Daniel Bacon's Death

[Tricia]

All--

For the last few days, the narrative has forced me to revisit Judge Daniel Bacon's death on May 18, 1866. I do have a few questions. Earlier, I read that he died from cholera or its complications, and of late, I have read that he died of a rather protracted illness (but no diagnosis). Supposedly Anna Darrah was about in Monroe, lending Libbie company whilst
Armstrong was on the East Coast on business, but apart from she and Emmanuel Custer, were any other Custer family members there for--if not Bacon's death--his funeral?

Any help would be appreciated.
LMC

[PhillyBlair]

Leyton,

I have been reading several books about Libbie lately so I checked into your questions. I can't find anything, other than what you stated. I'm sure you have the books I'm reading plus many others. I can't find a reference for any more Custers at the funeral.

As to how Judge Bacon died, I do know two factors that play into the mystery (and I'm sure you know this as well). Medical science recognized fewer illnesses in that day, therefore illnesses were lumped into larger categories. Second, due to the the lack of classifications of illnesses the general public cared less than we do about the disease that felled their loved ones.

Benteen may be a case in point of the above. I'm speaking from memory here and have no resource in front of me, but I believe his death was said to be from rheumatism (a common term in that day). His symptoms were obviously more involved.

Happy Hunting...

Blair

[Tricia]

Thanks, PB ... of course, this leaves a little wiggle room for the fiction writer in me. But that said, I don't like taking a literary axe to a noted historical event. Well, maybe ...

Sorry for the delay in response to your post; life has gotten in the way of late in a negative manner, though Spouse begins radiation tomorrow. Hopefully, it'll buy some time, but all this illness has resulted in my inability to spell even the simplest word and an over-reliance on semi-colons.

But, thinking on it, if Judge Bacon's death really was from cholera, perhaps that gives a reason behind GAC's dallying on the East Coast ... ok, I'm stretching to find an acceptable excuse for Armstrong's absence ... I mean, really ...

LMC

[elisabeth]

Hmmm ... it's a generous effort ... but aside from the fact that he was just having too much fun to tear himself away, I wonder if he wasn't one of those people who shies away from anything "depressing". He forbade Libbie to wear proper mourning because he found it gloomy, after all. Not much of the Florence Nightingale in his nature, I suspect.

If it had been cholera, wouldn't he have dragged Libbie away instantly?

[PhillyBlair]

He forbade Libbie to wear proper mourning

She certainly changed her tune after he died, didn't she? More than 50 years of mourning attire!

[jc]

elisabeth said:

Hmmm ... Not much of the Florence Nightingale in his nature, I suspect.

In a letter to his half-sister, Lydia Reed, April 20, 1862, Custer wrote ...

"The day before yesterday we buried our dead slain in the skirmish, in the clothes they wore when killed, each wrapped in his blanket. No coffin. It seemed hard but it could not be helped. Some were quite young and boyish, and, looking at their faces I could not but think of my own younger brother.

One, shot through the heart, had been married the day before he left Vermont. Just as his comrades were about to consign his body to the earth, I thought of his wife, and, not wanting to put my hands in his pockets, cut them open with my knife, and found knife, porte-monnaie and ring. I then cut off a lock of his hair and gave them to a friend of his from the same town who promised to send them to his wife. As he lay there I thought of that poem: 'Let me kiss him for his mother', and wished his mother were there to smooth his hair."

In a letter to Libbie, dated June 21, 1864, Custer wrote ...

"One of my men of the 5th Michigan, was shot in the heart by a sharp-shooter, and fell in a position as still exposed to enemy fire. He was even then in the death-struggle, but I could not bear the thought of his being struck again, so rushed forward, and picking him up bore him to a place of safety. As I turned a sharp-shooter fired at me - the ball glanced, stunning me for a few moments ..."


It certainly seems to me as if the man possessed a fair degree of compassion!

jc

[Dark Cloud]

If true. Custer is hardly an objective source for anything, least of all himself. These are "aren't I sumpin'? stories told to women he wanted to impress. The ball 'glanced', but the Man of Steel road on.....

You drew exactly the impression he wanted his readers to. May all be true, but he's been caught lying before, in big things like the number and demographic composition of the dead at the Washita, and in little things, such as the three separate print versions of him accidently shooting shooting his own horse while trying to kill a buffalo.

[jc]

If true. Custer is hardly an objective source for anything, least of all himself. These are "aren't I sumpin'? stories told to women he wanted to impress. The ball 'glanced', but the Man of Steel road on.....

DC

Since you're so exacting with others ... didn't you mean the Man of Steel rode on?

You drew exactly the impression he wanted his readers to.

What impression? These letters were personal correspondence. Custer surely had absolutely no idea that they would someday become public for the whole world to read.

May all be true, but he's been caught lying before, in big things like the number and demographic composition of the dead at the Washita, and in little things, such as the three separate print versions of him accidently shooting shooting his own horse while trying to kill a buffalo.

I won't even attempt to defend Custer's personal integrity, as God knows it's a total waste of time here. It quite apparent that most members prefer to consistently point a judgmental finger at Custer's faults however very rarely is any reference made of his admirable qualities, of which he had in abundance. Perhaps Custer did stretch the truth now and then, however I certainly don't believe that he made it a habit to deliberately be deceptive. After all, it must be remembered that he was merely human. Has no one here never in your whole life somewhat embellished the truth to some extent or another? We all fall short of the Glory. People that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Regarding the incident of Custer accidentally shooting his horse while hunting buffalo, any one with experience of riding horses can attest to that not being such an obscure incident. Have you ever rode a horse trained to cut cattle? Or a horse trained for heading or healing cattle? A race horse, or a horse trained for endurance riding? Believe me, merely staying in the saddle on such a horse is a major achievement, let alone attempting to hold, aim and shoot a loaded pistol at a target. A cutting horse, which in essence would be a modern day comparison to one used to hunt buffalo back then, jolts a rider tremendously, and they aren't running at a breakneck speed. Nor are they traveling over virgin terrain full of unexpected obstacles, such as prairie dog holes. The fact that Custer even engaged in such a dangerous sport is praiseworthy and deserves commendation. This fact is always conveniently overlooked, yet the accidental shooting of his horse is mentioned time and time again.

Custer seems to be someone that most people here love to hate. If one retains the audacity to feel they have the right to judge Custer's character, a happy balance in the matter would certainly be a refreshing, much welcomed change.

And I've never come upon any mention anywhere of the time Benteen shot his own horse while engaging in a buffalo hunt. Don't the two separate events deserve the same preposterous judgment?


Yours,
jc


PS. This subject happens brings to mind a movie I viewed the other day. Dodge City, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, and Ann Sheridan. My God, that man could ride a horse. It was like watching poetry in motion, two entities in perfect concert with one another. Flynn was perhaps the finest rider to be found in films, except of course Ben Johnson. Ben was the best horseman I've ever known. A wonderful man, which I had the great pleasure of acquaintance and of his delightful company a number of times horseback riding many years ago in the Santa Ynez Valley. Ahh, those were the days ....

[crzhrs]

DC <but the Man of Steel road on.....>:

You made a typo! A word slip-up! Unbelievable! Apparently you are not the perfect literary writer you constantly remind everyone you are.

Remember that when you point out other's misspelled words and word usage.

PS: This forum is not about spelling, literary superiority, or who is better.

[Dark Cloud]

Actually, Crzhrs, I've said constantly on this forum nobody makes more mistakes than I do. The last time was way, way, way back on......January 29:

Re: What should Martini's message have said?
« Reply #10 on Jan 29, 2007, 5:00am »

[Modify] [Delete]
First, no need to be so polite. I make more errors than anyone and you'd be remiss not to question me.

So, for you to claim the exact opposite is a fabrication. A falsehood. A lie. And there's your evidence. Where is there any evidence I try to create the impression I'm the "perfect literary writer you constantly remind everyone you are?" An example, please.

I don't mind being corrected, and I don't mind being way wrong, and writing at 4 AM I feel less than suicidal over this. I assume others feel the same way. Tough, if they don't. No harm correcting mistakes. But don't lie about it.

Regarding the impression issue, jc, Custer wanted to leave the impression with the women in his life he was the compassionate Galahad. Has nothing to do with mass circulation. May be telling the truth, but there's reason to doubt, starting with the self-celebration.

I don't know what personal insight you or anyone has to Custer's personal integrity and character other than the record. He lied when it benefited him. "It quite apparent that most members prefer to consistently point a judgmental finger at Custer's faults however very rarely is any reference made of his admirable qualities, of which he had in abundance." Can't speak for anyone else, but so what? Did he lie on the job? Yes, he did. He was convicted at courtmartial, and his chosen position on the facts was a lie. He lied in his report after the Washita about the composition of the dead Cheyenne. He was in the process of a lie on the last campaign, posing as an objective journalist and writing up Reno's scout and praising himself. What a guy. And no, that's not common.

"Perhaps Custer did stretch the truth now and then, however I certainly don't believe that he made it a habit to deliberately be deceptive." There's certainly reason to suspect he was a chronic liar. "After all, it must be remembered that he was merely human. Has no one here never in your whole life somewhat embellished the truth to some extent or another? We all fall short of the Glory. People that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Has anyone here ever lied in an official military report? Does anyone think that high ranking officers holding people's lives in the balance ought to be held to a higher standard?

"Regarding the incident of Custer accidentally shooting his horse while hunting buffalo, any one with experience of riding horses can attest to that not being such an obscure incident. Have you ever rode a horse trained to cut cattle? Or a horse trained for heading or healing cattle? A race horse, or a horse trained for endurance riding? Believe me, merely staying in the saddle on such a horse is a major achievement, let alone attempting to hold, aim and shoot a loaded pistol at a target. A cutting horse, which in essence would be a modern day comparison to one used to hunt buffalo back then, jolts a rider tremendously, and they aren't running at a breakneck speed. Nor are they traveling over virgin terrain full of unexpected obstacles, such as prairie dog holes. The fact that Custer even engaged in such a dangerous sport is praiseworthy and deserves commendation. This fact is always conveniently overlooked, yet the accidental shooting of his horse is mentioned time and time again."

Nobody's doubting his seat or ability with a gun, so that's a straw dog. It's just that he told three separate versions in print about it. At least two are fake. He did this while at work, as I recall, risking his life to no particular point and irresponsibly leaving his group for sport. Why is that praiseworthy? Explain. They had hunters. He was just bored, but he had a responsibility.

"Custer seems to be someone that most people here love to hate. If one retains the audacity to feel they have the right to judge Custer's character, a happy balance in the matter would certainly be a refreshing, much welcomed change." I have no interest in Custer, particularly. He's a type not uncommon, and recalled only because of his death. But character is destiny. Hundreds died because of his decisions that day, and to no known point, and because he'd made something of a habit of it through the Civil War - he always had very large casualties above and beyond the average - it's something he's stuck with.

"And I've never come upon any mention anywhere of the time Benteen shot his own horse while engaging in a buffalo hunt. Don't the two separate events deserve the same preposterous judgment?" I don't know. Was Benteen on a hunt or at work? And did he tell three different versions of the event?

[crzhrs]

<Actually, Crzhrs, I've said constantly on this forum nobody makes more mistakes than I do>

Yet, you continaully point out other's typos and word usage. In your usual response to anyone's point of view: WHY?

[Dark Cloud]

It's "continually." I'm sorry, what were you saying?

[crzhrs]

I was only testing you!

Still haven't answered why you continually have to point out other's word slip ups? Could it be some type of superiority complex?

[Dark Cloud]

Your premise is incorrect. More likely it's your inferiority complex that condones low standards, rather than my alleged superiority complex periodically pointing them out. Of course, they may not be complexes, either.

If I can cheerfully accept correction, and I do(being superior and all.....its genetic), so can anyone.

[Tricia]

jc--

If you're looking for the GAC Blind-Eyed Admiration Society, I think you've come to the wrong place. However, if you are willing to honestly explore his humanity--examples of both faults and characteristics more sterling--then you're in a good crowd. As most of us will acknowledge, the years 1866-1868 (and perhaps a little longer to 1870) were not GAC's most shining and his reaction--better, a lack of one--to Judge Bacon's death is one of the nadirs of a life well-lived. He had a lot of personal stresses then to be true, but insensitivity needn't have been the result.

But it was a life, not a sainthood--and I think he'd not appreciate those who continue to hold him on such a high and utterly unrealistic pedastal.