The New York herald., 1876-07-26
NEW YORK HERALD WEDNESDAY JULY 2s s7s-TRPLE SHEET

testimony Of all who served with him aud Of all who
heard OF hun refutcs that and 'Custer's luck,
General sturgis snesringiy styles Custers success
what naturally resulted to soldier whose heart
n stranger to fear who went to battle with eye
found the thckest OF the fight, dealing blows both
well directed and resistess General Stnrgis object
seems TO be To get bafore the mind Of bis listener
comparison of his ''record' with that OF the dead
General which shall be injurious 10 the latter To as
sist General Sturgs' memory In this sudabIe effort,
would suggest your CORES pondent his inter
view ask General Sturgs IT, IN the OF 1864,
he did not march out Of Memphis, Tenn, at the head
OF fine division Of from 1000 to 10000 men 10 at
tack General Forrest rebel cavalry general known
to be near and supposed have about the same num-
Der OF menl and If he did not march with the most
indifferent ignorance right IA trap" set for him
by Forrest get caught by surprise so completely that
hs entire command, without striking blow, was
broken and scattered in utter rout and confusion, and
what were rot captured sent dying back 10 Memphis
in little detached par.ies like flock OF scared sheep
before pack OF wolves. minus guns, knapsacks,
artillery, baggage and wagons And ask him
II he and STEW OF his chosen officers
were not among the nrst TO arrive iD Memphis,
and II he was not seea the next day after his
return playing billiards in saloon there, while
his weary. hunted soldiers sIragglIng into town
every now and then in little detached parties, while
their wounded and dead comrades still lay the field
OF rout mot batte) And II ne did not remain ''be-
nind" in Memphis while General A. J. Smith vent,
sound drubbing TO Forrest on the neld OF Tupao And
when this successful Indian dghteri has answered
these questions, ask him he remembers winning the
regard OF his soldiers ny ordering private OF tho
Second karsas Volunteers 10 be lashed TO the wheel of
a cannon and scourged with twenty ashes his bare
back, and, when he failed to find that regi-
ment who would execute the sentence ordering two
regulars from his own regiment TO come ana do the
job, while he stood by to tna II was we'll lad on =;
and IT. when all things were ready, officer OF the
Sc ond Kansas, at the head of his battalion, under
arms did not step forward and tell General Sturs that
the sound OF the first blow on their comrades back
the signal tor his battalion TO riddle the generous,
beloved General with bullets and II tho said Generals
cheek didn't banch with fear when he cast his eyes
down the constantly ng line o stern frontiers
who faced HIM. and II he didn't walk OIL leaving
them free their unwhipped comrade, When he shall
have answered all this TO tho satisfaction of your cor
respondent and the readers Of his vtuperave story,
and ihen pointed to any authenticated instance where
he has been entitled to the OF warrior 1t may be
little less indecent for HIM TO make comparisons be-
tween himself and General Custer. But until then he
should ''lay his mouth in the dust.n
A. SHERBURNE,
Formerly Of the Twenty seventh Iowa Infantry Vol