The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-04-05
WITH NILES and CUSTER.
An Orderly's Tale Of Fighting
Indians With the Two
Famous Generals.
IS THE ONLY SURVIVOR
Was With Custer the Day He Was
Killed and Narrowly Missed
His Commands Fate.

SlOu 10 Il
To group of friends the other even
ing, William H. McGee, recalled some
interesting "reminiscences Of the Gus
ter massacre and of the fight in the
Bear Paw, when General Miles captur-
ed the Nez Perces Indians under Chief
Joseph.
Mr.. MCGEE was General Clusters or
derly on the day of the massacre and
is the last man now living who saw
that officer and is also the only sur
vivor of the command with which Gus
ter went forward, when he left Major
Reno on that fateful morning of June
25, 1876.
YES" said he, Il was with Custer
the day he was killed. was his order
ly that day and narrowly missed the
tragic fate he and his command met
at the hands of Sitting Bull and his
horde of Indians. I am the only sur
yivor of the command with which Gus
ter started out that morning, and owe
my life to the fact that just few
moments before the Sioux fell on him,
he sent me back to Major Reno with
orders to the latter.
About 9 o'clock one morning the
command halted and Custer and Reno
held a consultation. was only few
feet away as they were talking, being
Clusters orderly that day.
They compared their watches, and
a moment later Clusters command was
on it's way to the point where it met
with annihilation. When We were, I
should judge, about a mile from Reno,
Custer turned to me and said:
Orderly, do you think you can find
the way back to Major Reno?'
Il replied: Yes, sir
"'Go as quickly as you can, he said,
to Major Reno; give him my compli-
ments and tell him to wait 20 minutes
more. He will understand that. I
guess you will have to remain with
him
"It was that order that saved me
1IOU1 q 81 ave OuI IL -IS14SclA
"As I wheeled my horse to go back
he recalled me, and calling up the reg
imental trumpeter, gave him practical
~ the same instructions and further
remarked to us, pointing in the direc-
ton of Reno's command, If you cut
across there you may find it smoother
going. If you prefer the trail, however,
you may go that way, and use your
own judgment
I'VE started, the trumpeter and my
self. We had only gone 800 or 400
yards when he said to me: Mack,
which way are you going?'
Back over the trail, of course I
answered
HE had gotten it into his head that
Custer had told US to cut across, and
I argued with him in vain that the
route was left to our discretion. He
wouldn't have it that way, and starting
off alone, remarked: 'Good-by, Mack;
we'll see who gets to Reno first. The
move cost him his life. He had gone
OAIy 6pOuI wv ) al 0S HueU ASoI " SS'-
eral shots in his direction. He had
evidently run right into the Indians,
and, as afterwards learned, they had
riddled him with bullets.
by this time I could hear constant
firing, both in the direction of Custer
and Reno. 1 was getting over the
ground as fast as my horse could car
ry me, and had fine horse, too. Just
as l got in sight of Reno's command
ran right into bunch of red devils.
They were not more than 80 yards
away, and instantly could hear the
ping and Whistling of bullets all
around me. was probably within 120
yards Of Reno's command One ball
struck my horse in the withers, and he
went down. I fell over his head, but
fortunately my arm slipped through
the reins and left me holding the
horse.
He got up at once, and as threw
my right leg over the saddle another
ball hit him, first passing through the
calf OF my right leg. 1t pierced my
horses lungs. He jumped forward and
carried me within 60 yards of Major
Reno, where he dropped dead. jump
ed as he was falling and ran the rest
Of the way. There was frightful din
at this time, and as l saluted Major
Reno he bent his head to hear my
message. repeated the orders OF Gus
ter, and he said:
Orderly, too late now. Take care
of yourself
Reno was then whipped and was be-
ing pressed back on the hill. where for
three days the command was sur
rounded and endured suffering which is
indescribable.
The firing was hot and continuous.
We did not know what had become
Of Custer, and were expecting he would
come to our relief. Shortly after We
got up on the hill We heard three vol
leys in his direction, a signal for aid,
but we were powerless to respond, and
could nos go to him. although he was
but little over a mile away.
"On the morning of the third day we
saw body Of men in soldiers uni
forms in the distance. We mistook
them for relief coming 20 lis. Such a
cheer and yell as went Up from the i'm
prisoned soldiers cn that aill you never
heard in your life. We soon learned
that the uniforms were worn by ln-
diars, and were those undoubtedly OF
Clusters men.
This was our first knowledge Of the
fate which had overtaken him and his
command Our hearts again sank and
hope almost deserted US. Soon, how
ever. the Indians were seen to be leaV-
ing, and a few hours later General
Terry came up with relief and Te-en-
forcements. As Sitting Bull split up (!
his followers into small bands. we