Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-02
GENERAL CUSTER AND HIS MEN.
Eight Cavairymen Showed Their Love by
Dying with Their Leader.

!
Dying with Their Leader.
Poor Custerl I followed him through a
great part Of the war Of the rebellion az a
private soldier. followed him afterward
In various capacities during his warfare on
the frontier. Yes, and today If | should
see the general astride his Kentucky thor
oughbred, seated as no man ever sat horse
before or since, should | catch the CLINT Of
! the sun on the mighty sweep Of that saber
Of his and see the yellow hair flying
straight as he dashed along, could not re
sist the temptation TO seize poker or a
Ratchet or an AK handle, jump astride that
old mare Of mine and follow him for better
or for worse,
And no soldier OF Clusters ever did more
than follow him. He was leader Of his
men-not n driver--a cavalier general who
asked no man TO 20 where he dare not take
the lead, and AS the danger became greater
Custer was sure to he just M much farther
In front Of his column. Tacticians have
censured him fortbat, and perhaps he would
have been with US today had he abandoned
IT, But he was a dashing soldier and would
rather charge upon an enemy outnumber-
ing him 20 To than seek vintage ground
or lay seige. He believed il to be his bust
ness 20 fight, and he let but few opportun-
titles 90 by, provided he thought the enemy
worth the mettle Of his trooper.
Custer had the most uuLogu ID faith in
the rank and file Of his regina, 1t, but never
reposed the leust confidence in his subor-
dinatc officers. lie gave his personal at
| tention To the m!nufost details Of his com
mand, saw that every trooper had his full
allowance Of ratiOns and clothing, and saw,
/ too, that the men attended just rs carefully
I TO the physical wants OF their horses. He
would never take the word Of captain or
| lieutenant on such matters. For that rea-
son the subordinate commissioned officers
hated him just rs heartily as the men loved
/ him. lie insisted always on being absolute
( in his command.
! But how the boys loved that mani Their
1 devotion was tittiuply demonstrated in An
incident in the generals last battle ON the
/ Little Big Horn. The 200 troopers of the
J Seventh cavalry knew they were hOpelessly
/ outnumbered by an enemy better armed
| than themselves. Eight cavalrymen broke
through the Indian lines and gained a
neighboring bluff. They were practically
out Of danger, for the fine horses with
which the Seventh were then equipped could
laugh at the best Indian ponies But they
halted on the blur, and looking back saw
their leader hemmed In on all sides by the
savage enemy. One said Boys. we can't
do this" and alighting placed his carbiDe
against his horses head and shot him dead
Then he quietly released his revolyers
from the saddle, and thrustiRR them into
his belt started down the slope. The TO
naming seven followed suit, and the little
band was annih Hated Ia an attempt 20 gain
their leaders side on foot. All but one
were killed, md he being half breed, the
second son Of Theophile Bruguicr Of this
county by his first wife, the daughter oi
War Eagle, escaped slaughter, the infuri
ated Sioux paying no attention 10 any but
paletaces. BrHguicr ard were friends
and he told me the incident the second day
after the ilght--Sioux City journal.