The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-12-28
CUSTER.

"reminiscences of the Hero's Military Career.
Sheldon & Co. have in press ssLife
of Gen. Custer, +" written by Capt. Fred.
Whitaker. which contains many in
teres:lng sketches Of his career IN the
war of the rebellion. One of his most
famous charges, familiarly known as
the Woodstock races, is thus described
by Capt. Whitaker, who was an eye
witness:
And now occurred one Of those little
incidents that stamp the innate ro-
nance of Clusters character on his
biography, like the echo of his famous
last speech at the academy, ssLet us
have fair fight, boys Here it was,
fair and square and no favor, perhaps
the first in the war. No infantry to
bother the horse, numbers about equal,
his first fight as division command
er, and Rosser in sight. Out rode
Custer from his staff, far in advance
Of the line, his glistenlng figure in
plain view of both armies, Sweeping
off his broad sombrero, he threw it
down to his knee in a profound salute
to the honorable foe. 1t was the &C
ton of a knight in the lists. A fair
fight and no malice. On the ridge be-
fore him was seen ROsser, his class
mate at the academy, with whom he
had held many wordy contest in
days of old, and who had been his
great rival at ssthe Point" Rosser had
but just come into the valley, and was
already hailed as its savior. He saw
Custer, and turned to his staff, point
ing him out. "You see that officer
down there said he. CHATS Gen.
Custer the Yanks are so proud of, and
intend to give him the best whipping
to-day that he ever got. See if |
DOM t."
And he smiled triumpha. y as he
looked around at his gallant southern
cavaliers.
Then Custer lifted the hat and
clapped it on his head, turned to his
line of men, and the next moment the
Third division was sweeping on at a
trot, the flaming scarlet necktie and
bright curls of Custer before all, fol-
lowed by his staff, all with swords out.
Now the pace quickens. Rosser's and
Lomax's guns open furiously at short
er range, and the rafting of vOlleys
rolls along the Confederate line. The
bullets 60 pattering around, whistling
overhead, knocking up the dirt. killing
or woundlng a few horses and men,
but doing surprisingly little damage,
all things considered. The trOt has be-
come gallop, and as the pattering Of
bullets become heavier, a wild, savage
yell breaks from every throat in that
long wave of cavalry, and away they
90. the lines lost in confused clumps
of horsemen, with waving sabers, the
horses crazy with excitement, leaping
half out of their skins as they race for
the Confederate batteries and lines Of
cavalry.
Clusters attack, arranged in full
sight of Rosser, yet proved trium-
phantly successful. One brigade in
front, another to the right, the third
to the left, they swept on at charge,
not needing the fire, curled around
Rosser's TANKS in moment, and be-
fore he could tell what had happened,
had him inciosed in semi-circle of
charging horse. Vain were all his ef-
forts when his flank was threatened.
Had the attack been made on foot he
might have had time to think, but the
sudden and impetuous rush of a whole
division completely dem0ralized the
Confederates. Despite Rosser's ef.
forts. away they went into the wild
est of confusion, driven back in gal
lop for nearly two miles.
Gen. Custer was promoted at one
bound from lieutenant of cavalry to
be brigadier general. At the time
that ii occurred it was entirely unex-
pected. Custer hal. however, felt from
| the beginning of his career a full con
viction that he would win distinction
in the war. In his open and frank way
he1had1 often spoken of it to his brotheI
officers at their long freight talks.
He lad received good deal Of ridicule
or this point from his comrades. AT
tae BATH. 4of Aldie, Lieut. Custer may
be said to have almost alone turned
defeat into one of our most brilliant
cavalry victories. His biographel
says:
One evening, IL days after Aldie
when Custer returned to headquarters
after long ride in which he had beer
posting the Iickets Of the entire corp!
for the night, he was greeted in thu
large tent, where the staff was won
to gather at night, by the salutations
..Hallo, General !" How are you
General I" Gentlemen, Gen. Custer +
|..Why, General, congratulate you +
.You're looking well. General!' Tn,
greetings came from all quarter 8 Of tn
tent, where staff officers were l0ung
ing, smoking, chatting, laughing. tell
ing stories. They impressed Custe1
as being merely q continuation of tn
usual ill-natured banter ON the subjec
of his aspirations. and, further, a
being carried little too far. How
ever, he had always been noted fO1
his remarkable control over q hot ant
hasty temper, and be was not going 4
allow his comrades to laugh him on
of it on this occasion. Still it VA
with some bitterness that he answered
..you may laugh, boys. Laugh =
long - yon please, but ! will be
i general yet. for all your chan. Yol
seeifI don't, that's al" He va
f9reeted BY ! universal shout OF laugh