Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-08-15
(By GLENDOLIN DAMON WAGNER)

(By GLENDOLIN DAMON WAGNER)
Co-Author OF Blankets and Moccasins,"
Author Of "old Nutriment."
Through the eyes OF old John
Burkman we get interesting close
up views of General George a. Gus
ter, the brave. fiery soldier, SO fire.
quentiy discussed and SO little under
stood. John served under the general
the last nine years of the latter's
life, in Kentucky following the Civil
war, then during the march from
Kentucky to YanktOn, in the 1873
campaign under Stanley, in the Black
Hills expedition, and finally, on the
last march of all from Fort Lincoln
to the Rosebud and on to the Little
Big Horn.
Johns mind chung to the past and
to the general he served and loved;
to the happy days when his chief on
Germ wa the welfare of the Custer
horses and dogs and the comfort Of the
general and Miss Libby" Through
John we catch a vivid glimpse Of the
beautiful home life of husband and
wife, bound together by a love and 10y
atty and understanding that death it
self could not quite destroy. He shared
with them, as humble servant and
proud friend, the intimacy Of their
jokes and laughter. the hilarity of their
family frolics.
The general, John tells us, was ex-
tremely fond of onions, and braved his
wife,s disapproval by eating them
whenever he had an opportunity. In the
spring Of 1876 John, at Clusters sug-
gestion, had spaded some ground back
OF the barracks at Fort Lincoln and
sowed 1t to onions. The tender green
sprouts we're just showing when the
7th left Fort Lincoln for its last march,
and Custer, John tells us, eyed them
gleefully, smacking his lips in anticipa-
ton of the onions he'd have upon his
return to the fort, and begging Miss
Libby" to promise she'd see they were
we'll watered.
According to John the months Of the
last winter at Fort Lincoln we're UNI
usually carefree and peaceful and gay.
Often the servant soldier and his be-
loved superior officer 'quarreled," for
both were hot-tempered, but John in
sists that upon every occasion when
the general was in the wrong, he came
to his orderly with frank and ready
apologies.
Once Custer, who not only did not
touch liquor but also strove to lift
the moral Of the 7th to a higher level,
caught John with a bottle to his lips
and reprimanded him sharply.
According to John, II said I wasn't
drinking liquor. The general said /
was. l said / wasn't. And 1t worked
me up considerable because the gen.
eral knowed / never lied to him, So l
decided I'd git transferred to another
regiment. l figured that'd trouble the
general and he'd coax me to stay,
knowing he couldn't ever get any n to
tend our horses and dogs like me. But
he didn't say anything and l got ready
to move, but I felt pretty glum. Then
a sergeant come to me and said it was
the generals orders that when l left
had to leave my horse behind. So
decided to stay. Then the general came
to me and his eyes was twinkling. I
knew a way to keep you with us, John,
he said. And then he held out his
hand and said: I was hasty, John. ]
should have taken your word And
then we was friends agin. Another
time lust after the Key West came l
seen the general with a bottle and
tiptoed up behind him, but he turned,
quick, and laughed, and showed me
it was Jamica Ginger he was drink
ing"
But once, when John was i'll, Custer
remarked: John, you aren't feeling
we'll, are you?"
"Oh, fair to middling, sir"
"Well, you go to Mrs. Custer. Tell
her I sent you. Tell her to have Mary
mix you a drink-hot brandy. thick
with pepper, and then go to bed"
According to John no officer in the
army was so considerable OF the men
their health and happiness as was Gus
ter. 1T was about this time" John
reminisced, II come by my nickname.
The general said whilst / wasn't feel
ing we'll I'd better take my meals in
the kitchen. And Mary-that's the
colored girl that worked for the Gus
ters-she was such a good cook | want
in no particular hurry to get we'll. And
the troopers would watch me come out
of the kitchen, filled up with her pies