The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-06

but all in vain. We had some misglV-
ings as to his honesty, fearing It was
ruse by which he was trying TO ger Us
into trouble. We worked all the fore
noon without getting any satisfactory
results. In the afternoon, however, W al
ter A Burleigh of Yankton, VINO was
clerk of the Far West, took the 1nolan
into his Office to make a last eILoft at
ascertaining the real nature OF MS mes
sage. Burleigh drew a map OF the yell
lOWstOne and the Big Horn rivers, out
the Indian added the Little Big HORN
to the map. and with the pencil ne 1oi-
lowed the line of the two rivers from the
point where the boat lay to the point
where the battle had occurred Al that
point he made a circle, and by dots on
the paper and by throwing himself pros
trate on the floor and appearing dead,
he indicated that the white chlef ana
his men were dead. was in faVoring OF
detailing a few men to proceed up the
river at once to see whether the Indian
had told the truth, but Captain Baker,
who, in General Terry's absence, was IN
command, did not believe that we had
interpreted correctly what the Indian
had intended to tell, and would noe take
the risk of such q movement.
mot having much to do on the fol-
lowing day one of the engineers OF the
boat and went some distance up the
river to fish. We had only nicely cast
our lines when we heard the noise as OF
a horse galloping across the prairie On
looking up, far up on the bluff we could
see a lone horseman approaching at full
gallop On discovering him to be a
white man I proceeded to meet him.
found it to be Muggings Taylor, one OF
the most daring scouts of the Indian
country who had been assigned duty
with Major Reno. In the sK1rmish which
Reno had had. Taylor had become sep
arated from the main command. and for
more than three days had skulked
around in ravines to escape the Indians
and at last had got far enough away to
attempt to find Terry and inform him of
(NRrr- E11T
ton. We hurried back to the boat and
delivered the sad message.
TERRY IN PURSUIT.
General Terry gathered in his scouts
the scene of the battle. On hearing of
Terry's approach -tting Bull fled north
the hill and over the slope that extends
down on the west side of the Little Big
Horn, lay Clusters 416 brave soldiers still
bleaching in the hot summer sun. De-
composition had set in to such an ex-
tent that many of the bodies could not be
Identified Clusters body was found a
little north of the point where the thi y
81 q the llgnt had occurred, ana IN
circular heap around him were large
number of his men. who had died in his
defense. Not far from where Custer lay
was found the body of Charley Reynolds,
his chief Of scouts In the heat of the
slaughter he had shot his own horse, and
moved down the savages. Around him
scores OF redskins had been brought down
with his Winchester.
In another part Of the field we found
the BODY OF Clusters brother. His scalp
had been taken and his heart had been
taken out It was afterwards learned that
early in the tight he had been singled out
by Chief Northumberland who enter
tained feelings of the bitterest of the bit
ter Sioux hatred towards him because
some three years ago Custer had been
obliged to arrest him and have him dis
c1pl1ned for disturbance he had created
on the reservation. AS soon as Custer
fell, it is said Rain-in-th e-Face cut out
his heart and ate it with a fiendish relish
as evidence of the satisfaction of seeing
him dead.
PURSUED RENO'S COMMAND.
''On the divide about four miles beyond
where General Custer fell we found Ma
JOr Reno and the remnant or his COM
mand IN a most terrible condition Reno
had made attack at the point agreed
fording the swollen river and on account
Of the overwhelming number of Indians
ne saw the cause was a hopeless one and
accordingly he had withdrawn his men to
the top of the hill while he could and
there threw up breaStWOrks to protect
them against the onslaught of the saw
sun came out scorching hot and the men
were obliged to lie unprotected in the
trenches No relief coming. they attempt
ed to get water for themselves and their
miles distant No sooner did the water
carriers get beyond the range of the rifles
behind the breaStWOrkS than they were
shot down by the Watchful savaoeS One
after another made the attempt even after
IT became known it meant certain death.
One the third day one after another of
the horses were shot and their blood
drunk to slacken the unendura bic thirst
of the furnishing soldiers. Late in the ar
ternoon of the fourth day Sitting Bull fled
before Terry, and the garrison, nearly
lieved. and Major Reno heard for the first
time of the real fate of General Custer