Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-08-03
"reminiscences of Custer.

An old soldier, member of Gus
ter's Cavalry, gives the following in
cidents to the public through the
New York Herald
With no note book at hand to aid
me in recalling exact dates, let me
call up some incidents which no his
torian has ever grasped, because his
torians write Of corps, instead OF
brigades.
ale is hard worker, but how will
he fight ?" asked the officers of each
other.
The question was never asked after
our first skirmish. Drawing his saber
and placing himself where he could
lead the line, and just where the
danger was greatest, the "boy Gen
eral" made a speech. 1t was the
briefest appeal on record. Tighten
ing the reins and waving his keen
blade, he shouted: "Come on"
Clusters fate was decided. After
that fight each and every man consid.
cred it worth 81 to get square look
at the General. All! 1t makes au
old soldiers heart pain and ache TO
remember the long campaigns and
the hundred battles through which ho
followed the yellow rirglets. When
Custer was not in front there was no
front. lie asked no troop to charge
where he dared not lead.
| | do not believe that any living
man ever heard General Custer boast
of what he had done or what he
meant to do. Sometimes after hard
fight and victory, he would ride along
the line and quietly remark "We
rather fixed 'em, didn't we boys 2"
but it was not Boosting. Sometimes,
when driven back after doing our
level best, he would say, Gwen whip
that crowd in less than a month, or
Pms Turk !" but he meant it TO oil
over the chagrin which ragged in the
Dos ON OF every trooper.
General Custer not only loved
music for its soothing influence, but
he loved it because is cheered the
men and nerved them up hold dash
or hot encounter. His band was prob
ably more exposed than any other
| in the service The proofs of this
assertion are the scars which some of
the members are carrying to their
graves. Before the war closed every
member OF the band was willing to
make oath that Clusters hobby was
band music.
At Burns Ford the cavalry found
the bluffs on the opposite side of the
river alive with sharpshooters. Custer
must cross, and when he saw that the
sharp shooters must first be routed he
turned to the band. They were order
ed to the front, stationed whore bull
lets whlzzed past their ears, and the
| General remarked:
"When you see me draw my saber
do you strike up Yankee Doodle, and
play for all she's WORTH
He put himself at the head OF his
brigade, drew his saber, and, as the
band struck up, the troopers charged
the ford, crossed it, and routed the
| sharpshootcrs in no time at all.
At Bristow Station the gunners of
a field battery received such vig-
orous reply from another in the hands
of the enemy that the men wayered
a little.
"Where's my band - shouted
Custer, aud when the leader had re-
ported he was ordered to take posi-
ton beside the battery and give the
gunners something lively. The band
went down every man wishing he
was his horn or back in Michigan.
The guns kept roaring, and while
there Is no doubt the band played q
tune, no man could ever be found
who ever heard note. By and by
cosusvsD on HOvsEa RAGE,