satisfied
that these were men who either survived
those on the ridge OF attempted TO escape
the massacre.
Clusters route was as indicated on the
I map. and his column was never nearer
the river or village than his final position
on the ridge. The wife Of Spotted Horn
Bull. when giving me her account Of the
/ battle. persisted in saying that Custer's
column did not attempt to cross ar the
/ ford, and appealed 70 her husband, who
supported her statement Ga the battle
I field, in 1856, Chief Gaul indicated Gus
ter's route 70 me, and It then flashed
upon me that myself had seen Clusters
trail. On June 2sth, while We were bury
ing the dead. asked Major RenO's per-
mission to 20 on the high ridge east or
back Of the field 70 loOk for tracks Of
shod horses to ascertain If some Of the
command might not have escaped, and
when I reached the ridge 1 saw this trail
! and wondered who could have made il,
but dismissed the thought that It had
been made by Clusters column, because
it did not accord with the theory with
which We were then filed, that
Custer had attempted 10 cross at the
ford, and this trail was too far back and
showed no indication Of leading toward
the ford. Trumpeter PenweH was my
orderly, and accompanied NE It vas
singular coincidence that in 1856 PsDweH
was stationed at Fort Caster, and vas my
orderly when visiting the battlefield
Penwel corroborated my recollection Of
the trail.
q The ford theory arose from the fact
that We found there numerous tracks Of
shod horses, but they evidently had been
made after the Indians possessed them
selves Of the cavalry horses, orthey rode
them AFTER capturing them. No bOdiesof
men or horses were found anywhere
near the ford, and these facts are conclu-
sive to my mind that Custer did not %
to the ford with any considerable body
Of men.
As soon as Gall had personally con-
frmed Iron Cedar's report, he sent word
70 the warriors battling against Reno and
to the people in the village. The greatest
CONSERVATION prevailed among the fAmi-
lies, and orders were given for them 70
leave at once. Before they could DO 50
the great body Of warriors had lefl Reno
and hastened to attack Custer. This ex-
plains Why Reno was not pushed when
so much confusion az the river crossing
gave the Indians every opportunity Of
: annihilating his command Not long AZ
ter the Indians began 70 show a strnog
force in Clusters front; Custer turned his
column to the left and advanced IN the
direction of the village to near place
ROW marked as a spring, halted st the
junction Of the raviaes Just below it, and
dismounted two troOps-Keogh's and
CalhOun's-to fight on foot. These two
troops advanced at double time % a
knoll, now marked by Crittenden's mon
ument. The other three troops, mounted,
followed them a short disnce in their
rear. The led horses remained where
the troops dismOunted. When Keogh
and Calhoun got to the knoll the other
troops marched rapidly to the right, and
, / Smiths troops deployed as skirmishers,
, mounted. and took position on Z ridge,
which. on smiths left, ended in KeOgh's
position now marked by Crittenden's
monument, and, on Smiths right, ended
q al the hill on which Custer took position
with Yates and Tom Casters troops, nov
known as Custer's.Hill. aud marked By
the monument erected to the commnnd
/, Smiths skirmishers, holding their gray
: horses, remained in groups Of fours-
The line occupied by Caster's battal
ion was the first considerable ridge back
o from the river; the nearest point being
about half a mile from IT, His font wa
, extended abou. three fourths Of a mile
The whole villsge vas in full view. a
! few hundred yards from his line was an
other, hut lower ridge, the further slop'
= of which was not commanded by bis line
and it was here that the Indians, undel
: Crazy Horse, from the lower part o. th'
village, among whom were the Chey
4 ennes, formed for the charge on Custer
Hill All Indians had nov lefs Reno.
. Gall collected his warriors, and moves
up 4 ravine south OF Kaogh and Calhoun
and a. they were turning this flank they
discovered the led horses without any
! other guard than the hOrse-holders- TheJ
opened 6re upon the horse-hoIdsrs and
n used the usual devices 70 stampede the
> horses-that IS, yelling, waving blankets
etc, sni in this way surceeied very soon
; and the horses were caught up by the
= squaxs. Inthis disaster Ksogh and Cal
: hoan probably lost their reserve smmuni
, tion, which WAS carried in the saddle
= bags Calls warriors nov moved to ths
: foot Of the knoll held by Calhoun 4
4 large force dismounted and advanced ul
A the slope far enough 70 be able 70 see ths
= soldiers when standing erect, bat wer
protected when squatting or lying down
, By jumping up and firing quickly, they
!. exposed themselves only for AL instant
but drew the fire Of the soldiers, eausin
a waste of ammunition. In the meau
time Gall was massing his mounted war
riors under the protection Of the slope
I Z.