The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1912-06-15
CLUSTERS LAST FIGHT
The Famous Battle Of The Little Zig
Horn, Where Famous Fighter and
Gallant Soldiers Lost Lives

26th day of this month, the most
desperate of battles was enacted
between soldiers and Indians, on
the Little Big Horn in Montana,
when the gallant 7th Cavalry
and their fearless leader, Gen.
Geo. A. Custer, met their doom,
and when the smoke of battle
had cleared away, the suns RAYS.
fell upon the forms of as brave
a band of soldiers as the world
had ever known, every one died
a heros death.
Much has been said and writ
ten about the fate of this little
band. and many conuadlctlng
opinions expressed, while as each
year passes more incidents come
to light and appeases the public's
Imagination for the time at least;
as from ones Imagination the
picture of the final struggle must
be drawn for not one white
man lived to describe the fight.
No Indian who survived the hat
tie has been found, so far, that
would or could tell the truth, Tor
reasons best known to them
selves. The efforts of many in
this attempt have been in vain,
but one writer admits two of the
Indians who participated in the
fight, stated, the determination
of Custer and his men, lasted
about as long as it takes HUNGRY
wolf to eat square meal.
The following facts are given
from one of the early pioneers Of
the west who had an intimate ac-
quaintance with the men and in
cidents referred to. and gives
the details as near as recollected:
Gen. Geo. A. Custer was one
of the most noted cavalary Off
GERS developed during the war Of
the rebellion. 1t was his fortune
to be in the thick Of the conflict
within a few days after leaving
the training school at West Point,
and from that time until the day
of his death his life was filled
with strenuous work and stirring
adventure, in which he was fire.
quently exposed to deadly peril.
The closing chapter of his life
which came with what is known
as Clusters Last Fight" which
occurred on June 26th, was a
tragedy, but he died fighting like
a soldier and won a heros name
and fame.
For a number of years after
the Civil War, Custer had been
engaged in Indian fighting on the
fontier of the United States.
Many of these engagements were
among the most thrilling in the
history of Indian warfare in this
country.
The famous expedition which
led up to the famous battle OF
the Little Big Horn river was
started on May 18th, 1876, when
General Terry, his officers, OF
whom General Custer was one,
and his troops left Fort Lincoln,
Dakota. Every one realized that
the campaign was likely to be q
decisive one. 1t was planned tc
strike a serious blow -one from
which they could never recover,
The advance was begun under
favorable conditions, and the
Little Big Horn mountait were
reached and the Indian village
located. A slight accident gave
the red men warning. Nobody
knows exactly how the battle
of Little Big Horn was fought
out. The statements made by
the Indians afterwards were al
ways contradictory and unrc'
liable, but they all agreed that
Clusters appearance was indeed q
great surprise. The best eyi-
dence shows that as soon as the
fight began, the Indians closed
in on both right and left anc
this placed Custer at once on the
defensive. Closer and closer the
coil frightened around the brave
little band. One after the othei
they fell, the horses were stam'
peded, the ammunition ran low
no messenger had been able tc
break thru the lines and the NOR
tality among officers and men
were heavy, and still the Indians
came swarming over the hills,
faster than they fell, and closer
up they crept, pouring in a mur-
derous and steady fine. Custer
must have realized the situation