▁the ▁Si oux ▁d art ed ▁at ▁the ▁fl anks ▁of ▁the ▁army , ▁seeking ▁weak ▁sp ots . ▁ ▁Art illery ▁fire ▁disc ou rag ed ▁the ▁Si oux ▁from ▁con greg ating ▁in ▁large ▁numbers . ▁ ▁An ▁Indian ▁thrust ▁at ▁Sul ly ' s ▁rear ▁was ▁broken ▁up ▁by ▁an ▁art illery ▁shell ▁that ▁fel led ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁war riors . ▁Sul ly ' s ▁square ▁of ▁soldiers ▁advanced ▁stead ily . ▁The ▁Si oux ▁quickly ▁realized ▁that ▁they ▁could ▁not ▁hope ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁soldiers ▁back ▁and ▁they ▁shift ed ▁their ▁focus ▁to ▁pack ing ▁up ▁their ▁tip is ▁and ▁equipment ▁and ▁protect ing ▁the ▁flight ▁of ▁their ▁women ▁and ▁children . ▁ ▁Att empt ing ▁to ▁halt ▁Sul ly ' s ▁advance , ▁the ▁Si oux ▁mounted ▁charges ▁on ▁his ▁right ▁and ▁left ▁fl anks , ▁the ▁Y ank ton ai ▁and ▁S ante e ▁attack ing ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁and ▁the ▁T eton ▁on ▁his ▁left . ▁ ▁Major ▁Alfred ▁B . ▁Bra ck ett ▁and ▁his ▁Minnesota ▁Battalion ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁mounted ▁their ▁horses ▁and ▁launched ▁a ▁counter - charge , ▁supported ▁by ▁art illery . ▁He ▁scattered ▁the ▁Indians ▁after ▁close ▁qu arters ▁fighting ▁with ▁sab ers ▁and ▁p ist ols . ▁A ▁ren owned ▁hero ▁of ▁the ▁front ier ▁and ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁L t . ▁George ▁North rup , ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁charge . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁getting ▁dark ▁as ▁Sul ly ▁ne ared ▁the ▁Si oux ▁village . ▁