b'General William S. McCaskeyParticipant and Witness to HistoryPART 2 By Alan RockmanMCCASKEY AND CUSTER like his ill-fated cousin William Logan Crittenden, THE BRIEF FRIENDSHIP this younger Crittenden sought the action with Custer THAT ENDED IN DEATHthat he knew he might never see under McCaskey. But FOR ONE AND THElike his older cousin, who would die facing a Spanish HARDEST DUTY THEfiring squad in the Lopez filibustering expedition OTHER HAD HAD TO MAKE to Cuba in 1851, John J. Crittenden left West Point Custer, for his part, was stillunder a cloud. Both Crittendens were considered to be on his way back west from"goats" of West Point, but whereas William Crittenden, that controversial testimony against Secretary ofhad managed to graduate, albeit barely, John Jordan War Belknap and by implication, President Grant\'sCrittenden met his West Point nemesis in a notorious, brother that so aroused Grant\'s ire and almost derailedill-manned Philosophy instructor named Lieutenant Custer\'s career (see below). Upon arriving at FortDavid Lyle. Crittenden flunked Lieutenant Lyle\'s Lincoln he was probably relieved and quite gratefuljerrybuilt Philosophy exam and was expelled. Burning to have a subordinate, an infantry captain who waswith shame, Crittenden, anxious to restore his and quite respectful to him unlike Major Reno and Captainhis notable family\'s reputation, enlisted in the Army. Benteen. At any rate, a quick but also quite briefBut as in the case of his late filibustering older cousin, friendship and positive working relationship developedill-luck had followed him, this time into the 20th when between the two men as evidenced by two briefhis rifle misfired as he tried to ply a stuck cartridge, the snippets of correspondence, one, a quite lengthy lettercartridge exploding upwards, striking and blinding his from McCaskey to his wife Nellie, dated May 11, 1876 -left eye. From that time to his death on that Montana just six days before Custer\'s and the 7th\'s departure onhillside less than a year later, he would sport a glass eye that over 400-mile ride to death and glory. in that empty left eye socket).McCaskey\'s correspondence with his wife not onlyNow on the eve of Custer\'s departure from Fort sheds light on the cordial McCaskey relationship withAbraham Lincoln, Lieutenant Crittenden had been Custer, General Terry, and others, it also provides aable to sign on with the 7th\'s incursion into Sioux Wikimedia Commonsbrief glimpse through an officer\'s eyes of the garrisoncountry with the approval of General Terry, who life of the Old Army. doubtlessly saw this as a favor to his friend (and John Jordan Crittenden\'s father) General Thomas Leonidas Last night the grand dignitaries arrived. ThreeCrittenden, who himself was trying to get from under Ambulances and army wagons and two private teamsa cloud dropped on him when his corps gave way to went to Bismarck to bring the party over. ColonelGeorge Armstrong Custer, 1876 Longstreet\'s onslaught at Chickamauga, causing a rout (Marcus) Reno and the adjutant(presumably theof the entire Union line and the last major Confederate Canadian-born Lieutenant William Winer Cooke,victory of the Civil War. (It was also a battle in which a afterward killed alongside Custer at the Little Bigyoung William McCaskey himself took part in (though Horn) and the quartermaster of the 7th Cavalry wentWe called on the Generals, Terry and Custer, andin George "The Rock of Chickamauga" Thomas\'s corps).over. General Custer and his nephew (Autie Reed) andwere very kindly received. General T(erry) inquired niece came over ahead - and Gen. (Alfred H. Terry andanxiously about me and how I was fixed. He said heThat favor made by General Terry to his brother officer his three aides Major (Robert P.) Hughes, Col. E. A.would give me all the leave he could when he gotand Civil War comrade, i.e., transferring John Jordan (Edward W.) Smith, & Maj. (Eugene B.) Gibbs. Also,back. He was surprised that my force was so small,Crittenden from McCaskey\'s 20th Infantry to "Jimmi" Major Wm. Smith and McC (probably Captain Charlesthat I had an important place to guard, and the livesCalhoun\'s L Company of the 7th Cavalry would turn McClure) of (the) pay department. Captain Michaelsof so many women and children to defend, (and) hasfrom a blessing to a curse a month and a week later (Otho F. Michaelis) of ordinance, and Mr. Wood, civilordered 2 officers and 40 men additional. I suppose half(Robbins, James S.,Last in Their Class: Custer, Pickett engineer, with Dr. Williams, Med Department, chiefwill come from (Fort) Stevenson and half from (Fort)and the Goats of West Point, Encounter Books, New medical officer of the expedition. Abercrombie. He told Gen. Crittenden that he couldYork, 2006, pp. 331-334; also pp. 133-145).hardly find another captain junior to me to send, and Two sisters of Gen. Terry - Major Hughes\' wife andhe wanted me to defend this post. McCaskey went onnoting how surprised he was to a younger sister, and Mrs. Gibbs were the ladies andhave gotten on so well with Custer, whose dashing, occupied Col. Reno\'s Qtrs, who, needing a pillow,(Lt.) Crittenden is anxious to go on the expedition andoccasionally self-centered, occasionally suffering no borrowed one of mine. although I should be very sorry to lose him, I shall helpfools gladly reputation had preceded him.him along as it will be a benefit to him. He wants, after General Terry, Col. Smith, and (Captain) Michaelshis return, to go to artillery school at Fortress MonroeGen. Terry expected a good time at the (1876) (Michaelis) stopped at Gen. Custer\'s. Gen. Thomas (L.- so we shall not see much of him for a time (Farioli &Centennial but thinks he can\'t get there now when he J.) Crittenden who also came along & Major Gibbs sleptNichols, p. 61). expected to. He will telegraph to have my company in our home. As usual, the cavalry allowed the infantryand Bradley\'s filled up. He is just as pleasant as ever, to do most of the entertaining and make arrangements(As Custer geared up for the expedition that wouldand I found Gen. Custer to be a very different man for their people. ultimately lead to the Little Big Horn, McCaskey wasthan I supposed him - without affection or show and no doubt distressed to learn that his subordinate,very considerate.They all went into camp today and have ordered thethe young and quite intense Lieutenant John Jordan move on Monday next (May 15th). Gen. CrittendenCrittenden had applied for and successfully attainedWe all went out to his dog kennel and saw his many was in Fargo to see Gen. Terry and was ordered ontoa transfer to the 7th, where he would be serving ashounds. He was in a buckskin suit, with his white the train so as to talk over matters. His coming was aa second-in-command to Lieutenant James Jimmi"hat on. Nothing to denote Army but brass buttons. surprise to his son (John J., then serving as a lieutenantCalhoun, Custer\'s brother-in-law by his marriageHe and his two brothers (Thomas and Boston) in McCaskey\'s 20th Infantry - but not for long) and allto Maggie Custer, and commander of Custer\'s Lwho are here look much alike. He also has a sister of us. He goes back with the ladies next Tuesday. Company, part of his immediate command. Crittenden,(MargaretMaggie Custer Calhoun, the wife of 7th 44 May 2022'