The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-06-14

ately at the battle of Bull Run. And
the next year as an officer in the Fifth
cavalry, to which he had been trans
ferred, he so distinguished himself on
several occasions as to win position
on the staff Of General Mcclellan.
Clusters career in the Civil war has
been described as "meteoric" and a
casual survey of it will show how
apt the word is. Mcclellan at once
promoted him to captaincy. When
Mcclellan failed as commander OF the
Army of the Potomac and was re-
moved, Custer suffered his only eclipse.
of the war. But within year he was
on General PleasontOn's staff, dis
tinguished himself in charge during
a cavalry fight with Jeb Stuart and
his gray horsemen, which resulted in
the capture Of battle flag and a
hundred prisoners. The next day he
was recommended for promotion to
ths roaak Of brfsuufer general
brigadier general at twenty-three, the
youngest in the Union ARMY
He was placed in command Of the
Michigan cavalry brigade OF four regi-
ments, much to the disgust of volun-
teer colonies old enough to be his
father-veterans who raved and
stormed at having placed over them
that "Custer brat from Monroe, that
kid general" that id, whipper-
snapper from West Point" But on the
third day on that terrible field at
Gettysburg, this boy general not only
welded his brigade of Wolverines to
him with bonds of steel but in furi-
Gus cavalry battle defeated Jeb Stuart
and his Confederates, who had hither-
to been considered invincible. He be-
came the idol of his men. They bought
bolts of red cloth and made flowing
ties for themselves. They let their
hair grow long in imitation of his. IA
wild boy named Custer" became IA
nous throughout the Union army. A
year later with more brilliant victories
to his credit, Sheridan made him
major general and gave him command
Of the Third cavalry division. George
Armstrong Custer, age twenty-five, was
a major general with twelve regiments
under his command, twelve regiments
which idolized him as had the three
regiments Of Wolverines.
The story of Custer, the Indian
fighter, is too we'll known to need repe-
tition here. 1t is the story of one sue
cess after another as leader of tins
Seventh cavalry. which still and for
all time seems destined to be known
as Clusters regiment" until that June
day in 1876 when, in sight of the great
Indian village strung along the Little
Big Horn, he made the fatal division
of his forces and, trusting to the
Cluster luck" which had carried him
safely through decade of warfare, he
rode into battle for the last time. A
fitting epitaph to this last of the Cav
alters may be found in these words of
Hunt:
To the millions of plain Americans
he is remembered not as a commander
of dashing and victorious division of
cavalry that captured 10000 prisoners
and 65 battle flags from a gallant and
stubborn foe, but as an Indian fighter.
who with a handful of troopers eleven
years later galloped to a tragic death.
He had fought Lee and Stonewall
Jackson, Jeb Stuart, and 1.-The gallant
Pelham'-great and remembered SOL
diers-but it was the naked Sioux war;
riors of the plains who sent him to
deathless fame. The gods of battle
have their own inscrutable way of
making heroes.