Year: 1876




/ had a narrow escape at the battle of
the Little Big Horn on the 25th and
Goth of June, and l will endeavc ! to
give you my experience of Indian fight
ing. At about ten a. m. on the Goth of
June, after having marched all night,
General Clusters scouts returned and re-
ported that they had discovered an In
dian village, about fifteen miles distant,
on the Little Big Horn, and that from
what they had seen they supposed the
Indians to be retreating before our ad-
vance. We continued our march two or
three miles further, when halt was
ordered, and General Custer began prep
arations for attacking the enemy. Hav-
ing reached the river we forded, and on
reaching the plain beyond the opposite
bank we were ordered into line of bat
tie. Everything being as was ordered,
we started on gallop and for two miles
pursued close on the verge of an inn
mense and binding cloud of dust raised
by the madly flying savages ahead of us.
The dust cloud was so dense that we could
distinguish nothing, so Colonel Reno
halted the battalion, and, after dismount-
ing, formed a skirmish line, the right
flank resting on dry, thickly wooded
creek. When the horses were being led
to shelter in the wood the Indians opened
a CALLING fire on us, which was immedi-
ately responded to, the skirmish cOntinu-
ing for about half an hour. 1t was now
discovered that on the other side of the
creek, in a park-like clearing, there were
a few lodges, and the whole line
crossed the creek to find the lodges
deserted, and be received by about two
hundred yelping, yelling redskins. The
fire from the numerically superior force
necessitated retreat, which was almost
impossible, as we were now surrounded
by warriors. When we entered the en-
gagement we were only one hundred
strong, and the fire of the enemy had
made havoc in our little band.


When we were half way over the
creek, 1, being in the rear, noticed a
guidon planted on the side we had left,
and returned to take it. When coming
through the wood, the guidon entangled
itself in the branches and slipped out of
my hand. dismounted to pick it up,
and led my horse up the south bank of
the creek. As was about to mount,
my horse was struck with a bullet, and
becoming frightened, he ran into the In
dians, leaving me dismOunted in the COM
pany of about three hundred Sioux not
more than fifty yards distant.


They poured whistling volley at me,
but l was not wounded, and managed to
escape to the thicket near by, where /
would have an opportunity of defending
myself, and selling my life at good high
figure. In the thicket l found Mr.. Ge-
rard, the interpreter, a halfbreed Indian,
and Private ONeil, of Company q, 7th
Cavalry. The first two of the quartet
had their horses, while O'Neil, like my.
self, was dismounted. l told the owners
of the horses that the presence of the
animals would betray us, suggesting at
the same time that they be stampeded.
They declined to act Oh the suggestion,
and left them, and crawled through the
thick underwood into the deep, dry bot.
tom of the creek, where l could not easi.
ly be discovered, and from whence
hoped to be able, under cover of dark
ness, to steal out, and rejoin the COM
mand. had not been in this hiding
place more than ten minutes when
heard several pistol-shots fired in my i'm.
mediate vicinity, and shortly thereafter
came the silvery, but to me diabolical
voices of several squaws. l raised my
head with great caution to see what the
women were at, and to discover their
exact location.


found the women at the revolving
work of scalping a soldier who was per
haps not yet dead. Two of the ladie,
were cutting away, while two Others
performed sort of war dance around
the body and its mutilators. Twill not
attempt to describe to you my feelings
at witnessing the disgusting performance
You, as the father of family can i'm
agine what another father would feel or
such terrible occasion. / confess
thought Of my dear wife, my dear chill.
dren, relatives and friends, whom ]
would probably see no more, and there,
before my eyes was being performed
what, in the event of discovery, would
be my fate4 / determined to hope TO the
last, die as had lived and sell my life AZ
dearly rs possible. Finally the squaw'
went away, probably to hunt for more