The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-28
CUSTER AND HIS MEN.
The Grenter tho Danger this Further He
Was to tho Front.

Tho Greater tina Danger the Further He
Was to the Front.
"Poor Custesy' said one Of his mon. II
followed him through . great part of the
war Of ths rebellion ~ q private soldier. /
followed him aftsrward In various capaci-
ties during his warfare on the frontier,
Yes, and to-day II l should see sths general
astride his Kentucky thoroughbred. seated
aa no man over sat horse before or since,
should ! catch the CLINT Of tho sun
on tho mighty sweep OF that saber OF
his. and ses the yellow hair flying strAight
10 he dashed along, ! could not resist the
temptation to seize a poker or a Ratchet or
OF mine and follow him for better or for
worse.
g"And no soldier of Clusters ever did moro
than follow him. He WINS a loader OF his
m%en-not a driver-a cavalier general. who
asked no mar to go whore he dare not take
the lead-and "a the danger became greater
Custer was sure to be just 30 much further
in front Of his column. Tacticians have
censured him for that. and perhaps ne
would have been with US to-day had he
abandoned 1t. But he was a dashing SOL
dier, and would rather charge upon an
enemy outnumbering him twenty to one
that seek vantage ground or lay siege. he
believed II TO be his business to fight. and
ne lot but few opportunities go by. pro.
vided he thought the enomy worth his
mettle.
Cluster had the most unbounded faith in
the rank and fle of his regiment, but he
never reposed the least confidence in his
subordinate officers. Ho gave his personal
attention to the minutest details OF his
command, saw that every trooper had his
tull allowance of rationa and clothing. and
saw, too, that the men Intended just as
carefully TO the physical wants OF their
horses. He would mover take tho word OF
captain or Lieutenant on such matters. For
that reason the subordinate commissioned
officers hated him Just us heartily as tho
men loved him. He insisted always on be-
ing absolute in his command.
But low tho boys loved that man!
Their devotion was dttingly demonstrated
on tho Little Big Horn. The 200 troopers
OF the Seventh cavalry knew they were
hopelessly o~utnumbored by an enemy bet
ter armed than themselves. Eight cavalry
men broke through the Indian lines and
gained e n%eishbarinS bluff. They sS. were ss
horses which the Seventh we're then
equipped with could laugh at the best In
dian ponies. But they halted on the bluff.
and. looking back. saw their leader
hemmed in on all sides by the savage
enemy.
Zone of them said: Boys, we can't do
this! and alighting he placed his carbine
against his horse's head md shot him doad.
Then he quietly released his revolvers from
the saddle. and, thrustinR them into his
belt, started down the slope. The remnin-
ing seven followed suit. and the little band
was annlhilated in an attempt to gain their
leaders, side on foot. All but one we're
killed. and he, being a hall. breed. the SEQ
ond son of Theophile Brugler, of this
county by his first wife. the daughter of
War Eagle. escaped slaughter, the infuri-
ated Sioux raying no attention to any but
palefaces. Brugler and l we're friends. and
he told me the incident the second day at
tor the fRht."-Sioux City journal.