GREGG 139

WILLIAM D. MANN 148

GEORGE G. BRIGGS 150

LUTHER S. TROWBRIDGE 153

CHARLES H. TOWN 156

JUDSON KILPATRICK 165

AARON CONE JEWETT 175

PETER A. WEBER 187

CHARLES E. STORRS 201

GEORGE A. CUSTER (about 1872) 211

DON G. LOVELL 219

WESLEY MERRITT 237

LEVANT W. BARNHART AND WILLIAM HULL 253

A.C. LITCHFIELD 258

ANGELO E. TOWER 291

PHILIP H. SHERIDAN 297

FITZHUGH LEE AND STAFF (in Cuba) 313

M.C. BUTLER 323

THOMAS W. HILL 334

WADE HAMPTON 345

MANNING D. BIRGE 357

SERGEANT AVERY 362

MELVIN BREWER 395

CHARLES R. LOWELL 411

THOMAS C. DEVIN 428

WITH CUSTER'S MICHIGAN CAVALRY BRIGADE

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

OF A

CAVALRYMAN

CHAPTER I

A NATIONAL AWAKENING

The war cloud that burst upon the country in 1861 was no surprise to
sagacious observers. For many years it had been visible, at times a mere
speck in the sky, again growing larger and more angry in appearance. It
would disappear, sanguine patriots hoped forever, only to come again,
full of dire portent and evil menacings. All men who were not blind saw
it, but most of them trusted, many believed, that it would pass over and
do no harm. Some of those high in authority blindly pinned their faith
to luck and shut their eyes to the peril. Danger signals were set, but
the mariners who were trying to steer the Ship of State, let her drift,
making slight, if any, efforts to put her up against the wind and keep