Fighting Indians In The 7th United States Cavalry: Custer's Favorite Regiment (1879)

Extracts from Autobiography - At six ocbck on the snowy morning of February rst, 1770. I beheld the li ht of the world at the Damside, in the Parish of 8 t. hlary, in the suburbs of the ancient city of Carlisle. I was a pcsor little tender being scarce worth the trouble of rearing, and was the youngest of nine children, born of parents getting up in years, who with all their kindred had been kept in bondage by poverty, hard labour and crosses. At an early age I was placed in a Charity School, supported at that time by the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle for the Education of children only. Having studied my letters. the see-saw drone of the Primer and waded through the Reading-Made-Easy. and Dyches Spelling Book I was now turned over to a long, lean, needy Pretender to Knowledge. He devoted much time to angling. and I was always selected to accompany him in those fishing expeditions, It was during those summer excursions that an attachment to rural scenery first stole over my mind. A love of nature grew in me from this period to manhood and such has been the influence of this passion for nature, that it has been the dearest wish of my heart to creep into retirement in the declining ears of my life, and strike the strings of my feeble garp in the shades of peace. From this teacher I was removed by my parents to the Quakers School, under Mr. Isaac Ritson a very learned and ingenious man. At the age of 10 years, I left school to try to earn a little to assist my father who was n w very inhrm. I was employed as a Calico Printer undu my brother and my wages one and sixpence a week were presented to my beloved father. From infancy I was fond of drawing, especially animals, and to this amusementmy evenings were chiefly devoted. For a self-taught artist my early efforts b afforrI evidence of industry, but they are devoid of anythin indicative of genius. My next change was to e bound apprentice to a pattern drawer with Messrs. T. Lash ahd Co., Dmton Holme near Carlisle where I enjoyed dI the happiness an industrious apprentice can ho e for being with every mark of esteem. W R l e here b I e i t n u g r ntereda t m ed y thoughts to music, and as from childhood a love opfo rrtuurnailt ielisf e o f h a s d p e g n r d o in w g n twheit hS ambbe, a t 1 h lmeto r s e li p e sfpeewci a o l Y y - In summer with friends in some neighbouring village. It was on paying a welcome visit at a friends house that I was first smitteu with female charms. Picture to yourself a hffident o u t h in his sixteenth year ddaily pouring out the sigs of a sincere heart for an artless cottager sornmvl at youger than myself. She was aU my thoughts by day, And aU my dreams by night., t church she drew my attention from the preacher. On her I could have gazd my soul away, and I have a thousand times fancied to myself our joining handa at the Hymeneal altar. Whatever I had had of worldly possessions I would gladly have bestowed upon her. When - in London. where 1 had obtained employment before the expiration of my appren ticeship, my first attempt at poetical composition was made in a song called Lncy Grey, which with some others . as afterwards set to music and sung at the Vauxhall...