The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-26
--e-~ep
SAYS HE SAW CUSTER DIE.


Little Big Horn.
Los Angeles Letter New York Sun.
George Benjamin. a crippled and wound
ed miner, is on his way to Washington,
where he hopes to secure pension. He
claims to have been with Custer at the
massacre at the Little Big Horn. AL
though it was supposed that there was no
survivor of the massacre, Benjamin's
story bears marks of truthfulness, and the
fact that he was held as a prisoner by the
Indians and driven crazy by their fortunes
long prevented his experience from being
made known Senator Stephen M. White
is taking him to Washington, and will try
to get pension for him this winter
I'm the spring of 1876" says Benjamin, II
was prospecting in the Black Hills for gold
with two other miners named Stone and
Kelly. In June we were camped on
Clarks creek and we We're getting
short of supplies Kelly and l went out to
shoot game for supper leaving Stone in
camp. When we returned we found him
dead and horribly mutilated, We knew
at once that the Indians were on the war
path and that we'd better get out. so we
started at once for Fosters ranch, but
when we reached there we found that the
Indians had been ahead Of us Every man,
woman and child on the ranch had been
murdered, and all the bodies had been mu-
tilated The house had been burned and
all the horses and cattle driven off. we
started for Cheyenne to give warning OF
the uprising, and on the way we met
body of Clusters men, They asked us
to ioin i'm the pursuit and l consented
gladly. but my partner, Kelly, decided TO
go on to Cheyenne. Not long afterward
we found his body scalped and cut TO
pieces, only few miles from where we
parted.
1--WE broke camp on June Is, and Mai
Reno secuted the trail to the Rosebud and
struck a fresh trail where the Indians had
crossed. Gibbons was ordered to cross the
Yellowstone near the mouth of the Big
Horn and meet Gen. Custer at the mouth
of the Big Horn on June 26. On June n
the trail of the Indians was secuted TWEEN
ty-eight miles up the Rosebud. That night
a council was held, and the troops left
the Rosebud and marched up Dirty Wo-
mans creek toward the Big Horn, ten
miles, and went into camp, as it was too
dark TO venture over the divide. The next
morning the troops were in the saddle
soon after daybreak, and about o'clock
the first Indians were seen by the scouts
from the top of the divide. The men were
in great spirits because they had come
upon the Indians at last, although the evil
dent indications were that we We're out-
numbered ten to one. Capt. Benteen was
sent toward some hills on the right to
scout the Indians and obtain a view of the
country. With him he took three compa,
MES of the Seventh cavalry. Our COM
mand then moved on one mile further and
Maj. Reno was sent to the left, with Or
ders to skirmish and drive the enemy II
found. The main body was to protect or
reinforce him, as required. Capt Mo
Dougal was in charge of the pack train
and was left with one company one mile
from where Reno left us On ahead OF US
were great clouds Of dust, which seemed
TO indicate that the main body Of Indians
was on the rum either driving away the
horses and cattle or getting the squaws
and children out of the way for the
threatened battle. Gen. Custer, with the
other four companies, started for this
connection and swung his line toward the
river, hoping 10 cross, but found no good
crossing.
1--WE then fell back to the second bottom
where we were dismounted TO examine our
firearms and prepare for the battle. The
signal to mount was given, and Gen. Gus
ter at the head, with his hat in one hand,
pointed to the Indians with the other and
cried out: There they are, boys. God
bless you all. and follow met We charged
on a dead rum but when we reached the
river we dismounted, and every
fourth man held the horses for the other
three. Gen. Custer led the advance with
his aides, Boston Custer. his younger
brother, and Artie Reed. his nephew, by
his side. Lieut. Tom Custer his other
brother, and Capt. Calhoun, his brother
in-law, were at the front with their com
mands
"At first we met but few Indians, and
they quickly gave way before us. But
soon they swarmed upon us from every
direction. They camei upon us from the
front and rear and flank and every ravine
and every bush and tree seemed alive with
them. We soon knew that we were doom
ed, and we fought as men fight only UNI
der such circumstances. A perfect storm
OF arrows and bullets were pouring upon
us from every side, but we fought our
way back 10 our horses mounted, and in
our struggle TO reach the bluffs we left the
greater portion Of our men dead or wound
ed on the fed. But ten Indians went down
for every white man who fell. The COM
panics OF Capt. Calhoun and Lieut.. Crit