The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-09
INDIAN VICTIM IS
GIVEN TRIBUTE IN
CITY OF HIS BIRTH
Many Distinguished People Pay
Honor to Man Who Perished
at Big Horn
Battle.

Monroe. Mich. June with Presi-
dent Taft in attendance as the orator
OF the occasion, the nation. state, city
and adjacent farming district united
here today in paying tribute to the
memory OF General George Armstrong
Custer. who, with 254 of his cavalry
men, was slain by Sitting Bulls band
OF Sioux Indians at the battle of the
Little Big Horn in the bad lands, y
June 25, 1875.
A magnificent equestrian statue of
General Custer, for which the legisla-
ture of Michigan appropriated $4,000,
was unveiled by the generals widow,
Mrs. Elizabeth b. Custer, of New
York, and among the other guests of
honor was Nevin j. Custer, the cavalry
leaders only surviving brother, who
still resides on q farm near here in
the neighborhood where the farmer and
his military brothers passed their boy
hood.
The two other brothers, Thomas w.
and Boston c.. Custer, persisted with
the general on the fatal 25th Of June,
as did also Lieutenant James Calhoun,
the husband of their sister Margaret.
Scout "curIy" Present.
Governor Fred M. Warner came to-
day to give the state Of Michigan Of
fetal representation at the dedication
and veterans Of the four Michigan cav
airy regiments that comprised the Gus
ter brigade in the civil war acted as
escort of honor to the president in the
parade.
One Of the most interesting partici-
pants In today's celebration was Cur
ly," the Indian scout who at the time
OF the battle was young boy, and
was the only member of Clusters COM
mand to escape slaughter.
The statue unveiled today In front
OF the Monroe county court house Is
the work Of Edward G. Potter, of
Greenwich, Conn. The sculptor sub
mitted his model to General Clusters
widow before completing it, and re-
,ceived several suggestions from her. the
result, 1t Is said, being a remarkably
life-ltke representation of the dashing
cavalry leader. The statue represents
an incident Of General Clusters career
In the civil war. Riding ahead Of his
troops to survey the position of the en-
envy, Custer suddenly found himself
almost upon the confederate lines.
Civil War Incident.
Refining his mount up quickly, horse
and rider stood a moment a bold tar
get for the enemy while the officer
examined the position Of his opponents
So impressed were the confederates by
the bravery of the rider and the beauty
of the rider and the beauty of his steed
returned unframed to his command
The statue shows the general with
his left hand lifted high as he reins
up his mount, while his characteristic
SLOUGH hat Is snatched from his curly
hair to avoid all obstruction to his Wis
ion and hangs at arms length in his
right hand at his saddle.
Thousands of visitors came to Mon
zoe today from near and distant towns
to witness the dedication and listen to
the address Of President Taft and
there were many distinguished guests,
including Mrs. John A. Logan, who Is
friend OF Mrs. Custer; United States
Senator William Alden Smith and a
number of General Clusters army COM
rades Of the civil war.
After the exercises here President
Taft and his party went to Jackson,
Mich, to participate in the dedication
OF tablet commemorative the organi-
cation Of the republican party under
the oaks" at Jackson. in June, 1854.
President Pays Tribute.
President Taft spoke extempora-
neously. He declared that Custer took
rank with the greatest cavalry COM
manders of the world.
From Bull Run to Appomattox, in
every bloody battle of the army of the
Potomac, he was the right arm of the
commander of the forces as the leader
of the cavalry brigade
The president declared that the phase
of Clusters career, however, which APP
pealed most deeply to him was his share
In the Indian wars.