The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-07-07

GENERAL CUsTsR's GREAT CHARGE OF GEN
EKAL RossER, familiarly called the Woodstock
Races" il thus wildly described in the Life OF
General Custer by Captain Frederick Whtta-
kerr The author himself was serving in the d.
r!siOn Of cavalry adjoining Clusters, and saw HIM
self nearly everything he describes:
- And now occurred one Of those little Incl
dents that stamp the innate romance OF Custer 5
character on his biography, like the echo OF his
famous last speech at the Academy Lets have
= fair fight, boys Here 1t was, fair and square
and no favor, perhaps the first In the war. No
infantry to bother the horse, numbers about
equal, his first light Us a division commander,
and llosscr in sight. Out rode Custer from his
staff, far in advance Of the line, his glitterng fig
are ia plain view Of both armies. sweeping oil
his broad sombrero, lie threw 1t down to bis knee
IN profound salute to his honorable foe. IL
was like the action of u knight in the lists. a
lair fight and no maice'
"On the ridge before him he had seen Rosscr,
his classmate at the Academy, with whom he
4al held many a wordy contest In days o. old,
and who had been his great rival at the Point
EOsscr had but Just come to the valley, and was
already hailed as it SAVIOR He saw Custer, and
h.rred 70 his staff, pointing him ont You see
HAT officer down there said he. That's Gener-
al Custer the Yanks are so proud Of and in
tend 10 give him the best whipping to-day that
BE ever got See il DON'T
And he smiled triumphan,ly as he looked
around at his gallan. Southern cavaliers.
Then Custer lifted the hat and clapped 1t or
his head, turned 10 his line Of men, and the next
moment the Third Division was sweeping on at
trot the flaming scarlet nccktlc and bright
curis 81 Custer before all, followed by his s'aii
III with swords out Now the pace Quickens.
Rus-crs aad Lomays guns open furlouSly at
shorter range. and tie rafting of volcys rolls
along the Confederate line. The bullets 70 pat.
SEEING around. whistling overhead, knocking up
t.4t dirt, killing or wOundng a few horses and
men, mt doing surprisingly little damage, all
things considered. The trot has become a gal.
lOU, and az the pattcring OF bHllcts becomes
Beaver, q wild, savage yell breaks FROM every
throat IN that long wave Of cavalry, and away
shey 20, the lines lost in confused clumps OF
hOrscmen, with waving sanres, the horses crazy
With settlement, leaping half out Of their skins
as they race for the Confederate batteries and
tines o. cavalry.
Clusters attack arranged In full sight Of Ros.
.-tr yet, proved trumphantly successful. one
brigade in front, another 10 the right, the third
% ;ae left they swept on at a charge. not heed.
iBg the fire, curled around ROsser's TANKS IN a
moment and before he could tell what had hap.
gened, lad him enclosed in a semicircle Of
charging horse. Vain all his efforts when his
faaSs were threatened. Had the attack been
made On foot, he might have had time TO think
hut the sudden aud impetuous rush OF a whole
division completely demoralized the Confeder.
atc-. Despite Rosser's efforts, away they went
INTO the widest Of confusion, driven back at a
gal0p for nearly two miles,