The times., 1897-06-27


! prudent and charge the villa ge afterward
and the W hole outfit would support him y
I! Custer went over the first ridge and
| crossed Medicine Tail couee several miles
| from the river and went down the second
ridge He had about two miles further
] to go to reach the enemy than Reno had,
| and the ground was much rougher. Reno's s
I ruase down thecreek wasover good ground,
but ne had TO go up the river about u mile
! and half before he found ford, which
| is still called Reno's Crossing.
| Rene halted here some ten or fifteen
minutes tn water his horses and give them
breath and form u charge. He charged
brlSiiy, al first making directly to the
nearest part OF the eneniys camp. some
three miles away He met soIne little
resistance. and as he approached their
camp tie hostile warriors fairly swarmed
out to attack iiiin. Arriving at the ash
grove he dismounted his men, leaving
cvery fourth man to hold the horses. and
fought on foot He penetrated through the
grove. but the forces against him grew so
rapidly in number that he saw he would
soon be surrounded, and he ordered the
men tu renount and retreat TO the first
ridge The retreat became rout. the
column, shooting the troops, striking them
with their whips and pulling some off their
horses. The troops happily found an easy
crossing place and ascended the hill, the
Indians crowaing to attack them. For a
time the troops were at q great fisad-
vantag", but they soon ayailed themselves
of advantages Of the ground and compelled
the Indians Co retire TO greater distance.
Benteen WIS unable To follow the route
directed by Custer, the contour of the
country forcing more and more TO Reno
Greek, until he struck Eeno's tIail. While
watering lis horses, the messenger arrived
with Cooks order. As he was leaving,
the pack train arrived, and telling McDou-
gall 10 hurry on, Benteen went rapidly down
the creek. When the valley came in SIGHT
he saw the troops on the hill Citing, and
what seemed to be a battle in the valley.
Waiting few moments TO see which course
he had better take, a few Crow scouts caHe
along, am pointing 10 the hill, said:
Soldiers Benteen then marched to
Join Reno going to the night. He arrived
in time to ttirn what would probably have
been defeat into partial victory, forcing
the Indians further back. The pack tam
arrived half an hour after Benteen.
Reno had begun his attack bout 2 O'Clock.
and it was probably $50 when the pack
train arrived on the ridge. Shortly after
the arrival of tins train the In dams were
seen TO be moving briskly down the valley,
and soon heavy firing was heard towardth the
second ridge. 1t was supposed that this
was caused 10y Clusters attack. Reno made
no effort TO go TO Custer's relief until the
firing had begun TO slacken His forces
probably marched a mile toward the;
firing, when the Indians forced him hack,
and they returned to their former position.
Here they We're attacked by the Indians
in large force, and darkness Glone put an
end to the engagement.
That night the troops prepared for the
attack that they were confident would be
made by da ybreak in the morning. There
We're only few shovels, but these were
never idle during the night In addition
the soldiers dug rife pits with every inn
aginable thing they could find, even break
ing canteensopen aud scraping the dirt with
the pieces OF metal. They wereattacked as
soon as it was light, and within an hour
the whole force OF Indians were around
them. Every vantage ground was com
manded, and shots were nred into the
troops from every direction Many war
nors had only bows and arrows, q ad these
crawled up as close as they could under
shelter and fired their arrows among the
troops. One band OF Indians forced theIn-
selves into the lines of the soldiers and
struck a dead soldier with a coup stick
The situation grew perilous, indeed, and
Benteen came to Reno for permission to
charge the foe. Reno hesitated, fearing
the charging party would be cut off au.l
killed, but on Benteen's assuring him that
il something was not Gone the Indians
would run over his troops, u charge was
ordered. With a cheer Benteen's command
sIrang upon the enemy and drove them
back, not one of those charging being hurt.
Several charges were then made, and the
Indians, giving up all hope, withdrew, but
stil keptin sight. on the commands fonl-
lines to protect those who were detailed
to carry water up the hill, they were again
attacked, but the water was obtained. Late
in the afternoon the Indians broke camp
and marched up the river, going into the
Big Horn Mountains and thence following
the ridges to the Yellowstone: crossed that
stream not far from the mouth of the
Tongue River, and went down Dry Fork
to the Missouri, and thence beyond the
Canadian line.
Gibbon on the 22d began his march for
the pouth Of the Little Big HON. He lost
no time, but the route from the mouth of
Tuliock Creek lay over the toughest ground
in that country In his report as printed
Terry said he told Custer he would be at
the point designated on the 26th. think
this is an error, for when Terry saw the
infantry could not posSitly reach the mouth
OF the Little Big HON that day he and
GibbOn took the four troops OF Brisbin's
1.-THE Sec0ndl and pushed ahead At dark
the cavalry were at least ten miles from
their destination, and, nj withstanding the
rain and the great difficulty of travelling
in such a country, they peTsevered until
the point was reached, though they lost
their way several times The whole COM
mand turned in without supper, SO tired
were they.
The next morning it was found that
neither Custer forces nor any of his scouts
had been there About o clock some
Crow scouts came in, saying that all of
CusteI's force were killed They were not
believed 1t was impossible that such a
body Of soldiers, commanded by such
leader. should have been destroyed 1t |
was necessary, however, to proceed with |
caution. The little army dad rot move uu- |
til the infantry arrived, when il proceeded |
up the hight bank of the Little Big Horn |
four or five miles and crossed TO the left |
bank. Not long afterward what was first |
supposed to be cavalry appeared They |
were soon made out TO be Indians, though |
some Of them were dressed as cavalry |