Omaha daily bee., 1892-01-10
CLUSTERS LAST FIGHT.
New Details of the Massacre of the Littl,
Big Horn.

Big Horn.
The January Century contains a pro-
fusely illustrated description of ''Cus-
ter's Last Battle, " by Captain Godfrey,
the commander OF a troop under Custer.
From it we quote the following: 1.-THE
accepted theory for many years after the
battle, and still persisted in by some
writer's, was that Custer's column had
turned the high bluffs nea the river,
moved down the dry (Reno's) creek,
and attempted to ford the river lear
the lowest point of these bluffs;
that he was there met by an overpow-
ering force and driven back; that he
then divided his battalion. moved down
the river with the view OF attacking the
village. but met with such resistance
from the enemy posted along the river
bank and ravines that he was compelled
to fall Eak, fighting, to the position on
the ridge. The numerous bodies found
scattered between the river and the
ridge were supposed to be the first vic
tins of the fight. l am now satisfied
that these were men who either sur
vived those on the ridge or attempted to
escape the massacre.
Clusters 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 Clusters column did not attempt to
cross at the ford, and appealed to her
husband, who supported her statement.
"On the battlefield, in 1856, Chief
Gall indicated Clusters route to me and
it then flashed upon me that | myself
had seen Clusters trail. On June %,
while we were burying the dead, [
asked Major Reno's permission to go on
the high ridge east or back of the field
to look for tracks of shod horses to as
certain If some of the command might
not have escaped. When | reached the
ridge | saw this trail and wondered who
could have made it, but dismissed the
thought that it had been made by Gus
ter's column, because it did not accord
with the theory with which we we're
then filled, that Custer had attempted
to cross at the ford, and this trail
was too far back, and showed
no indication OF leading toward the ford.
Trumpeter Penwell was my orderly and
accompanied me-. 1t was a singular com
cidence that in 1885 Penwell was sta
toned ut Fort Custer and was my or
derby when visiting the battlefield.
Penwell corroborated my recollection OF
the trail.
'"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 had pos
sessed themselves of the cavalry horses,
for they rode them after capturing
them. No bodies of men or horses were
found anywhere near the ford, and these
facts are conclusive to my mind that
Custer did not go to the ford with any
body of men.
AS soon as Gall had personally con
firmed Iron Cedar's report he sent word
to the warriors battling against Reno
and to the people in the village. The
greatest CONSERVATION prevailed among
the families, and orders we're given for
them to leave at one Before they
could do so the great body Of warriors
had left Reno and hustened to attack
Custer. This explains why Reno was
not pushed when so much confusion at
every opportunity of annihilating his
command. Not long after the Indians
began TO show u strong force in Custer's
front, Custer turned his column to the
left and advanced In the direction of the
village to near a place now marked as a
spring, halted at the junction of the ra-
vines just below 1t and ~dismounted two
troops, Keogh's and Calhoun's, to fight
on foot. These two troops advanced al
double time to n knoll, now marked by
Crittenden's monument. The other
three troops, mounted, followed them a
short distance in their rear. The lead
horses remained where the troops dis
mounted. When Keogh and Calhoun
get tothe knoll the other troops marched
rapidly to the right, Smiths troops de-
ployed as skirmishers, mounted and
took position on a ridge which, or
Smiths left, ended in Keogh's position
(now marked by Crittenden's monu
mentl, and on Smiths right ended OF
tho hill on which Custer took position
with Yates and Tom Clusters troops
now known as Custer's Hill. and marked
by the monument erected to the com
mand. Smiths skirmisners, holding
their gray horses, remained in groups o
f0urs.
1.-THE line occupied by Clusters bat
talon was the FIRST considerable ridg,
hack from tho river, the nearest poin.
being about half a mile from it, Hi
front was extended about thr~ee-fourthI
OF a mile. Tho whole village was in iul
view. A few hundred yards from hi
line was another but lower ridge, thu
further slope of which was not com
waudhd hy hia lima II aaa hara tina