The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-24

medical attention. All the horses were
dead and the provisions exhausted
They were ninety miles from Wallace,
the nearest point from which relief
could come, and were surrounded by a
thousand bloodthirsty savages. Two
of the scouts volunteered TO steal
through the Indian lines in the night
and carry a m.iisage, on foot, to Fort
Wallace They succeeded, and the
remnant of the command was rescued
on September 26 by the arrival of Cap
tain Louis H. Carpenter, with COM
pany of the Tenth United States cav
airy.
After reporting to Sheridan at Fort
Hays, Custer Joined his regiment with
Sully's command, south of the Ar
kansas. November Il, 1868. the col
umn moved south into the Indian
country; established the post, Camp
Supply, about 100 miles south of Fort
Dodge. and began the search for In
dian villages. Boots and saddles was
sounded on the morning of the 23d, and
the troopers set out in binding snow
storm that had begun On the 22d- On
the morning of the 9th. Major Elliott,
in command of a battalion OF the reg
iment. struck the trail of a war party.
AS soon as the information reached
Custer the whole command was put
in rapid pursuit, and continued with
but one short halt until l o'clock a
m on the 18th, when the camp of the
Indians was discovered by one of the
Usage guides. whose quick ear heard
the distant barking of dog. The
column Immediately halted, and, after
the guide had located the village. the
officers, leaving their swords behind, TO
avoid the possibility of making a noise,
were taken forward to a position from
which they could see the location of
the village and the adjacent ground.
After Withdrawing from this advanced
position the plan of attack was quick
ly decided upon. The troops were d.
vided into four detachments. Two OF
them were ordered TO make a detOur OF
several miles and unite below the VII
lage; another was to attack from the
panies was to lead the attack from the
position the troops -then occupied
Upon arriving at their positions they
were to await the dawn and the signal
for the attack to begin, which was to
be given by the band playing Garry
Owan."
Signaling the band to play, Custer at
the head of his column, galloDed down
through the village, his troopers firing
right and left upon the startled savages
as they rushed from the teeDees. No
quarter was shown in this battle, and it
continued as long as there were any
warriors left to fight 1t proved to be
Black Kettles camp. and he and all
his warriors were killed, except a few
who got away between the forces of
Benteen and Elliott below the villagel
Many squaws and children, too, We're
killed and wounded. being unavoidably
struck by the indiscriminate firing. 1t
was a terrible slaughter; a terrible
vengeance for Indian atrocities.
The battle being ended. Black Ket-
ties herd, numbering 500 ponies, was
rounded up, and after the captured
squaws had been allowed to select as
many animals as they required to
carry them. their children, and their
household effects the remainder were
killed, the teepees were taken down, and
with the camp equipment were placed
in piles and burned, making the de-
stTuction OF the village complete.