Daniel Bacon's Death: Curious Circumstances?

[Tricia]

All--

Although it's well known that Judge Daniel Bacon died on May 18, 1866, either directly from--or from complications of--cholera, less known is the reason or reasons why his son-in-law, George Armstrong Custer, didn't attend his funeral. I understand that GAC was on business on the East Coast--either in Washington or New York. From Wert:

Libbie "... was forced to endure the grief without her husband, whose letters mentioned gala parties and attractive women. Her religious faith reaffirmed the promise of salvation, and it comforted her. In the darkness of night, alone in bed before sleep denied the present, Libbie Bacon Custer surely cried(page 240) ..."

Granted, travel was considerably more limited then, and cholera was a notoriously contagious disease. Didn't Tom Custer appear at the funeral? In the sources I have read, there is little explanation of what I'd consider a bit of a faux-pas on GAC's part. Or I could be completely wrong in my assessment.

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[crzhrs]

Custer not attending his father-in-law's funeral? You can't tell me Custer with his privilege of rank could not get out of what he was doing?

We know there was friction between GAC and the Judge. Did GAC let his personal feelings toward him dictate his actions?

If so . . . this could be a precursor to Custer's actions towards those he did not like or respect.

Custer being petty . . . or something more evil?

[elisabeth]

Could it be that the family anticipated Custer trying to seize all the Judge's assets, and begged Libbie to keep him away???!!!

Leckie says that Custer's father was with Libbie at the Judge's deathbed, which makes it even odder. And that in a letter to Eliza Sabin, "Libbie dismissed her husband's absence with brief remarks. Her father had 'seemed stronger, and as Autie had to be in New York for a few days when he returned it was too late'" -- flimsy at best. Definitely something peculiar going on here ...

[Tricia]

Crzhrs--

To answer your question, I thought GAC and Judge Bacon had buried the hatchet around the time of Custers' marriage. Just before the judge died, he counselled Libbie to try not to change her husband's spirit (i.e., let him remain a soldier, his true calling) ... which makes me think there was a sense of hard-earned respect between the two.

That said, as I recall, a telegram was sent East the day of the judge's death and reached GAC--either in NYC or on a train from NYC to Washington. So despite Libbie's letter to Miss Sabin, he clearly was informed of the suddenly changed circumstances ...

Elisabeth, you're right, Emmanuel was there; I can't remember where I got the idea Tom had attended ... or maybe he had. It seems that the judge's will was pretty clear: GAC and LBC was the prime beneficiary, with a certain amount--$5000--set aside in trust for Rhonda Bacon's annual upkeep.

But there is something a bit strange. I'm wondering that if death by cholera meant a hurried burial and no time for viewing ...?

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[elisabeth]

Well, was it definitely cholera? Because again according to Leckie, not only is Libbie in the house looking after the Judge and her stepmother, but Anna Darrah is visiting, too. You wouldn't knowingly invite a guest into a cholera-stricken household, I'd have thought? But even if it was, they could have had a closed casket. Do we have a date for his funeral? He died on May 18th. If the funeral was the very next day, Custer's just about got an excuse (barely) but not if it was any later ...

[Tricia]

Elisabeth--

I'm going from Wert and I think it's mentioned in Barnett as well. He refers to Judge Bacon as "... a victim of cholera(page 240) ..."

Regards,
Leyton McLean