The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-12
GEN. CUsTER.
The Fallen Ber0's war RecOrd-His Gal
inmtry and Romantic Nearing.

m. 7. World
During the four years Of the late war
Custer had risen from the rank OF sec
ond lieutenant to major general OF vol
unteers, getting his first tlieutenancyJuly
IL, 1862, and his captaincy May 8, 1864,
while his brevet steps were major, July
3, 1858; lieutenant colonel, May IL, 1854
colonel, September -; brigadier gen
eral, March 13, 1865; major general,
same day. Among the battles ut which
he was present were Bull Run, York
town, the fights in the Peninsula, South
Mountain, Antietam, the tights In the
Rappahannock campaign, Brandy sta.
ton. Stoneman' raid, Gettysburg and
the Pennsylvania aud Maryland cam
paign, the Wilderness, Todd's Tavern,
Yellow Tavern, Meadow Bridge. Haw's
Shop, Cold Harbof, Trevillian g Station,
the Shenandoah campaign, Opequan'
Cedar Creek, Dinwiddie Courthouse,
Five Forks, Sailors Creek ana Apo
rhattox.
or Gen. Clusters share and conduct IN
this campaign, a contributor says:
He was left to himself, along with
Merritt and Fitzpatrick, three boy-gen-
erals OF cavalry, to do much as they
pleased. OF these three it soon CHANGED
that Custer became the most famous,
and to-day there is no question on this
point. Merritts name is only remem-
bered by military men, and little known
outside of the army, and the exploits OF
Fitzpatrick, the lecturer and politician,
have almost entirely eclipsed the deeds
or the young officer who gained the
nickname OF "Kill Cavalry" in the Army
of the Potomac on account OF his head
long rashness. When Custer was placed
in command OF the Michigan Cavalry
Brigade ut first, Fitzpatrick was his chief,
and the rash way in which the two
young men used to slash about was
productive OF many severe checks u
them; but in these affairs the wonder
full luck OF Custer soon became noto
rious, and he and his chief repeatedly y
escaped from the most overwhelming
odds by dint Of nothing but sheer dash
and headlong fighting their way out ol
scrapes. The style of dress adopted by
Custer ut this time had much to do witt
his notoriety and gave him his first repu
tation. BY stretching to its utmost
limits the then very elastic regulations
for army uniform, he managed to attire
himself In costume that strongly re-
sembled that of one of the gaudy cava
liers Of Charles 1. IS wars. A black velve
Jacket and loose trousers, all covered
with gold lace, with high boots and ,
broad shadowy hat were certainly re
markable costume when they first made
their appearance on an American brig
adler general. When the loose, blue
sailors shirt, with silver star on the
collar, was tied at the neck with bril-
liant scarlet nectie, the romantic and pic
turesque effects OF this costume wert
heightened; and when to these were
added bright golden ringlets OF hal
flowing down the boy-leader's back th'
picture Of romance was completed. IhB
brilliant figure was every day to be seer
and every battle found 1t in the ad
vance, among or in advance OF the mel
I'm the skirmish line. The eviden
bravery and dash Of the handsome boy
general captivated every one, and the
alteration OF his men was complete. Al
time passed on, and the grim hard worf
Of the campaign OF 1864 superseded th'
brilliant, dashing style OF the cavalr!
battles OF 1868, the character OF Custer
seemed to change. One thing, he wal
taken away from his rash chief, ant
under a new and more cautious leader
with steady old Devin beside him in the
next brigade, had not so many opportu
mites for brilliant exploits.
The fall OF 1864, however, found hin
In independent command OF division
and 1t was in that campaign, and espe
cially in the closing struggles of the
lost cause in April, 1865, that Custe
first showed the QUALITIES OF a peIIec
cavalry general. The old headlont
rashness made its appearance now onl!
as judicious intrepidity, and by hi
wonderful sagacity and dash, joined Il
his usual luck, Custer managed in th'
Five Forks campaign to capture SOM
fifty guns and such number OF Grim
son battle flags that all the air seemed
ahame behind bin as he rode by at tn
last review at Washington with his cap
lures.
1t is safe to say that out Of the civi
war Custer carried reputation o
greater brilliancy than that ofany office
OF his years, and next to Sheridan h
deserved 1t by the lustre of his later vic
tories, and no man was so closely identi
fled in the popular mind with the idea
OF dash, romance and success. The oni
leader to compare with him in this re
spect was the great Southern leader }
4. b. Stuart.