The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-12-02
Gen. Custer.

Oeneral Custer was promoted at one
ooono from lieutenant of cavalry to be
= brigadier general. At the time thar
u occurred, IL was entirely unexpected
custer had, however, felt from the begin
o'og OF nis career a full conviction that he
would wiz distinction in the war. Inbis
open and frank way, he had often smoker
Of it to bis broth officers at tbo;r ioaa
areiIght talks. He had received O. GOOD
oea' OF ridicule on this point from bi.
comrades. "''
Atthe battle of Aldie. Lieutenant Gus.
ter may De said to have almost alone
turned :. defeat into one OF our most bril-.
says: "P'''
Oae evening, eleven days after Aldic.
woon Custer returned to headouartars
after loog ride. 10 which be had been
posting the pickets of the eutire corps for
the night. he was greeted in the large
tent. where the staff was wont to gather
at night. by the salutatiops: Halo Gen.
eral!" "How are you. General 7o gen
tiemen, General Custer7" "Whv.
General, 1 congratulate YOU ="
~ gu are looking we'll, General p The
greetings came from ell quarters of the
tent, where staff officers wore loup0ipo
smoking, chatting, laughing and telios
stories They impressed Custer as beipe
merely continuation of the usual i'll pa.
tured banter on the subject of bis sspira.
lions and. further. as being carried a
little toe far. However, be bad alwavs
been noted for his control over a ho. and
hasty temper, and be was not going to
allow his comrades to laugh him out of
1t on this occasion. Still il was with some
bitterness that he answered.
"You may laugh. bows. Laugh as
long as you please, but will he Gen.
eral yet. for all your chaf. You see il
| don't. that's ALL"
He was greeted by universal shout
OF laughter 10 answer. 1t seemed as If
his tormentors we're determined to irri
tate him into an explosion and thew
nearly succeeded, for his blue eyes began
to flash, and he looked around as if seek.
ing some one on whom to fix a quarrel.
His old friend Yates afterwards rbeyet
lieutenant colonel, aod captain in the
Seventh U. s Cavalry, and one of the
little band of heroes who fell with Gus.
teri, whom he had been himself the means
of putting on Pleasantons staff, came to
bis relief with e few words:
Look on the table, old fellov. They're
not cAqGng." He pointed to the table in
the tent. aud there, 10 the midst, lay n
large, official envelope, aud on it was
written "Brigadier. General George A.
Custer, U. s Vols"
The reaction was instantaneous, and
the young fellow was completely over.
come. A moment later and ell his old
comrades were gathered around him in
real earnesi. congratulsting and shaking
hands s-L;i~ O.ster, too much owe pow.
cred to speak, could only smile faintly,
turn very pale, find his eyes full of tears
and sink down in chair, feeliog vory
much as if be was going to make fool
OF himself and cry. However, he regain
ed his selfcontro 10 q few moments. and
was able to thank bis comrades. who
we're really 10 earnest this time, and after
while was permitted to read the orders
which accompanied his commission, and
which directed him to report TO General
Pleasanton for Instructions
Or the interview between Plessantop
and himself it ia unnecessary to speak.
1t was marked ca one side by great kind.
ness and good sense. A few months later.
Custer writes home about PIeasantop,
"He has been more like father to me
than a general" and this was indeed the
truth. There must, however. have been
something peculiarly magnetic about Gus.
ter to have attracted to himself, as be did,
the enthusiastic affection OF three men Of
such very different characters as his three
successive commanders. Mcclellan, the
polished, scientific soldier, kind hearted to
fault. slow, methodicsl and cautious
Pleasauton. acrid. sarcastic, exactipg, an
excellent cavalry chief. but generally fail.
ing 20 attract any affection from bis SUBJ
ordinstea, a martinez in bis discipline
Sheridan, 6ery. impetuous. uutiriug, re-
morseless 10 the amount of work be ex.
acted from bis troops; ell these three
men loved, admired, and trusted him en-.
tirely, and it was nothing but his trans
cendent ability which forced them to do
so.