Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1899-04-10
NTH NILES iND 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.

General Miles Remarkable Travery-R Rode
Across an Open Field Under the Fire OF
Eight Hundred Indtans-A Sight Never
80 BE Forgotten Resulted in His Promo.
tioU to a TrigadieFship.
To a grouped friends the other even
ing. William II, Niece, recalled some
interesting "reminiscences of the Gus
ter massacre ana of the fight IN the
Bear Paw, when General Miles eaptur-
ed the Nez Pefees Indians under Chief
Joseph.
Mr. McGee was General Clusters or
Derby 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 be left Major
Reno on that fateful morning of June
25, 1876
Yes" said We, 81 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. l am the only sur
vivor 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 o'clock one morning the
command halted and Custer and Reno
held a consultation, I was only a few
feet away as they we're talking. being
Clusters orderly that day.
They compared their watches, and
moment later Clusters command was
on its way to the point where it met
with humiliation. When we were,
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?"
4 replied: Yes, sir
Go as quickly as you can. he said.
to Major Reno: give him my cempli-
ments and tell him to wait 20 minutes
more. He will understand that. I
guess you will have to remain with
him.
1T was that order chat saved me
from grave out in Montana.
AS I wheeled my horse to go back
he recalled me, and calling up the reg
mental trnmpeter, gave him practical
ly the same instructions and further
remarked to US, pointing in the direc-
tion Of Reno's command If you cut
across there you may find it smoother
going. If you prefer4he trail, however,
you may so that way. aud use your
own Judgment
We started, the trumpeter and N.Y.
self. We had only gone SEQ or 400
yards when he said to me: Mack.
which way are you going?e
Back over the trail. of course. /
answered.
"He had gotten it into his head that
Custer had told Us to cut across, and
argued with him in vain that the
route was left to our discretion He
wouldn't have 1t that way, and starting
OF alono, remarked: 'Good-by, Mack:
we'll sec who gets to Reno first. The
mere cost bim his life He had gone
only about 600 yards when I heard sew
afal saots in his direction He had
evidently run right into the Indians,
and as I afterwards learned. they had
rid3led him with bullets.
by this time could hear constant
firing. both in the direction of Custer
and Reno. was getting over the
ground as fast as my horse could car.
Nv, M o17 nod i, G1o bor-a too J,4et
as got in sight Of Beno's command
ran right into a bunch of red devils
They were rot more than 80 yards
away, and instantly ! could hear the
ping and whtstling of bullets all
around me. was probably within 100
yards Of Renos command One ball
struck my horse in the withers. and he
went down fell over his head. but
fortunately my arm slipped through
the reins and left me holding the
horse.
sIIe got up at once. and as I threw
ny right leg over the saddle another
bali 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 raa the rest
OF the way. There was a frightful din
at this time, and as l saluted Major
Reno he bent his head to hear my
message. Irepeated 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 davs the command was sur