THE INDIAN WAR IN AMERICA

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 678, 22 August 1876, Page 3

THE INDIAN WAR IN AMERICA

Tho following full particulars of the great slaughter, of General Custer's force is published in the San Francisco papers : STILLWATER, Montana, July 2nd—Taylor, a scout for General Gibbon, got here last night, direct from Little Horn River. General Custer found an Indian camp of about 2000 lodges on the Little Horn, and immediately attacked the camp. Custer took five companies and charged the thickest portion of the camp. Nothing is known of tho operations of this detachment, only as they trace it by the dead. Major Reno commanded the other seven companies, and attacked the lower portion of the camp. The Indians poured in a murderous fire from all directions. The greater portion of them fought on horseback, Custer, his two brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law were all killed, and not one of his detachment escaped. Two hundred and seven men were buried in one place, and the number of killed is estimated at 300, with only thirtyone wounded. The Indians surrounded fieno'a command, and held them one day in the hills, cut off from water, until Gibbon's command came in sight, when they broke camp in the night and left. The Seventh fought like tigers, and were overcome by

mere brute force. The Indian loss cannot be estimated, as they bore off and cached most of their killed. The remnant of the Seventh Cavalry and Gibbon's command are returning to the mouth of the Little Horn, where a steamboat lies. The Indians got all the arms of the killed soldiers. There were seventeen commissioned officers killed. The whole Custer family died at the head of their column. The exact loss is not known, as both Adjutants and the Hergeant-Major were killed. The Indian camp was from three to four miles long, and was twenty miles up the Little Horn from its mouth. The Indians actually pulled our men off their horses in some instances.

BosMAN (Montana). July 3rd.—Taylor, bearer of despatches from Little Horn to Fort Ellis, arrived this evening and reports the following :—•' The battle was fought on the 25th, thirty or forty miles below the Little Horn. Custer attacked the Indian village of from 2500 to 3000 warriors on one side, and Colonel Reno was to attack it on the other. Three companies were placed on a hill as a reserve. General Custer and fifteen officers and every man belonging to the five companies were killed. Reno retreated under the protection of the reserve. The whole number oE killed was 315. General Gibbons joined Reno. The Indians left the battle ground. It looked like a slaughter pen, as it really was, being in a narrow ravine. The dead were very much mutilated. The situation now looks serious. General Terry arrived at Gibbons' camp on a steamboat and crossed the command over and accompanied it to join Custer, who knew it was coming before the fight occurred. Lieut Crittenden, son of General Crittenden, was among the killed. New Yokk, July 7th, —A special from Winona, Minnesota, says a steamer has arrived with fifty wounded, and news of the fight on the Big Horn on the 25th. Orders had been issued by Terry to Custer to proceed up the Rosebud in pursuit of Indians, whose trail was found by Major Reno a few days before. When the trail was found. Custer was \to proceed south to the headwaters of Tongue River, then turn toward the Big Horn, so as to prevent the Indians from escaping to the south or south-east. Gibbon's column was to move up as far aB the Big or Little Big Horn. The plan was thus to enclose the Indians between the two columns, if they were found on the Little Big Horn. Custer was directed to keep Gibbon informed of his operations. The infantry with Gibbon's column arranged to reach the mouth of the Big Horn on the evening of June 7tb, when Custer was to communicate with him, and be governed by bis directions in the fight to follow. Custer struck the Indian camp on on the 25th, and, instead of wailing for Gibbon, at once attacked the Indians, in two bodies, one led by Custer, the other by. Reno. Custer took Companies C, L, I, and F, of the Seventh Cavalry, and charged the thickest portion of the Indian camp. After a brief and desperate fight, every man of his force way killed, Reno, with the other companies, attacked the lower portion of the' camp. The Indians surrounded and held them one day under fire. They were only oaved from annihilation by the opportune arrival of Gibbon's force. Reno reports seventyseven killed and wounded, besides four civilians. The total loss is placed at fifteen officers and about three hundred men, of whom two hundred and sixty-one have been buried, and fifty-two wounded have been brought away. About 3500 Indians were engaged, and they are supposed to have suffered a heavy loss. The total force engaged against them was 426 men. The officers killed are General Custer, Captains Custer, Keogh and Yates, Lieutenants Calhoun, Smith, Hodgson, Mcintosh, Porter, Sturgis, Cook, Harrington, and Reilly. The survivors of Reno's force remained two days in the field, burying the dead and caring for the wounded. The command is now at the mouth of the Big Horn, waiting to refit. General Terry has submitted, through Colonel Smith, his plan of campaign to General Sheridan, and the action to be taken will depend on the answer given. Meanwhile, Terry will await supplies of provisions and clothing, of which his command is nearly destitute.