Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23
SITTING BULL.

ponies became so startled that they
reared and jumped against one an
other, SO that the Indians could not
Gre with accuracy. To this fact we
owe our lives. We fired about eight
shots. I am sure I saw two Indians fall
and two ponies gallop away riderless and
am certain that some who chung to their
ponies were MORALLY wounded. Capt.
DeRudio was a remarkably quick and &C
curate shot with a pistol. We then ran.
one shot being fired at us in our flight.
Having run about 80 yards we came to a
spot where during a freshet some
logs had jumped up against three cot
tolwood stumps, forming perfect
breastworks with an open space in
'front.' across which Indians would have to
pass to reach u.s. We jumped behind the
logs, when we shook hands and each de-
clared he would not run any farther-if we
had to die we would die there. l had just
twenty-five cartridges left for my carbine
and twelve for the revolver. We decided
that the captain use both pistols and 1 the
carbine.
about the time we found our fort we
heard a fierce musketry fire on the hill
about mile away from US. The Indians
had attacked Maj. Reno's command.
suppose two thousand or more-1ndians.
mounted, charged on tie troopers. We
heard the command respond beautifully.
They kept up regular roar of nusketry
on the advancing Indians until the latter
had to retreat, losing many of their num-
bers. In the meantime we kept a constant
lookout for Indians in direction, but
had determined not to fire until forced to.
We saw several Indians, but did not
shoot, as we did not want to dis
close our position. Although they did
not know where were. several
shots were fired in direction, some
striking the logs. 1 was. not nervous at
that time, as l had became desperate Sur
render was not to be thought of. as that
meant torture.
X
There was second charge up the hill
against the troops, but the Indians were
again driven off. This was followed by a
desultory fire by the Indians. picking off
several of the command. many of whom
had no covering other than sage
bush from which to shoot behind. 1t was
now about o'clock on the morning of
June 26. and about this time we saw
great bands of squaws and children passing
along the river bottom toward the noun
tans
Fortunately they could not see u.s. 1t took
them more than an hour to pass They
seemed quite merry, as some were singing
and shouting. After they had passed we
could not see an Indian anywhere but
knew they were on the bluffs over us, as
we could tell that there was an occasional
charge upon them by the troopers. 1t was
about o'clock, l think, when the Indians
made their last charge. and it was a des-
perate one. fiercer than any of the pre-
ceding ones.
THE position held by Reno was on top
of the highest bluff. where there was a fiat
tableland perhaps a hundred yards square,
around which the troops We're formed in
line. AS the ground sloped away in every
direction. with deep cuts and washes run
ming away from it, the Indians were
obliged to climb the sides of the bluff to
reach the soldiers. In the last charge some
of the Indians got to the top of the bluff
before they were killed. If they had ever
succeeded in breaking the line held by the
troops not one of the men in blue would
have been left to tell the tale for the
Indians with their vastly superior numbers
would have annihilated them. Nearly all
Of the troopers horses were killed
Maj. Reno led q party of volunteers down
deep cut that ran into the river behind
| them with camp kettles in order to get
water for the men, who were suffering in
tensely from parched threats on that burn
ing hot day. At the foot Of the hill they
had to pass an open space where for fifty
yards they were exposed to a heavy fire
from the Indians as they dashed to tie
river to fill the kettles Many of the men