Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1877 — CUSTER. [ARTICLE]

CUSTER.

An Indiau Description of tho General’s Last Battle. [Fort Kllis (Montana) Cor. New York Tribune.] One of Gen. Miles’ scouts, an ex-sol-dier named Howard, who married a niece of Sitting Bull, in whose camp he lived some time, reached the Tongue river cantonment on the 17th. Howard talked with the Indians regarding the Custer massacre, who, in consideration of his residence among and relationship with them, talked to him as one of themselves. They state that many of Custer’s men were killed by mounted Indians, who ran over them and killed them with their knives. The poor fellows were huddled together here and there, and fought at great disadvantage; yet they killed a great many of their assailants, fighting desperately to the last. Sitting Bull asserted that the battle lasted only thirty minutes all told, ending with the death of Custer and a few men and officers who rallied around him. This forlorn hope had gotten off some distance, and could have escaped; but, unfortunately, Custer changed his mind, turned, and ordered a charge. The devoted party rushed upon the Indians with revolvers, shooting down the astonished savages right and left. Custer killed five himself, when, his pistol emptied, and the foe pressing about him, he closed with a grappling savage, and, beating out his brains with the butt, was shot as his victim fell to the ground. This doubtless true story supports the theory advanced by military men at the time of the massacre—the idea of some desperate final act receiving support from the position and location of the group of bodies about Custer, viz., that he, seeing his command annihilated, and fearing to face the consequences, or scorning to live when his soldiers lay dead about him, had deliberately rushed to certain death. His body was not recognized at first, the Indians thinking him a scout; but, being soon identified, all that remained of the famous General was propped up against the corpses of two soldier's, and so left to receive the advancing but toolate troops. Poor Tom Custer’s heart was not cut out, as previously reported, but he was barbarously killed with knives. Lieut. Sturgis was knocked off his horse, shot and killed, his body stripped-and thrown into the river. It must be Sturgis’ death which is thus described, as the Indians tell of this poor fellow as a young warrior who rode with a buckskin coat strapped to his saddle, and it is known he was so equipped. They also relate that two soldiers, who threw down their guns and surrendered, were turned loose and advised “to return to their people and tell them all the whites would follow Custer unless they would let the Sioux alone. ” The poor fellows left, but the next day, probably crazy from fright, attempted to return, when they encountered some Indians who had been engaged against Reno, and were killed. Howard recognized many Custer trophies in the camp, among them Cook’s “saddle and accouterments.