Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-14

Tribute FROM AN Ex CONFEDERATE.
Editor Of The Str.-SIR: well remember
the incident mentioned In your edition of
yesterday In General Clusters cavalier con-
duct before bis engagement with the squad
rops under the command Of General ROsser.
happened at the time TO be serving on tenn
porary staff duty with Rosser, and recollect
seeing Custer ride out far TO the front of h:s
troops In gale Mt style, with his King Charles
hat and enormous plume, and approaching
almost within pistol range of Ro5ser, who
1nfently, waived him most graceful salute
Custer then rode back 10 his command, and
r %hnirIing his sabre In the air, ordered the
against repeated impetuous charges. Nine
distinct attacks, L think, were made before
our line was broken. But when broken, and
of the 9th U. s. regulars, there was no rail- y
Ing them, and the retreat became a rodt
Even Rosser, with all bis cooluess a nd
dauntless courage, at length gave up the
task and slowly retired, guarded by his
favorite regiment, the 5th Virginia cavalry.
know much of the almost David aud Jon
athan friendship which existed between
custer and Rosser. They were caums and
constant companions at West Point, and
this personal attachment never ceas, up to
the day OF the hero's death. Rosser, Though
usually tac1turn, would in camp always
brighten up when Clusters name was M sl-
TONED, and he never was in a better mo ID
than when relating before the bivouiac
IRE some wild prank in which he and
Custer were engaged at the Point
When Lee was holding the line OF the r col
dan against Meade in the fall of 1868, after
made by the confederates along the whole.
and Meade, refusing to give battle fell oack
10 Centreville. In this advance movemen
there was little or no lighting by the infan-
try, but very severe engagements by the
cavalry on the TANKS. On the left flank of
the federal army was Pleasanton with Gus
ter; The troops opposing this forcs were
under Jeb. Stuart and Fitz Lee, whom Gus
ter humOrOusly.w wrote ROsSer he had whi pped
at Chantilly. AT Brandy Station, Pleasan-
ton, after Ietreating slowly all day, male a
born fighting the entire dsv. In a ch 4rge
made directly at the station upon q light
battery that was cutting up our men with
snnnph 10 very severely, 1 was unluoky
and discovering my misfortune too late to
remedy 1t, put spurs to my horse and gal
loped through mistake directly into the
ranks Of squad from q regiment whose
troops were made up OF deserters from the
Confederate army. / was treated outrage
ously, literally stripped of everything, and
was about to be shot when Gen. Custer rode
up with his staff and body guard. Seeing
him In his gaudy hussar jacket, wi tn the
Austrian knot OF rank on the arm. sup
posed him one of our officers and hailed in.
He came up to me and seeing my pi iful
condition, and being informed that my cap
tors had threatened to shoot me called nls
fellow being and not a brute; have MIN out
under guard at headquarters" aud t1sn,
turning to an aid, he said, "Pdt those men
under arrest" l remained under quart at
Casters headquarters during the whols of
the retreat, and was treated most nobly and
kindly by the General and all around him,
When he discovered that 1 knew Rosser
well and had served with him, he sent for
me, and never seemed to tire OF interrogat-
Ing me regarding his great friend. never
met man so young who to my mind bore
Tire stamp OF the hero so visibIy impressed
on his countenance; and though daring and
dreadful in the charge, and in the heat OF tue
combat almost merciless, his mild, gentle,
Kindly manner to me when the fight was
over plainly shows what a vast amount of
human Kindness beat beneath that brave
dragoon's breast. To him owed my life
while still IN enemy, and to his memory /
humoly add my testimony to those noble
attributes which those who have ever met
him knew he possessed Ia so remarkable L -
eTee. de was, II deed, sans peltr, sans repr5cte.
w. c., IL