Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-07-22
GENERAL CUSTER AND his MEN.


Poor Custcrl I followed him through a
great part Of the war u the rebellion as
private soldier | followed Lira Hfterwartl
~ yarious capacities during his warfare OH
the frontier. Yes, and to-day. n / should
Ete the general nstride his Kentucky thor
oughbrctl. seated ~ no man ever sat horse
before or since, should / catch the CLINT OF
the sun Oh be mighty sweep Of that sober
Of his and see the yellow hair fiving
straight NJ he dashed along, could not re.
slst the temptation u seize ppkcr or h
E5tchct or nm aE laudlc. jump asgridc that
Old mare ~ mine and follow ham for better
or for worse
And 70 soldier 81 Clusters ever did more
t,lHn follow him He waa lender II lii
ncn-rct n tfiytr-R cavalier general who
q sod ra man 90 10 whore ne dare not take
the had. and as tie danger becnuc prea. .r
Custer VA, sure to b. just us IN lch farther
h front - Bis column IuetciHns have
crnsurtiliH fprtlitt and perhaps hc would
have bean wish rs today had hc abandoned
it But liz WAS NGa~hiug soldier and would
rather charttc upon an enemy outuumber-
ing him 20 20 than seek vantage ground
or lay ice lie believed Il TO be his biisi.
ues, 70 fght, aud he W but few oppar IN.
itie 80 rs. provided he thought the enemy
NNFAA A&t lNtNlt q MS tfNpfNrN
Cnster had the most unhoundcd filth In
tie rank and Gle 81 his regiment. but never
re . "a the least confidence in bis sub r.
diuac officers lie gave bis personal a
teatiou to tie minutcst details Of his com.
nand, saw that every trooper had his fun
a lowaucr Of ratiuus and clothing, and saw,
too, that the men attended just ns carefully
10 the physical wants 81 their horses. He
would ne. or take the word Of captain or
Lieutenant Oh such matters. For that rel-
son the subordinate commissioned officers
hated him Just rs heartily ~ the men loved
him. He insisted always on being absolute
In li4 command
But how the loys loved that man. Their
devotion was llttingly demonstrated In an
Incident in the general 5 last battle on the
Little Big Horn. The 200 troopers Of the
Seventh cavalry knew they were hopelessly
outnumbyred by an enemy better armed
than themselves. Eight Caygirymrn brake
through the Indian lines and gained a
utighboriug blum. They were practically
o.t Of danger, for the fine horses wi h
which the Seventh were then equipped could
laugh At tn. bcst Indian ponies But they
halted on the hluil, uud loohiug back saw
their leader heumtd IL ON all sides 10y tho
savage enemy One said Boys we can't
do thiN'' and alighting placed his c1rhiuC
against his horses head ana shot him deld
Then he quietly released his revolver.
from tie saddle. and tlrustins them into
lis belt started down the slope, The re
manning seven followed suit, aud the little
band WAS DiInhiislgd IN au attempt To gain
their leaders, side ON foot All bat on,
wcrc killed. gud Lc Icing half breed. IL
second son ef Tarophilc nuIIuicr Of thi-
ceauty us lis first vile, the daughter 81
War EslE,lc escaped slaughter, tile infisri
attd Siagx paying no attention to ans bat
palciacs~. iiglguicr and were friends
AID lie told ms the incident the second Gay
after the tsht. sicuS Ci;y journal.