The times., 1898-06-30
TIE OLD SEVENTH CAVALRY.
Why Are the Troopers OF Custer
and Forsyth I@noreds
(From the Detroit Free Press-)

tFFO-u the Detroit ETee freas-l
When a retired army officer opens right
up and says what he thinks OF the Gov
ernment in any OF its relations OF actions.
II may be put down that he IS IN deadly
earnest, for his whole training has been
10 silence or the most discreet utterances-
This fact adds force 10 the language re-
Gently used by one of these gentlemen in
Detroit.
Il want this country to know one
thing" he said. indignantly. 'and I'd
like 10 see an explanation demanded from
the war authorities. Everybody knows
the famous old Seventh Cavalry. the reg
iment Of Custer and Of Forsyth. OF Little
Big HOrG and Wounded Knee There is a
body OF the toughest. hardest troopers In
existence They have done more hard
service IN the Held and had more mem
bers killed since the civil war, than has
all the rest OF the Regular Army put to-
gether- That sounds ike an exaggerat-
ed statement. but Il Is absolutely true and
verified IN the records
DO you know where the Seventh Is in
this time Of the war. when they could do
more 70 hunt down and exterminate the
skuiking Spaniards IN Cuba than could
any other like organization IN the service
Of the nation. who know most ABOUT their
style OF fighting and how % meet it2
They are scattered through the South
NNN1Ne IA mar al Atte ElEIA-U4lS 0- one anu
two companies. keeping their eye on the
Indians 10 see that they behave them
selves on issue day ana the brief period
OF exuberance tha, follows. They faith
fully carry out the daily rOutise OF mill
tary life, go through the usual evoIutions
on the suR-baked parade grounds every
day. mount guard and attend with prompt
precision 70 every other duty. Not a man
among them utters a complaint. but their
nTOuLeI h.
pointment as they read and discuss the
war news which reaches them through
belated newspapers. Every old soldier
knows how they feel. how their blood
warns and their nerves tingle Yet they
the tried and seasoned fighters OF the
army. the men who have followed the
most daring leaders. are out there doing
ponce duty. while raw recruits are sent
70 the front TO combat foe that employs
the same tactics with which the Seventh
Is so familiar and has always so success
fully met
My own opinion is, and IL is shared bv
oIher disinteresJed military men Of tha
country that the Seventh has taken ur
100 much space in the army history Of
country for the last thirty years that
there are certain men and CLONES of IN.
huence that are jealous of its record anS
that II is being ruthleSsly suppressed
More than once its daShiug officers bav-s
I been brought upon the carret after SOM
brililant victory of the Ctes Apache,
or Sioux, only 10 be exOnerated and com
pnmented from the War Department
Ihere is some unworthy aniuus bahi,s
Such harassment of brave men. and be
neVe that II is still operative against m,
seventh Public sentiment should b,
aIouSed' - least to the extent of de
manding an explanation. II wouJd ba,.,
been just as foolish and inaxcusa BILE Irr
ing the civil war TO have placed the V-or
thy followers of such men as Custer an,
sheridan on post duty in some Deacaab1.
section of the country