The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-09
NEW LIGHT ON CUSTER.
One Story Of Why He Made His
Reckless Dash in 1879


1T is a fact not very widely known. -
said a retired ARM officer the other
day. that no less an officer than Cen
/ eral Custer came to his death through
the desertiOn from his ranks Of a com
] mon soldier You won't hear Of this
/ story from the officers now holding a
/ commission in the army and when I've
/ told you the story you viii understand
why it isn't spoken Of to the report-
I ers.' says the Washington Post.
Custer was a born cavalry leader
/ His reputation was made by dashing
daredevil attacks, such as marked the
I close Of his career. In other respects
he was not a great soldier He died
fighting, and one is to remember in
judging him that he lived in ruder
times than ours. Custer was one Of the
men OF the plains of that earlier dav
when the Indians scalping knife had
frequent need Of sharpening. and a
white rascal sometimes found the wage
of sin to be rope. d tree limb, and
five minutes to pray.
The generals failings were closely
related to his genius for the dashing
fight He was apt TO take close
chances.
1t was in 1876. several months before
H. 4 s.
ter was out with his cavalry chasing
the Indians over the plains. They were
seeing a hard life, and the Indians. as
you VIII remember, were in constant
rebellion about that time Custer and
his men were hot on the trail Of a band
of savages, when one night man was
found TO be missing For awhile all
were puzzled to account for his disap-
pearance. The scouts. however. found /
his tracks and followed far enough to !
assure them that the soldier had left /
voluntarily and with the purpose Of de- /
sorting. Custer and his brother Tom
were furious at this desertion at the /
moment when they were hoping to 4
catch up with and punish the enemy.
"On the morning following the dis
eovery they followed the deserter's
tracks little farther: then they turned
back and resumed the pursuit of the i
indians. It was late that afternoon
when a scout disCerned the figure Of a
solitary horseman riding toward the
little troop. Soon Custer and several
other officers had their glasses leveled
)n this man. He turned his horse a
DIT to one side as though to ride around
he soldiers. Suddenly one of the
watchers saw cloud of dust beyond
he rider and soon they knew they had
,ome up with party Of Indians. and
hat the savages were in pursuit of the
nan on horseback. The soldiers made
ignals and shouted to the pursued
nan and he, seeming to despair Of es-
aping the Indians without aid, turned
nd rode toward the troop.
AS he came nearer, the Indians. still
n pursuit, the officers holding glasses
inquiring looks The man |
br hin. - I
nd rode like a trooper. The Indians
-ere plainly following now out Of the '
ure daredevil spirit. The man rode
lore slowly. Custer and his brother ,
ON rode out together ahead Of the
roOp to meet him. Suddenly they put {
heir field glasses down and looked at ]
ach other in the eyes and nodded and q
purred forward. They drew up to- t
ether when close upon the man. The .
eneraPs voice rang out so that all his .
'OOp heard: ,
It's that Id deseTter.' he cried. q
hen both Clusters raised their revolv- p
IS and shot the man dead T.
That was the Custer temper. 1t I
-ought the general trouble enough. for Il
lch a summary method Of dealing v
it'll a deserter made a scandal that Il
)read all over the country Custer e
as severely censured. He came east t!
I'd tried to regain his position of u
vor. Sheridan was a stanch friend ! 2,
his and worked for him. but the q,
esident-Grant-wa so affected by a.
e story of the shooting that he re- W
sed to see Custer when the latter Of
esented himself at the White House.
General Custer returned 10 the
aims. Sheridan was commanding Of
er over that territory. and Sheridan W
RS his friend. In Clusters mind there .,
is but one thOUght-how to regain
vor. He could think of but one an A,
-er- He must win again as he had
ten done before. the admiration of all tt
en in dashing charge and a gallant
hit. Be
1t was not long before Clusters on ~,
rtunity came TO him. The battle of
e little Big Horn was a desperate W
ntUre. and cost many lives He died
hting. When one considers that at To
at time General Custer was burning Al
der the sting Of his disgrace and r,
eW he must do something big TO re- n
in the favor of Grant and. in fact. IT
the entire army. it may throw a
ut on his reason in choosing to risk
1t last throw So