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[Illustration: SMOKING THE PIPE OF PEACE.]




TENTING ON THE PLAINS

OR

GENERAL CUSTER IN KANSAS AND TEXAS

BY

ELIZABETH B. CUSTER

    AUTHOR OF "FOLLOWING THE GUIDON"
    "BOOTS AND SADDLES" ETC.

    ILLUSTRATED

[Illustration]

    NEW YORK
    HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
    1895




OTHER WORKS BY MRS. CUSTER.


      "BOOTS AND SADDLES"; or, Life in Dakota with General
      Custer. Portrait and Map.

      FOLLOWING THE GUIDON. Illustrated.

_Post 8vo, Cloth, $1 50 each._

PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK.

[Illustration: Pointing hand]_Either of the above works will be sent by
mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, Canada, or
Mexico, on receipt of the price._

    Copyright, 1887, by CHARLES L. WEBSTER & CO.

    _All rights reserved._




    TO HIM
    WHOSE BRAVE AND BLITHE ENDURANCE
    MADE THOSE WHO FOLLOWED
    HIM FORGET,
    IN HIS SUNSHINY PRESENCE,
    HALF THE HARDSHIP AND THE DANGER




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER I                                                 PAGE
  GOOD-BY TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC                          17

  CHAPTER II
  NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE WAR                                   41

  CHAPTER III
  A MILITARY EXECUTION                                        59

  CHAPTER IV
  MARCHES THROUGH PINE FORESTS                                83

  CHAPTER V
  OUT OF THE WILDERNESS                                       95

  CHAPTER VI
  A TEXAS NORTHER                                            113

  CHAPTER VII
  LIFE IN A TEXAS TOWN                                       132

  CHAPTER VIII
  LETTERS HOME                                               150

  CHAPTER IX
  DISTURBED CONDITION OF TEXAS                               165

  CHAPTER X
  GENERAL CUSTER PARTS WITH HIS STAFF AT CAIRO AND DETROIT   185

  CHAPTER XI
  ORDERS TO REPORT AT FORT RILEY, KANSAS                     205

  CHAPTER XII
  WESTWARD HO!--FIGHTING DISSIPATION IN THE SEVENTH
      CAVALRY--GENERAL CUSTER'S TEMPTATIONS                  222

  CHAPTER XIII
  A MEDLEY OF OFFICERS AND MEN                               256

  CHAPTER XIV
  THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE                                    279

  CHAPTER XV
  A PRAIRIE FIRE                                             310

  CHAPTER XVI
  SACRIFICES AND SELF-DENIAL OF PIONEER DUTY--CAPTAIN
      ROBBINS AND COLONEL COOK ATTACKED, AND FIGHT
      FOR THREE HOURS                                        327

  CHAPTER XVII
  A FLOOD AT FORT HAYS                                       356

  CHAPTER XVIII
  ORDERED BACK TO FORT HARKER                                373

  CHAPTER XIX
  THE FIRST FIGHT OF THE SEVENTH CAVALRY                     387




ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                            PAGE
  Smoking the Pipe of Peace                         FRONTISPIECE

  Texas in 1866 and in 1886                                   19

  Eliza Cooking Under Fire                                    28

  A Mule Lunching from a Pillow                               78

  General Custer as a Cadet                                   87

  "O Golly! what am dat?"                                    108

  Measuring an Alligator                                     125

  General Custer at the Close of the War--Aged 25            168

  "Stand there, cowards, will you, and see an old man
        robbed?"                                             188

  General Custer with his Horse Vic, Stag Hounds and
        Deer Hounds                                          212

  Kansas in 1866 and Kansas To-day                           221

  Conestoga Wagon, or Prairie-Schooner                       223

  The Officer's Dress--A New-comer for a Call                239

  A Suspended Equestrienne                                   246

  General Custer at his Desk in his Library                  259

  Gun-stand in General Custer's Library                      287

  Trophies of the Chase in General Custer's Library          297

  Whipping H