The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-08-17
CUSTER.
Reminiscence of the DGshiIog CaVatry
Leader.
year.

Leader.
BY Gen. Rosser, of Minneapolis, formerly OF thu
Confederate Army.
City Engineer Gen. Rosser, of Mime,
apolis, Mimi, publishes a card thiseven,
ing relating to the death of Gen. Custer,
in which he says:
From what can gather from Gen.
Terry's instructions to Gen. Custer, it is
quite evident that it was expected, if not
expressed, that Custer should attack the
savages wherever found, and as to the
manner Of attack, of course that was left
to the discretion and judgment Of Gen.
Custer; and viewing the circumstances
Of this fatal attack from my standpoint,
fail to see anything very rash in the
planning of it, or reckless in its attempt
ed execution. On the contrary, I feel
that Custer would have succeeded had
Reno with all the reserve of seven COM
panies passed through and Joined Custer
after the first repulse. I think it quite
certain that Gen. Custer had agreed with
Reno upon place Of junction in case Of
the repulse of either or both of the de-
tachments, and instead of an effort being
made by Reno for such junction,
as soon as he encountered heavy resist
ance he
TOOK REFUGE IN THE HILLS,
and abandoned Custer and his gallant
comrades to their fate. 1t is useless to
say that Custer should have amused those
Indians as he reached them, or diverted
their attention until Gen. Terry could
come up with reinforcements, for, al
though it is stated that Gen. Terry was
only twenty or thirty miles off, and he
moved by forced marches, he did not
reach the scene of the disaster until three
days after its occurrence. The Indians
were running, and it is very evident to
my mind that Gen. Terry expected them
to make every possible effort to escape,
and Custer was doubtless ordered to pur-
sue them, cut of their retreat to the
south, and to
TRIVE THEM BACK UPON TERRY
and Gibbon, and, thus hemmed in be-
tween these commands, they were to be
2ruched. To do this, it was necessary
Tor Custer to strike them wherever found
and by vigorous blows and hot pursuit
ne was to drive them into the trap which
Terry had set for them. Infantry on ex-
petitions against Indians can only be
lsed as guards for supply trains, and in
pursuit of Indians upon a mission such
Is Clusters they are as useless as fox
hounds in pursuit of wild geese. It was
when the expedition was sent
tut that Custer and the Seventh cavalry
we're to do all the fighting, and superbly
lid portion of them do it. As a soldier
would sooner to day lie in the grave of
Zen. Custer and his gallant comrades
lone in that distant wilderness, that
'hen the last trumpet sounds could
Use to Judgment from my post of duty, g.,
han to live in the place of the survivors
f the siege on the hills. {
knew Gen. Custer well; have known a
i'm intimately from boyhood, and, being
n opposite sides during the late war, we
ften met and measured strength on the
elds of Virginia, and I can truly say !
ow that I never met a more enterpris- Il
lg, gallant, or dangerous an enemy dur G
1g those four years of terrible war, or '
lore genial, whOle-souled, chivalrous q
and friend in peace than Maj. :
len. George A. Custer. Respectfully,
T. L. RossER. r
THE Methodist EPISCOPAL General :