The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-22
GENERAL CUSTER
NOT AMBUSHEO
Major Cicero Newell of Michi-
gan, Gives a New Account
of Famous Fight.
BATTLE FOUGHT IN OPEN
SOME THRILLING ARMY EXPERT
ENcES.

Saginaw, Mich, August-Fully six feet
tail, powerfully built, straight and stately,
with white hair and bright eyes, Major
Cicero Newell of the old Third Michigan
cavalry is gladdening the eyes of his
comrades by an extended visit in Michi-
gan, the real purpose of which is that he
may attend the regiments reunion at Ann
Arbor, September u and Is. Major New
ell is one of the now few boys of l61''
who retains all the splendid military bear
ing of a soldier of Uncle Sam. Although
a westerner for the past thirty years he
has been often in the minds of his Mich
igan friends, not merely as the memory
or brave, kindly officer. but as a dOer
OF deeds since the war, for the major has
not been content with an excellent war
record alone.
In recalling his life's experience Major
Newell said: 81 was born on a farm near
the town of Pittsfield on the 18th day of
August, 1910. During my schoolboy days
l attended the Model school at Ypslanti.
at the time that the normal was first
opened in 1852. My first military expert
ence was in the Model guards. We were
all about IA years old, and my first lessons
were received from Gus Van Cleve. He
was the biggest boy in school and conse-
quently we elected him for our captain.
When 1 was IS I entered in the Ypsi-
lanu Light Guard, and served with them
teers, on the 18th day of April. 1861. I took
part in the first battle of the war-the
battle of Bull Run. I was discharged
with my regiment at Detroit in 1860.
In First Battle of Civil War.
How it came about was this. 1 was
commissioned by Governor Blair as cap
tain in the Eighth infantry, and raised
siXty-seven men at Ypsilanu We talked
the thing over and concluded that we
would rather ride horses than pack guns
on our backs. With the consent of the
adjutant general, John Robertson, we ar
ranged to unite forces with a man by the
name OF Kellogg, who had a commission
to raise a company for the Third cavalry
1 furnished the majority of the men for
the company, and the bargain was made
1 was only q at the time. Kellogg was
much older than l. and so l told him TO
go as captain and I would be first lieu
tenant.
II was detailed to take the first 400
horses to St Louis. l drilled with the
boys at Benton barracks until General
Pope went down to New Madrid, where
l was commissioned as captain of COM
pany X, April ], 1852. I served with the
regiment until the spring of 1865, through
all its battles and marches, until L re-
ceived a wound that caused me to lay off
until l was able to ride again
while 1 was home at that time the
girl / left behind me said she did not
care to wait until the close of the war
that we might as well be married then;
so we were, while I was yet on crutches
In the fall, after l returned to the regi-
ment, Colonel Kellogg visited US and APP
pointed me senior major of the Tenth
regiment OF cavalry that he was raising
in Michigan.
7 returned to Michigan and assisted in
the organization of the new regiment and
then served with them until January, 1860,
when I was obliged to remain in command
of the post at Strawberry Plains. on &C
count of my wounds bothering me consid-
erably. At that time General Morgan
came into east Tennessee, and 1t was
through the efforts of the officers ana
men OF the Tenth that the day was saved
a few weeks later General Breckenridge
Tennessee cavalry that General Gillen had
attacked at the time Morgan came, and
scattered the Tennessee cavalry all over
the country. When General Ammon made
his advance into east Tennessee the Tenth
took the brunt of the fighting in the bat
tie of Wautaga river.
After the war l went up on Crane
Traverse bay and bought $40 acres OF
timber land. but my. experience as
wOodsman was so limited that l soon
made a retreat TO Chicago. There 1 went
into the employ of the Illinois Leather
company taking charge of their business
at Cincinnati for SIX years 1hen' at tie
request of my father. 1 returned to fpsl-
Ianti and was appointed United states
marshal of the eastern district OF Mlchi-
gan. At that time the boys of our town
TeOTEdQ1Ze0 the Olt Light
was captain for six years.
Becomes Indian Agent.
II was then appointed United States
Indian agent for the Brule SiodX OF pa
Izota. While there l made a study of their
peculiar WAYS and habits. l found that
there were some good Indians not yet
dead I furnished the first Indian Gnu,
dren for the government indian school
at Carlisle, Pa.
II LET my hair grow long when I lived
with the Indians. because they considered
short hair the sign of cowardice, and with
the Indian COwardice is the greatest pos
sible crime When they used TO see the
Dioneers going westward they supposed
that the short haired men were bad men
whom the United States government had
exiled Of course they know better now,
but that was thirty years ago. iouhu
that the only way TO gain the confidence
of the Indians was to live and dress as
they did, and soon they told me many
secrets The Indians have knowledge
that we do not dream of. They can tel
Won how the world and mountains were
formed. and what causes earthquakes ana
so forth.
"About a dozen of my Indians had been
in Clusters last fight. For a long time l
rnuld no. get them to say anything about
IN but finally they told me the whole
story. The general supposltion IS tnat
Custer was drawn into ambush, but the
hattie was really fought in the open
There were about 800 Indians, and per-
hans 275 men under Custer. The Indians
1ad nothing but bows and arrows and war
clubs, with the exception of few OLD
guns They picked out the leader ana
,iIIed him almost at the first of the fight,
hut thev did not mutilate his body because
he had long hair, and therefore must have
been brave He-HOns-kah-Iee, they
called him. meaning long yellow half.
-Tbev did rnutfiate the bodies of his men
more or less, though.
nIDoDN uEll EnD MIIpnED