New-York tribune., 1876-07-10
prvrvrscrycrs OF GEN. CUSTER.
4 rorS cAvsLRYMAv-CoUESGE ASD ENDURANCE
LOVE or DIsPIAY-IUs vIIT,Sca.

A HORN CAysIRYNAS-COUEAGE AND ESp- EtNCE
LOVE or DIsrrAY-IUs vIIT'Nca.
70 the EGffor Of The frtbup
SIR: I Accompanied Gen. CuEtr on the Hcl-
low ,tpne and Black HDs expedition. he vas born
cayalrylnau. He was never more In .'1 element tha1
when mounted GaIdy his fayorr horse, ana riding
at the head Of Lis rctmeut He ono said TO ne, /
woud rather be q private in he c9yah tnan n line of-
Hcer In Tie infsnTy" He Tn, Usrsoniication ii
bravery and dash Hs most hitt~r enemies never 40
csed him OF ,0warIcc II he had only added discretion
20 Iis yaor he would have been perfect soldier. HIS
hpetuosity very often away with bis judgment He
VIA impatient OF control. lie liked 20 ac Independently
Of others and take All the rsk and all the glory to him
.et He frequently got himself into trouble By assuming
more authority than really belonged TO Bis rank.
II Was 50 on the Yellowstone eXrr'ii'ion, where he
c,I1o into collision with Gen. S'nnl Y, BIS snpe-
rior officer, and placed under arrest aud eou'-
pcllcd to ride at the rear OF his column
for two or three days until Gen. Rosscr who fought
against Custer in the Shenandoah Valley during the war
ln WAS then acting engineer OF the Northern Pd,he
Railroad succeeded in eIecting recon ii'on Custer
and stanley srerward got very wcl and perhaps the
Quarrel would mover have occurred II the two generals
adj zen Ir alone to themselves without the niorNc-
.o Of camp gos who sought 10 osr'r the traditional
jealousy between infantry and cavalry. For Stanley
was the soI OF generosity, and Custer di not rcaiy
mean ,o bc arrogant but from the time when he entered
West Point % the day when he iol the Big Horn, he
va. acc l,.oIcd take usl much liberty a. he was
entitled to.
For this roason Custer worked most easily end efec-
lively when under general ordrs, when not hamp'icd
hy special restrictions, his success nai depehdn on
anybody else Gen Terry understood his man when IN
the order directing him TO ma rch mp the Rosebud "
very lerai, said: "Iho DepdT. tnt Commander lIc,
too much COZ Gdencc IN your zeal, energy and ability Il
wish o. inI osc upon you precise orders which might
hamper your acton when neatly IN contact with tho
enemy" Bt Gen. Terry did no. IcTsiand Custer II lie
thought ho would wait for Gibbons support before
attacking an Indian camp. Undoubtedly he ought TO
have done this; but with his native impeuosity,
hs reckless daring. his confidence in hi5
own reg mcnt, which mad never failed HIM.
and hs love of puhllc approval Custer could no more
help char this indian camp than he could help chais
ing Just many bufalocs. He had never learned TO
spell u, word defeat :" he knew nothing but success,
aud Lad met tho Indians the open plain, success
would oubtedly have been his for body OF nd!-
could 'd the charge of the 7h Cavalry when 1t
swept .O plains like whirlwnd. But la the Maui
vnses TerI and the Narrow Valley OF the Big Horn he
did 1; at "a fearful risk
With all his bravery and sclfrclonce lis love o indie
pend mt act on Custer dependent than most
men the Kind approval o; his fellows Ne WA even
vain e loved display IN dress and IA action He would
pay $40 for pair OF troop boots 10 parade and
have thing else in keeping On the Yellow
expedition bright red shirt, which made him
the best mark for rife OF any the regiment.
with him for this reckless exposure but
found an appeal to hiS wife ehectua and on the
next campaign he wore buckskin suit He formerly
wore his hair very long, letting 1t fall in heavy
upon his shoulders but cut II of before going the
BLACK Hls producing quite change In his appearance.
But II vain and ambitious, Custer had none
OF those great vices which are common
and so distressing in the army. He never
touched liquor any form he did not smoke chew
gamble. In early life he had been addicted to Of
these habits but was entirely from them by the low
ing purifying influence OF his devoted wife. lie was
| man Of great energy aud remarkable endurance. He
could outrde almost any in his regiment, believe.
II 1t put test. His men had many nckuaInes