RARE 1885 1ST ED BOOTS & SADDLES GENERAL CUSTER INDIANS 7TH US CAVALRY CIVIL WAR

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RARE 1885 1ST ED BOOTS & SADDLES GENERAL CUSTER INDIANS 7TH US CAVALRY CIVIL WAR:
$250.00

OR LIFE IN DAKOTA WITH GENERAL CUSTER by ELIZABETH B. CUSTER Published by Harper & Brothers. 1885 First Edition. Original brown cloth boards. In Very Good condition. Bottom right corner ding. Light wear to corners. No foxing. Tight binding. Original owners seal on title page. Very nice copy. Book measures 5 1/4\" X 7 1/2\" and contains 312 pages. General Custer\'s story, as told by his Wife, Elizabeth. Preface One of the motives that have actuated me in recalling these simple annals of our daily life, has been to give a glimpse to civilians of garrison and camp life about which they seem to have such a very imperfect knowledge. This ignorance exists especially with reference to any thing pertaining to the cavalry, which is almost invariably stationed on the extreme frontier. The isolation of the cavalry posts makes them quite in accessible to travelers, and the exposure incident to meeting war like Indians does not tempt the visits of friends or even of the venturesome tourist. Our life, therefore, was often as separate from the rest of the world as if we had been living on an island in the ocean. Very little has been written regarding the domestic life of an army family, and yet I cannot believe that it is with out interest; for the innumerable questions that are asked about our occupations, amusements, and mode of house keeping, lead me to hope that the actual answers to these queries contained in this little story will be acceptable. This must also be my apology for entering in some instances so minutely into trifling perplexities and events, which went to fill up the sum of our existence. E. B. C. 148 East 18th Street, New York City, ContentsI. Change of Station II. A Blizzard III. Western Hospitality IV. Cavalry on the March V. Camping Among the Sioux VI. A Visit to the Village of \"Two Bears\" VII. Adventures During the Last Days of the March VIII. Separation and Reunion IX. Our New Home at Fort Lincoln X. Incidents of Every-day Life XI. The Burning of Our Quarters Carrying the Mail XII. Perplexities and Pleasures of Domestic Life XIII. A \"Strong Heart\" Dance! XIV. Garrison Life XV. General Custer\'s Literary Work XVI. Indian Depredations XVII. A Day of Anxiety and Terror XVIII. Improvements at the Post., and Gardening XIX. General Custer\'s Library XX. The Summer of the Black Hills Expedition XXI. Domestic Trials XXII. Capture and Escape of Rain-in-the-face XXIII. Garrison Amusements XXIV. An Indian Council XXV. Breaking Up of the Missouri XXVI. Curious Characters and Excursionists Among Us XXVII. Religious Services Leave of Absence XXVIII. A Winter\'s Journey Across the Plains XXIX. Our Life\'s Last Chapter APPENDIX: With Extracts of General Customs Letters Background History Although better known for his Indian fighting, George Custer compiled a creditable record as a cavalry leader in the latter part of the Civil War. Graduating at the bottom of his West Point (1861) class, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the old 2nd Cavalry, later the 5th, on June 24, 1861. His Civil War assignments included: first lieutenant, 5th Cavalry July 17, 1862); captain and additional aide-de-camp, USA June 5,1862 -March 31, 1863); brigadier general, USV June 29, 1863); commanding 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, CavalryCorps, Army of the Potomac June 28 - July 15 and August 4 November 25, 1863 and December 20, 1863 - January 7, 1864); temporarilycommanding the division July 15 -August 4 and November 25 - December 20, 1863); commanding lst Brigade, lst Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac (March 25 - August 6, 1864) and Army of the Shenandoah (August 6 -September 26, 1864); temporarily commanding 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia serving with the Army of the Shenandoah (September 26-30, 1864); commanding 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah (September 30, 1864 - January 5, 1865 and January 30 - March 25, 1865) and Army of the Potomac (March 25 - May 22, 1865); and major general, USV (April 15, 1865). Serving during the first two war years on the staffs of Generals McClellan and Pleasanton, Custer saw action in the Peninsular, Antietam, and Chancellorsville campaigns. Given his own star, he was assigned command of the Michigan cavalry brigade and, with it, took part in the Gettysburg, Bristoe, and Mine Run campaigns. At Gettysburg he remained with General Gregg east of town to face Jeb Stuart\'s threat to the Union rear, although he was previously ordered to the south. The combined Union force defeated Stuart. In Grant\'s Richmond drive in 1864, Custer participated in the fight at Yellow Tavern where Stuart was mortally wounded. Transferred to the Shenandoah Valley with his men, he played a major role in the defeat of Early\'s army at Winchester and Cedar Creek, commanding a division at the latter. Returning to the Army of the Potomac in early 1865, he fought at Five Forks; and in the Appomattox Campaign. His victories against the rebel cavalry came at a time when that force was a ghost of its former self Custer was brevetted in the regulars through grades to major general for Gettysburg, Yellow Tavern, Winchester, Five Forks, and the Appomattox Campaign. In addition he was brevetted major general of volunteers for Winchester. Remaining in the army after the war, in 1866 he was appointed Lt. Col. of the newly authorized 7th Cavalry, remaining its active commander until his death. He took part in the 1867 Sioux and Cheyenne expedition, but was court martialed and suspended from duty one year for paying an unauthorized visit to his wife. His army career ended June 25,1876, at the battle of Little Big Horn, which resulted in the extermination of his immediate command and a total loss of some 266 officers and men. On June 28th, the bodies were given a hasty burial on the field. The following year, what may have been Custer\'s remains were disinterred and given a military funeral at West