Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains by Charles A. Eastman
page 87 of 140 (62%)
page 87 of 140 (62%)
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"The foremost warriors had almost surrounded the white men,
and more were continually crossing the stream. The soldiers had dismounted, and were firing into the camp from the top of the cliff." "My friend, was Sitting Bull in this fight?" I inquired. "I did not see him there, but I learned afterward that he was among those who met Reno, and that was three or four of the white man's miles from Custer's position. Later he joined the attack upon Custer, but was not among the foremost. "When the troops were surrounded on two sides, with the river on the third, the order came to charge! There were many very young men, some of whom had only a war staff or a stone war club in hand, who plunged into the column, knocking the men over and stampeding their horses. "The soldiers had mounted and started back, but when the onset came they dismounted again and separated into several divisions, facing different ways. They fired as fast as they could load their guns, while we used chiefly arrows and war clubs. There seemed to be two distinct movements among the Indians. One body moved continually in a circle, while the other rode directly into and through the troops. "Presently some of the soldiers remounted and fled along the ridge toward Reno's position; but they were followed by our warriors, like hundreds of blackbirds after a hawk. A larger body remained together at the upper end of a little ravine, and fought |
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