Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-02-16
G olonel lst. NiYainia
CavalY4, 1867
DRAINING b. JoHh w. THohAsoN,J p,

and to drink tie best Of the cup of living. He
died while there was still a thread OF hope for
victory. He was spared the grinding agony OF
the nine months siege the bleak months that
brought eliminating disasters and the laying
down OF the swords at Appomattox. He took his
death wound In the front OF battle, as he want
ed It, and he was granted some brief hours TO
press the hands OF who loved him. and 20
arrange himself In order to report before the
God of Battles, Whom he served"
Almost as romantic and exotic figure as
"Beauty" Stuart was another young cavalry gem
era on the other side Of the lines--Gen George
Armstrong Custer the Beau Sabreur Of the Blue.
There was striking similarity between the per-
sonalities OF the two men and the paraiiehsm
persists down to their similar manner or dying.
The recent unwilling OF monument TO custer
In his home town In Ohio has served to recall
the picturesque figure whose career In the civil
war would have been enough to win him endur-
Ing fame even II hts tragic death In the most
widely known indian battle In American history
had not impershably preserved MS name ID the
minds OF his courtrymen,
Stuart was NOT quite thirty when he became
a major general Custer was q brigadler-generai
at twenty three and major general at twenty
four. hence the sobriquet OF THE Boy General
attached to him. But to his men he was "Old
Curly because he LET his yellow, curly hair grow
long and sweep his shoulders.
OF the achievements Of Custer and his cayal-
rymen during the Civil war, his farewell address
to the Third division tells the story. THE rec
ord established by your indomtable courage 10
unparalleled In the annals OF war. Your proWess
has won for you even the respect and admira-
tion Of your enemies. During the past six months,
although In most cases confronted by superior
numbers you have captured from the enemy IN
omen battle. III pieces Of field artillery 65 bat
tie ffaus and upwards of ie,eV9 prisoners OF war,
including seven general officers. Within the past
fen DAYS and included in the above, you have
captured 4B field pieces of artillery and 81 bat
tie flags.
you have never lost gun, never lost color,
and you have never been defeated. and notwith-
standing the numerous engagements In which
you have borne prominent part, including those
memorable battles OF the Shenandoah, you have
captured every piece of artillery which the en-
envy has dared to open upon you.
"And now. speaking for myself alone, when
the war Ia ended and the task Of the historian
begins, when these deeds OF daring. which have
rendered the name and fame OF the Third Caval
nv division imperishable. are inscribed upon tht
bright pages of our countrys history, only
ask that nv name be written that Of thu
commander OF the Third Cavalry division
But how differently his name was TO be writ
ten For as Frazier Hunt IN his biography Gus
ter. the Last Of the Cavaliers has said: ~
the millions OF plain Americans, he Is remen
bered not as the commander Of a dashing ant
vctorious division OF cavalry that captured 600
prisoners and 65 battle flags from gallant an,
stubborn foe hut as an Indian fighter who witt
handful OF troopers II years later. galloped Z
a tragic death He had fought Lee and StoneWal
Jackson, Jeb Stuart and the gallant Pelham.
but 1t was the naked Sioux warriors OF tn
plains who sent him to his fieathless fame. Th
gods Of battle have their own inscrutable wa
OF making heroes"
!, 10 By Western Newspaper uuon-i