Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-30
CUSTER AND HIS THREE HUNDRED
JOAQUIN MILLER.

JISGEh AND MIS- AhhEE hONOhED
JOAQUIN MILLER.
When the world s GOD dumb with wonder,
" hen the land lay tore aSunder,
nd the smoke OF battles thunder
Rolled from, out the lifts and rents,
" reathing, wrapping battle tents,
Where the giants march and muster,
columns, regiments,
Through the 6attle's storm and bluster
Rose and rode the gentle Custer.
Where is CUSTER" came the cry,
When men meet TO do or die.
Where is Custer? "a mons rattle
From the blazing bank of battle,
Booming, booming, answer back:
q LO! afrOnt the rush and rattle,
Riding down deaths battle-track,
SWORD In air, and hair blown back,
LO! a boy leads men TO 0attle."
Peace walked down a lane of grasses;
Laughing m aids and merry laSses;
Twinlng wreaths of rose and laurel
For their hero of the quarrel,
blushing, asked tor Custer.
. Where the west winds wave and bluster,
LoI the brave boy rides afar,
Like some distant sliding star,
Agairst the border speck of war;
Shame walked shamelG IS in the land,
LoI my boy lifts voice and hand!
They strike! He, stricken, turns to go,
Disgraced, degraded. But where
He does not know. He does not care.
He does not QueStiOn-seek to know,
Save that 1t ne to front the foe.
And this for all his battles done?
And this for all his glories won?
Where now is Custer? Side by side,
See! all his blood and brothers ride,
They rally with united will,
As il to bear and share the shame
Thus set upon q soldiers name.
For they who know him love him still.
He leadsI They charge! They follow fast!
They fall like tall trees in blast,
They range around with lifted brow
Tis death or vindication now!
VI.
o Fod the dead men fill the fioodl
o Goi! brave young brothers blood!
D God! the tumult of that heart
As he strikes With e Sa snSif u &ss,
AS each brave man bears his part
And silent looks his last farewell,
Silent fronts the fearful yell,
Silent fronts the face of hell.
There's blood, There's brothers blood to-day
Red blood that shall remain Away
On your high hands, wash as ye may,
My country IS leaders. Loud and vain
Ne sit On your high seats and plan
For Presidents. Ne scheme, and scan
Your selfish selves. The while the Sioux
and settlers tangle in skein
That only Sabres can cut through.
VIII.
The long strong grasses bend the head
In patient pity Ger the dead
In brothers pity for the brave
Three hundred in their Spartan grave;
In mother pity for the true
Ana country loving taWny Sioux,
Perchance in ghOstland once again
They meet along the lawleSS plain.
And rove with driving winds and rain.
Yea, who shall calf him rash, or chide
From some safe place this man who died,
With all his kindred at his side?
Not his TO question wrong or right,
They babe him seek the foe to ngnt!
Some rocks with mOnOgrams OF red
And these are all that man may read
OF Custer and his comrades dead.
D Custer and thine comrades, where
Have We pitched rent in fields of air?
Above the Rocky Mountains brow
In everlasting glory now,
Ye shine like some high shaft OF light,
Ee march above the bounds OF night,
And some strong singer yet shall rise
And lift your glory to the skies
In some grand song of wild delight.
Where gentlest maidens linger long
To weep above a tale Of wrong
And now where fame and martial glory
Points her proudest page and story,
There shall Clusters War-cry ring,
And II turn 10 ye TO-DAY
Who sent him to his death and say,
'Twere better far be Custer dead
Than his traducer, though king.
XII.
Where now is Custer? Rock, ravine,
With many a brave man s bones between,
Make CHASTITY answer. 10, his blood
streams DER the country 8 outer wall
Where he has ever led and stood,
Confronting death unto his fall.
The brave tDree hundred dead! The blame
Is where? Eternal stirring fame
Is theirs, bIt whose the dGngRfR0 shame