The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-12-04


lodge and fired at the charging caval-
rymen. During the fight Black Kettle
was killed.
The village was instantly aroused.
The Indians, who slept I'm the clothes
they wore by day, poured out of their
lodges, some fleeing, others making
a stand and firing at the dimly dis
cerned troops.
The cavalrymen charged through
the village, shooting and cutting
down the surprised Indians. Custer
had given orders not to kill women
and children, but in the confusion this
could not be avoided.
After the first surprise the indians
made stand in a gully, from which
protected spot they poured CALLING
fire into Clusters command. His
losses in killed and wounded mainly
came from this quarter. The hostiles
in the gully were outflanked, and were
either killed or fed.
Mr. Post relates an incident of the
fight, of which he was an eye witness.
corpulent Indian jumped on pony's
back and with his wife behind, gal
loped Off A shot killed the horse.
The riders were thrown, the pony's
body falling on the woman and crush
ing her The Indian was shot and
killed as he floundered on the ground.
The sun was well up when the fight
ing ceased. The male Indians had
either been killed or had escaped.
Many women and children also es-
capped. The captured women and
children were put under guard.
A notable instance of Juvenile In
dian fighting ferocity occurred at this
battle. A boy of ten years, who was
shooting at the troops, was COM
manded by Major Benteen to surren-
der. Instead of surrendering he shot
twice at the officer, one of the bullets
being detected by the saddle pommel.
Major Benteen in self defense was
compelled to kill the lad.
Burn the Village.
After the shooting had ceased the
destruction of the village commenced.
The lodges and their contents were
burned. Bales of buffalo robes and
great quantities of jerked buffalo
meat were destroyed by fire.
There were 300 ponies in the vii
| lage. AS it was impracticable to hold
this herd and drive them to Camp
Supply, Custer gave orders to kill
them. After the squaws had selected
the ponies they needed to carry them
to Camp Supply, the remainder were
shot down.
When Custer attacked Black Ket-
ties village he supposed that he was
dealing with a single winter encamp-
ment of Indians. Instead, the Wash
tia bottoms were thick with the win
ter camps of the Cheyenne, Arrapa-
hoe and Kiowa tribes. Excepting
that the villages were separated, it
was almost a continuous camp for
thirty miles. Custer had struck the
head of the camp when he attacked
Black Kettles band.
While the village was being de-
stroyed mounted Indians appeared on
horseback on the bluffs. They had
camped further down the Washita
and had been attracted by the sounds
of firing.
Meantime Clusters command was
anxious for the safety of Major FL
| lots detachment. Sounds of firing
had been heard in the direction he
had taken, but no other knowledge of
his whereabouts or fate was known.
Weeks afterwards the mutilated bod
les of Elliot and his two dozen caval-
rymen were found Not a single man
had escaped.
Custer Plans Return.
1t was late in the afternoon when
Custer had complied the work of de-
struction and was prepared to move.
From the captives he learned that he
had fought but small number of the
Indians encamped on the Washita
This made it advisable for him to re-
turn to Camp Supply. But he deter
mined first to make a feint of attack
ing the villages below. With the band
at the head of the column playing
Garry Owen, Custer headed for the
villages farther down. The mounted
| Indians, who had been watching his
movements, disappeared.
Custer then swung around and
started on his return to Camp Sup
ply. While the troops were on their
march they were cheered by the sight
of the wagon train, with its supplies
of ammunition and food, which had
! hurriedly followed on the trail made
by the cavalry.
Couriers were sent ahead with dis
patches to General Sheridan inform
ing him of the victory. Two days
after Clusters command reached
Camp Supply. 1t had been arranged
with Sheridan that he should review
TEN. The command halted a mile out
of camp to arrange for the review
and gave the Usage scouts time to
fantastically paint themselves.
First came the band playing that
livellest of airs, Garry Owen. Then
the scouts with the celebrated Cali
| fOrnia Joe, riding a mule, as was his