The New York herald., 1876-07-16

MONROE Mich, July IL, 1870
Dropping down over the front OF the main hotel in
Monroe Mich, two American flags. bordered with
Grape They have been there for days. and they will
remain there until rain and dust and and breeze
shal! work their destruction.
Two blocks down the street there Is sad group Of
photographs made sad by the solemn Grape
twined over and around the background of flags
LIEUTENANT cAIHSys Sg1Srpp THOMAS
read the cards under the photograps which are ar
ranged in the order named Women stop before that
window and weep. Men halt there brush away
tear and sigh, "Poor Custer-poor boysl"
There other nags, bordered with black; there
other pi tures to see; there hundreds Of
aching. grIevng hearts Monroe, the home of Gen.
eral Custer, the homo Of his parents the home Of
his wife and the brothers who fell with him and be-
side him.
Last night when twilight came sat on the broad
vcranda running around three sides Of the roomy,
we'll kept home Of the dead Generals there
beside good old man, whose form bent whose
hair was white whose grieving that he
sould hardly speak. Within, hugsng her great
In the darkness the vile and mother, starting up
1t every strange footsep her heart throbbng wildly
new voice was heard.
"HRADQuARrRRs"
'sYes the boys this their headquarters, as It
Were," sighed the father. -
When the General was or duty, Thomas Boston
had leave Of absence, they here to father aud
mother and home 1t is . pleasant roomy mansion,
surrounded by shade and fronting o handsome street;
but shadow has fallen upon It which sunshine
ever brighten. Few parents have ever been called
upon, whom their heads frosted with age and their
hearts losing courage to bear such a blow as thia
ThYoA -Sn-1a and snde tha
man Reed) died together, leaving tongue tell how
desperately and how we'll they fought
THE FAMILY suRvIvoRs
Mr. Custer 10 nearly seventy years old while his
wife ID sxty.eight Each has been twice married,
and each had children whoa this last marriage was
consummated There IL left Of about
thiryvs years Of age; daughter the wife Of Lieu.
tenant Calhoun and perhaps the late General Custers
wife may be classed with the family. She is the daush
ter Of Judge Bacon, Of Monroe and with her. Fort
Abraham Lincoln, is MrA Calhoun, who went out with
her for company's sake. The young will rally from
the blow. but the parents the gravo best viii
grleve ana sorrow and pass away. The family
much respected and in this their hour deepest
sorrow they have the sympathy of all the townspeo-
pie who flock In to speak words Of kindness and
lasion.
ssGEoRer.n
'sThey were all good boys" said the gray.haired
father sat close together in the darkness while
The band tho public square sent soft, sad notes TO
meet the breeze borne the troubled lake. "They
brave, good boys. and my home was their home.
George was u soldier when the commenced, won
promotion very FAST and of course, had feel proud
Of hun. What he got he won by hard hghting and
all know IT,"
YOUTH.
General Custer was born in Harrison county Ohio
His father farmer during all the Generals child
hood and boyhood, and the boy who was to lead
in tho wild charge used to handle plough and rake
and hoe When about sixteen years Of age he made
his home at Monroe for while and attended school
Returning TO Harrison county he attended school
there for some tme and at length became teacher
and acled IN that capacity for about months
CHARACTERIZATION
Sitting beside the grieving father told him that
some Of the papers had charged his with being
and working to praise and that others had
spoken Of him as mpetuous and reckless
'sThey should nos have said so," he replied "I am
his father and shouldn't father know the character
istics OF his son' He neither proud nor van
He fought to whip and not for praise he was not
reckless He had much to live for, and he would not
,hrow his life away. No, They wrong my dead
boy. They shouldn't say So"
A PLucKY YOUNG NAN
After he had passed his fifteenth birthday young
Custer began to feel the military spirit move within
him, and that spirit grew stronger as time went
He desired to become professional soldier, and he
knew that the read was through West Point To
appointment cadet he have the influence Of
John A. Bingham tho member OF Congress counting
Harrison county in his district The fshcr could not
aid him. ss his party principles opposed Bng-
nam. and young Custer made his first and
libitcd the msttc in his nature He took earliest
opportunity to introduce himself to Mr. Bingham, and
hie he h0 IL ALI kinOu IN fha hop
,f Congress- each one Of whom ed upon with
and reverence twenty years ago, young Custer
a,ade . respectful bow and frankly said:-
mr. Bingham, my name Is George A. Custer, and l
want to 20 West Point aud make myself a soldier
Bingham admired the young mans pluck entered
into friendly conversation, and the result was that
Cadet George A. Custer's appeared upon the
rolls at West Point His history IRON that day 10
within month OF his death has been written by him.
self and eagerly read BY thousands
Captain Thomas W. Custer entered the service just
a. Sherman started his grand march. lie enrolled
with the infantry, but before the closed
ferred the cavalry under command Of the General
ana had bcen with him The other
employed In tho Commissary department, bus the
bravery and the dash running in the OF the Gus.
ter family forced HIM share the dangers of
and grcndcst charge riade by General whose record 10
. bright as gold.
TIM FEELrxg IN MONROE
The sad news flashing along caught at Toledo
and to Monroe, to the postmaster Not all
ol IT, nor a hail. but lew words the effect that u
ong despatch, announcing the massacre. was being
,eni over the country The postmaster carried the
clcgram up the Custer mansion, feeling quite anx
lous out yet not crcditing the No one In Non
roc believer na, such outchcry had taken placo--no
one but the Clusters
al dom. know why l believed It," explained the