The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-12-06

political foe and had been the Academia
chronic nsurgent. His nature was bright and
volatile, yet durable past the power even of war
to alter"
II was during these two years that the tradI.
ton OF Clusters luck began. For nothing else
but luck could have made him brigader. general
at the age OF twenty-three, the youngest In the
army. At least the historians have never
been able to find any good reason why In 1862
ne should have been advanced from first lien
tenancy In the Fifth cavalry to the command Of
the Second brigade of the Third division. rocket
Ing past the ranks of captain. major. lieutenant
colonel and colonel True. he distinguished him
self In Wild charge at Gettysburg but at least
twice thereafter he narrowly escaped anDihla-
tion at the hands of that cavalry genius In gray.
Jeb Stuart
The appointment of Phil Sheridan as chief Of
the Union cavalry gave Custer his chance for
1ame IL was Sheridan who overlooked ins,lbor-
dinations BY Custer with unwonted charity.
Here was no strategist but tireless body and
mind as hungry for war as bent bow. Custer
was weapon that Sheridan knew how to use,
lie used him In the raids which devastated the
Shenandoah valley where Custer seems to have
learned willingly enough the lessons Of ruthless
ness so necessary to those who engage In the
dirty business OF making war
by the spring of 1865 he had become ma or
general and 1t was Clusters luck" again which
enabled him to be in ut the DEATH" For 1t was
Custer and his cavalry who swooped down unon
Appomattox Station and slammed shut the door
70 Lees only avenue Of retreat After Lees sur
render Custer Issued the oft-qunted congratu-
latory general order to his Third division. whose
record, he declared, was unparalleled in the
annals Of war"
This Is more ornate but scarcely more accu-
rate than other battlefield procanlationsn saya
mis- Dlographer. whose calm analysis OF the rec
ora shows that 1t was much less remarkable
than the hero Worshpers would have us believe.
While admitting that Custer was fair tactlcian
and smart disciplinarian and as physically
valiant man as ever drew sword" summing
up OF the evidence leads inevitably to the con-
clusion that George Armstrong Custer had few
II any, OF the qualities which make really greaf
commander and 1t Is doubtful III he can be get
down as an outstanding cavalry leader i'm the
same class with Stuart and Forrest OF the Con-
federate army or Sheridan. Merritt and Torbert
OF the Union army.
Ills weaknesses as commander became even
more apparent In his Indian fighting days than
In his Civil war career When he became lien
fenant-colonel OF the newly organized Seventh
cavalry and busted himself with holding TINT
out't mo What ne believed cavalry regiment
S3oa'u NC, thc rliitl uiSclnilHR which he EN-
forced and his callons disregard for the vel.
fare OF his men brought him close to disaster
In September, 1867. he was court mnrtialed N
Fort Leavenworth seven charges, the most
serious being that he had deliberately disobeved
orders OF his superior officer General Hancock
had deserted his command In the midst OF hos.
tile Indian country to hurry to Fort Riley where
the cholera was raging and from which his be-
loved wife was writing letters filled with loneli
ness and terror and that he had ordered Some
Of his officers to shoot down without mercy de-
serters from the regiment
Formef Custer biographers have either ignored
Or passed lightly over this court martial. but the@
fact remains TINT Custer WAS found guilty on
All seven charges. suspended from rank and com
mand for year and his pay for that time for
'eited. But before the year Ind passed Sheridan.
who Ind more than once overlooked Custer In
came to Ills rescue
The result was the battle" of the Weshita
ought on November II, 1868 when Custer at-
acked the sleeping camp of the Cheyenne chief
tack Kettle. killing that chief and Strengthening
men. women and children IndlscrmInately. There
= every reason to believe that Black Kettle and