The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-10-29
TELLS OF THE
CUSTER BATTLE
Halfbreed Sioux Scout, Only Survivor
Of Massacre, Relates How Famous
General Fell Dead In
His Arms.

st. Louis.-Curley ("Cnrley the
Crow'), the halfbreed Sioux scout,
now In his seventy-second year, Is the
only survivor Of the Custer massacre,
AT the Planters hotel here he gave
some interesting details, some of them
new, Of the battle OF the Little Big
Horn on June "a. 1876. in which Gus.
ter and practically all OF his command
parishcd.
"A largo Autograph of Clusters Last
Stand" represents the scene truly In
Al respects but one. Curley says.
The artist should not have shown
sscalped and mutilated American sol
diers on the battle field" Curley re-
marked. There was nc scalping and
no mutilation. -Four hundred and
seventy-three soldiers were killed and
not q mark was found on them that
was not made by bullets.
Il al General Clusters scout. He
and the other white men knew me as
Curley. BY some of the Indians / was
cafed Bloody Knife. Though l was a
scout for the army, / was In no dan
ger from the Indians except the dan
ger OF being accidentally shot in bat
tie. The Indians never purposely
killed a scout. Spies they would kill,
but not scouts. They respected scouts
who could speak the Indians Ian
guagc, too. ] knew eleven Indian Ian
guages, and ] could go from the white
soldiers camp to the Indians and
smoke the pipe with the chiefs.
ON the evening before the battle l
ate with Rainin-the-Face. He was my
uncle. brother of my mother, who was
Z full-blooded Sioux. knew Sitting
Bull, but dbl not see him Just at that
time. He was the high priest of the
Sioux. not their leader In battle. He
told me there would be a battle. and
said | must keep out of it. / said l
would stay with General Custer. no
matter what the danger was.
THAT night ] was sent by Custer to
Colonel Reno and Captain
.Bentfne, with their commands. to re-
inforce him.
4 reached Reno first and he refused
to go, saying he and HIS men could not
get across the river. Had he started
1t that time he might have saved Gus.
ter. ] afterward testified ut the court
martial which dismissed him from the
service.
Il went on to Captain Bentine and
started his command at once. They
crossed the same stream which Reno
had been afraid to try and came in the
morning to where a high hill sepa
them from Clusters men, l took
one way over the hill and Bentine
took what he thought was -
shorter way. He did not reach the
place, but his men, under subordinate
ofncers. got there in time to perish
with Clusters men.
A 4 got on the other side OF the
hill I raj In range OF the Indians
guns. While l was still a long way
on my horse was shot under me, ana
l got down and ran until l came into
the thick Of the fighting.
"As ! got there / saw the soldiers
were lying dead right and left. Those
Alb had been surrounded by 6,000
saw Custer fighting with his
saber, and 4 thought he was the last
man alive there, but l soon saw that
his brother. Lieut.. TON" Custer, was
dghting beside him. He fell and Gen
eral Custer stood alone.
The Indians could have killed him
easily before that, but the purpose was
to take him alive. The reason for
that purpose is known to me. aud
shall tell Of 1t in a story I am going
to write. Fourteen Indians whom he
slashed and gashed swith his saber
lay near him. most OF them dead or
''Then / saw Rain-in-the-Face. lie
said harshly: 'Curley. ! told you to
keep out.
~ couldn't get away, / replied;
my horse was shot
4 called to General Custer, meaning
10 tell him OF Reno's refusal to come,
and he said: You here. CurIey?
Wen fight to the end,
Those were his last words. A big
Sioux seized his arm and Custer turn
ed on him and dealt a terrific saber
stroke that half cut his head off. AS
he did this the son Of the Sioux fred
his rihe at Custer and the bullet went
through his heart.
I'm the familiar picture there Is an
Indian seen pushing his way through
toward Custer as he fell. That man
was myself. ! held his head as he
rank back dead.I
No. | GOES TO