Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-11-25
NEW STORY OF
CUSTER BATTLE
Washington Correspondents Visit the
Famous Battlefield and Give New
Version Of the Fight.
GALL LED THE INDIAN ATTACK
Fired to Deed of Terrible Vengeance
by the Killing Of squaw and Pap.
posses by the Soldiers.

NdtlOiiul lTTlSdllOn at OB
den. visited Montana. On September
q 4 number of them visited the Gus,
ter battlefield in this state. One OF
the correspondents of a Washington
newspaper has forwarded to a Hell
ena man his account of the excursion
as follows:
Visit the BattlerieId.
To the spot where Custer and 2GL
men Of the Seventh cavalry we're an
initiated by Sioux and Cheyenne In
dians, in 1876, the Washington cores
pondents made pllgrimages today. We
were told the details of the battle by
men who had gathered them first
hand from the Sioux and talked with
the only surviving witness of the bat
tie on the other side. The man who
visits the battlefield finds that his for
mer impressions of the tragedy, mosI
likely, were incorrect.
Tho special train bearing the cor
respondents stopped at the Crow In
dian agency, in which Is located the
battlefield. Vehicles and bronchoes
had been provided, and in the charm
ing September afternoon we numbered
off across the rolling country. Pictur
esquely CARRIED blanseted Indians sur
rounded the depot. the squaws carry.
ing their papooses strapped on theiI
backs. A squad of Indian police ca
reened around the outfit on their pom,
les and led the way.
We forded the Little Big Horn riy
er, which gives the battlefield its
name, and wound our way along the
uplands until the scattered groups oI
white headstones. marking the place
where each soldier fell, came into
view. The popular impression of the
Custer fight, derived from paintings
and other sources, probably Is Of
bunch of soldiers, encompassed in
small space by a ring of Indians rid
ing around the fallen whites. Such IL
far from being the fact. Clusters mel
fell in detached groups, over a space
nearly a quarter OF a mile long.
The oavalrymen were not shot
down from their horses and the In
dams were not mounted. The whites
were picked off at long range, stand
Ing out as they did clear marks
against a high sky line.
Character of Country.
First get an idea of the scene of tbs
fight. Imagine a ridge Of land, slop
ing gently up 200 feet, and about 81
feet wide on the top. This ridge 4.
one OF a number, overhanging q Ions
valley in which the Indians were Ell
oamped. Between the several ridge.
aud along the sides OF each are gul
leys, up which the Indians crept. Gus
ter's men rode out into this ridge ant
we're swarmed upon by a horde OF In
dams springing up all around them
From the position in which the bodie!
were found, the enemy must have sep
arated the cavalrymen into little de
tachments of from six to twelve, ant
cleaned them up. Some of the troop
ers were shot while trying to escape
down the ridge. Kellogg, the New
York Herald correspondent, was kill
ed in the midst of the fighting men
Custer was killed, surrounded by les!
than a dozen men, on the outermos
edge of the firing line. nearest the In
dian e%ncampment.
The fight occurred June 20, 1876
There had been an outbreak of Chey
enne Indians, who jumped the reser
walton and declared they would q
back to their wild life. They made
for the valley along the foot of thu
Big Horn mountains, which abounde,
in game Of all kinds and stream.
stocked with fish. There were prob
ably 1000 or 200 lodges of these In
dams. They invited the Sioux o
North Dakota TO join them, and 1,SO'
lodges of Sioux came overland AM
met them here.
The United States forces advanced
upon the h~ostiles from three direc
tions. General Crooke came up from
Cheyenne, General Gibbon from BOZe
man and General Terry from Buford
Custer belonged to Terry's command
II was expected to meet the enemy IL
the Big Horn valley and capture tn
outfit.
Custer was in advance of all tn
others. He intended to make a strike
He was in disfavor at Washington
and hoped TO rehabilitate himself by
smashing victory. His nearest rein
forcement was General Terry. witt
was coming up the Yellowstone an,
Big Horn rivers, on a small steamboa
and at the time Of the fight was
score or so miles away. Custer di'
not wait for him.
On the morning of the 25th, Gus
ter's command rode out OF the ba'
lands, three or five miles from the In
dams, and made coffee at daybreal
along n small stream. His scouts hal
appraised him Of the location OF til
Indian encampment along the Littl
Big Horn. They estimated the lndial
force at about 1900 warriors. Custer
entire force was about 500.
Against Awful Odds.
Custer did not know OF the $50
lodges of Sioux who had joined tn
renegade Cheyennes. He must hav
been overwhelmed with dismay whe'
the 5000 or more sayages sprang vi
on his detachment.
Allef lne uayDreak DTedhldst Sus
ter divided his forces into three dc
tachments. The pack trains and som
troopers were given to Reno, with d
rections to advance upon the India
encampment in one direction; BeT
teen was given another detachment
and with 260 men Custer rode ou
upon the fatal ridge. Reno struc
the Indians first. In a trice they for'
ed him up out Of the valley and ont
the tableland along which Custer ha
proceeded. Reno was immediatel
placed upon the defensive. thre
miles from the scene of Clusters flgh
where he remained.
On went Custer and his men. unit
they came in full view OF the India
encampment. Custer must have see
at a glance that he was opposed by
-. IL It,,,ann4nl lfa tpAn,