Chapter I: Foreword

This is a story of Ned Fletcher, and the Seventh Regular Cavalry, United States Army, when upon the Western plains they followed the yellow-haired General Custer. Yet it is not all a story of fighting; for to be a good soldier does not mean that one must serve only to fight. Indeed, there are worthy battles other than those with lead and steel, horse and foot. Every earnest citizen is a good soldier. General Custer was as great in peace as in war; in his home as in the field, and he loved his home duties as much as he loved his other duties, which is token of a true man.

General Custer is real to-day. Men and women live who marched with him. As to Ned Fletcher, who may say? A little girl named Fletcher was captured by Cheyennes and Sioux, as Ned’s sister was captured; and Chief Cut Nose called her “Little Silver Hair.” General Custer would have rescued her, as official records show. Two little children were found in the Cheyenne village on the Washita. In the battle here a bugler boy was wounded just as Ned was wounded. Aye, and at Fort Wallace a little bugler boy was slain. So that boys served in the old Seventh Cavalry, under General Custer. As a brave boy, Ned might have been there, even though by a different name.

General Custer has left his own story of his plains days in Kansas and Nebraska. It lies before me. Mrs. Custer, his comrade of garrison and camp and march, has written several books about him. They lie before me. There is a biography by one Captain Whittaker, written at the close of the last battle, near forty years ago. With General Sheridan and General Custer upon their campaign against the Cheyennes and the Kiowas was a newspaper reporter, Randolph Keim, who also wrote a book. Chapters have there been, in other books and in magazines, and pamphlets of time agone; and, as I say, men and women are now alive who knew the general. From all these more information should be sought. No one pen can describe so fine a thing as a Man.

So this book must tell of the Custer whom Ned the boy and youth saw; and of affairs in which he took part during that final struggle when the white race would supplant the red race, on the plains of north and south. In the narrative of these years I have tried to show how the white race felt and how the red race felt; for each had their rights and their wrongs, and each did right and did wrong. Out of the result came general good, that the church and the school-house might rise and people might work and play in peace, where formerly stood only the unproductive hide lodges, and the main thought was war and Plunder.

EDWIN L. SABIN.

Coronado, California, June 1, 1913.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. A WAIF ON THE PRAIRIE 17
II. AT OLD FORT RILEY 34
III. THE SEVENTH TAKES THE FIELD 48
IV. SATANTA MAKES A SPEECH 67
V. IN BATTLE ARRAY 79
VI. THE ABANDONED INDIAN VILLAGE 89
VII. SCOUTING WITH CUSTER 104
VIII. PAWNEE KILLER PLAYS TRICKS 114
IX. DANGER ON EVERY SIDE 129
X. SAD NEWS FOR THE ARMY BLUE 142
XI. GRIM DAYS ALONG THE TRAIL 153
XII. PHIL SHERIDAN ARRIVES 160
XIII. THE YELLOW HAIR RIDES AGAIN 173
XIV. THE WINTER WARPATH 180
XV. “WE ATTACK AT DAYLIGHT” 192
XVI. “GARRYOWEN!” AND “CHARGE!” 204
XVII. AFTER THE BATTLE 215
XVIII. TO THE LAND OF THE DAKOTAH 227
XIX. SCOUTING AMONG THE SIOUX 236
XX. RAIN-IN-THE-FACE VOWS VENGEANCE 249
XXI. SITTING BULL SAYS: “COME ON!” 256
XXII. OUT AGAINST THE SIOUX 264
XXIII. LOOKING FOR SITTING BULL 274
XXIV. SITTING BULL AT BAY 290

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

And now at full speed passing Ned also he leaned,
Indian-wise _Frontispiece_

Major-General George A. Custer 12

“Tell this chief that if another man of his crosses the
river my men will advance” 133

The big Indian was a fair mark, but the bullet must not hit
Mary 213

“Here, take that to Captain Benteen, and don’t spare your
horse” 289

MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER

From a Photograph by Brady]

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER

Famous American soldier and cavalry leader in the Civil War
and on Indian campaigns afterward. A loyal citizen, a tender
son, a devoted husband. Family name “Autie”; otherwise called
Armstrong; by war correspondents styled “the Boy General”; by
the soldiers nicknamed “Old Curly,” and “Jack”; entitled by the
Indians “the Yellow Hair,” “the Long Hair,” or, in full, “White
Chief with the Long Yellow Hair.”

Born at New Rumley, Ohio, December 5, 1839.

Father: Emmanuel H. Custer, of Maryland.

Mother: Maria Ward Kirkpatrick, of Pennsylvania.

Spent his boyhood at New Rumley, on the farm, and with his
sister at Monroe, Michigan.

Educated at New Rumley, at the Stebbins Academy (Monroe) and
the Monroe “Seminary,” and at the Hopedale, Ohio, Normal School.

Appointed to West Point Military Academy, 1857.

Graduates last in his class, 1861.

Assigned as second lieutenant, G Company, Second United States
Cavalry.

Three days after leaving West Point reports for duty with
General McDowell’s army, on the morning of the battle of Bull
Run.

Soon detailed as aide-de-camp and assistant adjutant-general on
the staff of General Philip Kearny.

Second lieutenant, Fifth United States Cavalry, 1862, under
General Stoneman.

Serves briefly with the Topographical Engineers, 1862.

Appointed aide-de-camp on the staff of General McClellan, June,
1862, with rank of Captain.

After McClellan’s removal is appointed first lieutenant, Fifth
Cavalry.

On waiting orders, at Monroe, winter of 1862–’63, woos and wins
his future wife, Elizabeth Bacon.

Reports for duty as first lieutenant with M Company, Fifth
Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, April, 1863.

Appointed aide-de-camp to General Pleasanton, commanding First
Division, Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

June, 1863, at the age of 23 appointed brigadier general of
volunteers, in command of the Second Brigade (the “Michigan”
Brigade), Third Division, Cavalry Corps, under General
Kilpatrick, and distinguishes himself at the battle of
Gettysburg. “The boy general with the golden locks.”

Slightly wounded at Culpepper, September, 1863.

Married, February 4, 1864, at Monroe, Michigan, to Elizabeth
Bacon, daughter of Judge Daniel S. Bacon, and takes his bride
with him to the brigade headquarters camp.

By Sheridan, the new cavalry commander, is given the advance in
the various raids.

Transferred to command of the Second Division of Cavalry, and
finally September, 1864, to that of the Third Division.

October, 1864, aged 25 is brevetted major-general of volunteers,
for gallantry. The youngest in the army.

Continues to lead the Third Division of cavalry, which is
conspicuous for its discipline, its dash, and the long hair,
cavalier hats and flying red neckties of its men, copied after
the well-known Custer garb.

Eleven horses are shot under him, in battle. In six months
his division captures 111 pieces of field artillery, 65
battle-flags, and 10,000 prisoners including seven generals.
It does not lose a flag or a gun or meet defeat.

April 9, 1865, he receives flag of truce conveying the first
word that General Lee is considering surrender. Thus “the boy
general” has fought through from Bull Run to Appomattox.

At the close of the war is ordered with a division of cavalry
to Texas.

Offered the command of the cavalry of the army of General
Juarez, Mexico, in the conflict with Emperor Maximilian;
but by Congress is not permitted to accept.

In 1866 brevetted major-general in the regular army, for war
services.

October, 1866, appointed lieutenant-colonel to command the
Seventh United States Cavalry, and ordered to Fort Riley,
Kansas.

Five years of service, 1866–’71, on the plains of Kansas,
Nebraska, Colorado and Indian Territory, resulting in the
subjugation of the Kiowas, Arapahos, Cheyennes, Comanches and
Apaches in that district.

From 1871 to 1873 stationed with his regiment in Kentucky.

Spring of 1873 ordered with his regiment to Fort Rice, Dakota,
for operations among the Sioux. Occupies the new post of Fort
Lincoln.

Engages in campaigns along the Yellowstone River, and explores
and exploits the Black Hills.

June 25, 1876, aged 37, killed with five companies of his
cavalry from which only one man, a Crow scout, escapes, in
the battle of the Little Big Horn, Montana, with 3000 Sioux.

ON THE PLAINS WITH CUSTER