The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-08-25
MRS. CUSTER IN CHICAGO.
A Sorrowful Party Going Home-scenes
f8u n Dakoua q.

81 From the Chicago Times, August d. t.ss
A party of ladies in whom a deep inter
est is taken, just now, arrived at the Palmer
House at four o'clock on yesterday, after
noon. They are Mrs. General Custer, Mrs.
Colonel G. w. Yates, Mrs. Captain A. E.
Smith, Mrs. Calhoun, and Miss Emma Reed.
All these ladies, except Miss Reed, are the
widows of the gallant officers massaered by
the red-skinned devils under Sitting Bull.
Mrs. Calhoun, wife of First Lieutenant Cal
boun, is a sister. of General CUSTER and
Miss Reed is his niece. Mr.. Reed, step
brother of the General, and Mr.. Richard A..
Roberts, brother of Mrs. Yates, have charge
of the ladies. The ladies' were ali attired
J in deep mourning, They received no callers,
took supper in a private parlor at tie hotel,
and left at nine o'clock last evening on the
Michigan Central Railroad. Mrs. Custer,
Mrs. Calhoun, Mrs. Yates and Miss Reed
will henceforth reside in Monroe, Mich,
while Mrs. Smith will find home in the in
terror of New York State. .ig5 ;traf,3.f;z.ta
The party left Fort Lincoln on last Satur-
day, travelling by boat and carriage to Bis
marck, where. Sunday was spent as the
guests of J. w. Raymond. A special car
conveyed them from Bismarck to Fargo on
Monday. Remaining over night at the lat
ter place, theyleft there on Tuesday morn
ing, and reached St. Paul at six o'clock on
Wednesday morning, where the remainder Of
the day was spent with some very intimate
friends. They came to this city over the
West Wisconsin Railroad. There are now
no widows of officers at Fort Lincoln, but
the widowed wives of twenty-five soldiers
remain there, mourning together their terri
BILE bereavement.
Mr.. Roberts, the. brother of Mrs.. Yates,
had accompanied Custer to within seventy
miles Of where the engagement took place,
when his horse gave out and he was obliged
to remain behind, afterward joining Reno.
He returned to Fort Lincoln with the
wounded of Reno's command. The steam
boat Far West, which had penetrated a
long way into the Indian country, started
back to Ft. Lincoln with forty lone wounded
soldiers, three Of whom died on the trip.
The boat made the trip Of 900 miles, on the
Yellowstone and Missouri, in forty-four
hours, and not in thirty four hours, as here
tofore published. ..,o.. 5 .,i...a,., nam ~.
Mr.. Roberts says that Reno's men gave
the dead of Custer's command as decent
burial as the circumstances would admit OF.
They had but two spades, and while those
were being used in digging graves the sol
diers were scooping IN the dirt upon the
dead with their hands. The graves Of the
officers were carefully marked. They were
buried exactly as they fell. A stake, hol-
lowed out in the centre and tightly plugged,
was driven out of sight atthe head of each
officers grave. In the hollow Of each stake
was deposited small roll of paper upon
which was written the name of the dead
one underneath. Corresponding numbers
were prepared and are in the keeping of
Captain Nolan, of the Seventh regiment.
The number was also burnt into each stake
before being driven into the earth.