The Cairo bulletin., 1904-06-27
SURVIVOR or
CUSTER BAND
Put on Retired List--TelIs Graphic
Story Of the Terrible
Massacre.

Baltimore, June I6.@Joln -. MAJ /
tn the bugler with Clusters com
mand, who escaped death in the mas
sacrc OF the Little Big Horn BY being
sent back for reinforcepiants, has
been put on the army retired list ana
is spending the last days Of his life
in selling refreshments to his former
comrades at little stand just outsioe
the main entrance to Fort Mclienry
this city
In conversation today he told the
story OF the terrible massacre Said
hb:
I'VE came upon the banks Of the
Little Biz Horn al 1880 o'clock IN
the morning, and across the waters
we saw a village Of several hundred
tepeos. Custer called halt.
"Men, Ao said, pointing TO the vii
lage, the Streets of which were dc,
serted save for an occasional stray
eur, halfnakcd child or bent OLD wo,
man. we have come upon the Sioux
village while the warriors are away
hunting butfaloes We will go down
there. take possession OF the camp
and fall upon the men when they re-
turn tired with hunting
"The men all waved their caps and
gave three cheers. Custer had a con
sultation with his officers Then cali
ing me, he borrowed paper ana pencil
from Adiutant Cook and wrote this
message: Join me at once, bringing
the pack trains, He Told me to find
Reno and Bentaen and deliver the pa
per 10 them
ut was a hard ride Of three miles
and my horse was wounded III the
hin by bullet from an Indian in am
hash. bat pushed on anti ! reached
Canain Bantcen, soon after ! got 70
him Major Reno came dasbug up
calling TO the captain that he Mad
been ambushed and had lett fifteen
men and two officers dead u9on the
field. besides a number Of wounded
When We reached the scene of this
engagement the Indians had fed,
THE two officers joined and press,
ed on TO Custer We arrived at about
II O'Clock upon a bluff at the head OF
n narrow ravine down which Custer
had gone, to see the river bank
simply swarmng vita the naked.
painted foras Of Sitting Bulls braves
The end was just in orr view and
remember well how close the forces
were to each other.
THE Indians had by this time en-
tirely surrounded Clusters men amt
closed In nnen the'n, fighting hand 20
hand remember the hideous ap
paarance Of the braves in their wal
paint, with the skins VI wolves anc
antclopes in theIT hands, which tne}
shook in. the faces Of our troopers
horses, rendering them nmanase
able.
"You have often seen tho paintings
ef Clusters last fight Well, they are
not exaggerated in their detail, anf
with the terrible din the Indians KEEP
M YOU can wen imagine that 1t wa
an awful eene.
u do NOT remember seeing Custe
in the mvlae, Tor he was in the cth'e
~ his division. which vas formed Il
souare }Ee also had little time Il
think. AS tbe enemy pressed upon u
Immediately. Retrcating to highe
ground, we formed y square, IN m
center of which the supplies WeF
placej. There we waited for the ~
tack. II came and we got enough Q
If. For two days and two nights W
tonight. losing men every hour an
constantly seeing in orr imaginatio
tho time drawne near wien W
would be burned at the stake or rec
thai gripping in our hair
From ocloelt on June % I'M
carly morning Of June u We remain
"a Then. when the dawn was li'
stroaking the SKY. we heart q gffa
whiFling in our rear At iir% "
thought that the number u or y
eiegers were 10 be increased anu
did not cheer Us very much you "a
he sure. but it turned out to be o'
reinforcements galioping near,
every minute and. III tell YOU Il Wa
the sweetes music we ever near
General Gibbons and General leti
were With our troops ana Sc WEI
saved.
we found Custer lying par'ly co
cred by two horses. just as il inc M
had tried to form a breastwork va
The animals There were two huit
bnle4 in bis body. but it was not II
tiiatel The Indians refrained ITO
doing this ont of respect fer his hsf
ing qualities. but the other men We
fearfplly mujilatei-naeked TO piee
with kniyes-a ghsstly scene