Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-12-06
JOG. T, SCOTT. E4lsor ana PubllsAsr.
BIocRAPHICAL cALENDAR.

BIOGRAPHICAL CALENDAR.
George Armstrong Custer, the Inn
mortal hero OF the most tragic battle
In the history OF the conquest Of
America from the redskins. was born
in New RumIey. Ohio. 40 years ago.
with his command OF more than q
thousand men, he perlshed In the
battle OF the Little Big Horn. In
Montana. The attacking army Of
the Sioux was composed Of nearly
1000 warriors. and Custer and his
heroic band were oyeTpowered by
force Of numbers. and braTsly died
fghtlng to the last on June rs, 1879.
II il only as history adjusts itself
that the life and services OF such .
man a. General Custer are fully I'M
derstood and recognized, He did
much toward the opening Of a vast
territory to civilization. won victor
les which cleared the way for the
march OF progress and made possible
the existence OF many prosperous
communities.
Az cavalry leader he was the
''Murat Of the American army" but
still more renown il due him for his
mastery complains against the
Sioux aud Cheyennes. where he
overthrow the traditions Of life
time Of training and adapted himself
% the tactics OF the woods and the
plain. AZ practiced by savage foes.
From his youth Custer was inn
bued with the spirit of the soldier.
He read romances OF war and adven-
ture % = schoolboy. and he had hard
" reached his teens when he deter
mined to enter West Point. He was
soldier by inheritance, and. strange
" enough. was descended from a
IIessian who fought against the colo
nista in the American revolution.
After the war the ancestor OF the
American branch. who bore the
name OF KusteF, settled In Pennsyl-
yRnia. The name took the form Of
Custer In later years and the de-
ncendants OF the Hessian soldier
became pioneers on the Ohio frontier.
The father OF General Custer was q
straightforward hard working far
NOR. aud he did the best he could
70 give his sir children instruction,
IN the public schools and the aead.
envy young Custer acquired the
groundwork for his education,
He was graduated from the United
States Military Academy In 1891. and
reported 81 once 10 Washington. He
was made second lieutenant in the
Fifth United statea cavalry and wal
present At the nrst battle of Bull
Run.
Young Custer served In Succession
on the stats OF Generals PhnlT
Kearnay. William r, Smith and
George n. Mcclellan. He was pro
NOTED TO oaptainey OF volunteers
and served with distinction through
the Peninsular campaign His In
trapid conduct In battle won the I'D
mlratlon OF all with whom he wal
associated, He knew no fear ant
recognised the possibility OF no such
thing az defeat. He was In com
mand Of a brigade when he was q
yeara old, surprising In prefeFman
many otlcers twice his aEe.
Brilliant 40 was his showing II
the elvil war. Clusters greatest fam,
wiil ever rest on his ability az an In
dian aghter, Before hls tragic dealt
Ne had formulated an entirely new
ayssem Of meeting the reds on thei
own grounds and Rghtlng them Will
their own weapons.
TIE writer was In Montana wheI
the events Of that tragic battle o
The Little Bis Horn were slill freal
10 the minds OF the older Montan,
pioneers, and our observations ar,
that had ether ofAeers who we're /,
support Custer done their duty
diRersnt story miEht nov be lol,
Of the eonfli0t with the hostile Sioux
E4