The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-08-03
Custer and "Jack" Sturgis.


There is great sorrow expressed here
over the terrible death of General Gus
ter, so well known and admired for his
gallant bravery. The first time saw
him was during the grand review Of
troops which passed through Washing
ton at the close of the war. Custer, at
the head of his cavalry brigade, looked
almost boyish, with his light broad
brimmed felt hat shading his face, and
his long, light hair falling down upon
his shoulders. He wore a long scarlet
tie, which was a very effective touch of
color among the mOnOtOnOus dark-blue
coats of the preceding infantry, and
officers and men, following their dash
ng leader, all adopted the Custer tie,
and as the, thousands of mounted vet
Grams passed by the grand stand, the
flowing scarlet ties gave a wonderful
brillianey to the moving columns, in
connection with their FURNISHED sabres
and carbines. General Custor rode his
coal-black charger, which had carried
him through many a bloody battle of
the civil war, and which, from its ungov-
ernable temper, and several suggest
lively satanic characteristics, had been
named Devil. As Custer was about sa-
luting the President and others gathered
upon the grand stand, Devil took the
bit into his own keeping and reared
and plunged and dashed along in most
terrible manner; but his rider, with a
graceful self-pOssession | can never for
get, rose in his stirrups, and, while
holding the furious animal with one
hand, made the required salute with
sword and hat, and then shot by like an
arrow, leaving in his wake a perfect
shower of fragrance, shaken from the
flowers with which his horse and him.
self We're literally borne down.
Another face which has haunted me
by day and by night, ever since the fear
ful news was promulgated, is that OF
young boy, hardly in his twenties, who
only graduated last year from West
POiiit, a good student, thor Ough gen
tleInaG, aud brave and conscientious
Ali Jack Sturgis, with your honest,
hunelv face, A. your soft, appealing
large own efss, rour pleasant smile
and your : n e, touching manners, l
can not endure 70 think your bright,
fine young tie has zen extinguished
by the murderoIis kuii1-of 2 painted
savage. Is this the result OF 4 West
Point education? To be reared and
carefully tended in order to sacrifice
life on an Indian battle field,
The gods forbid General Sturgis COM
manded the unfortunate Seventh Cav
airy, and he, and his sweet-faced wife,
from whom Jack inherited his lovable
qualities, have TO weep over the I'M
timely death Of their oldest born, whose
remains have not been found, and
whose bullct-pierced clothing, discov-
cred inside the Indian village, suggests
the fearful thought that the poor lad
was captured and then put to death by
slow torture.
Only two short weeks ago he wrote
to young lady friend in this city a
lone letter, in which he graphically
described Sitting Bull and his daughter,
the acknowledged belle and beauty of
the tribe, "a great fat creature, hideous
with tattoos and bedecked with beads
and cheap iewelry, but, notwithstand-
ING, the acme of feminine attractions
in the eyes of the young Indian braves,
all of whom are eager to win the
maiden's heart and hand" His letter
closes with the portentous words,
| "GOod-by. Perhaps | am bidding you
nv last farewell, as am ordered out
couple of days hence to be scalped by
the red-men." Washington Cor. Cir
cinnati Gazette.