As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
The 7th Cavalry when stationed at the end of the 1860's at Big Creek, next of Fort Hayes, was an interesting tent city on the creek, as besides the normal zoo of horses and hunting dogs, the men of the 7th, led by their General, George Custer, had created quite a zoo of wild animals, they were keeping or constantly obtaining animals for the General.
There was the Custer's wolf, Dixie, kept by Harrison on a chain, which broke one time, and the wolf was found up a tree, trying to capture the colored cook's chickens, before being yanked down by her.
The wolf also was a lure for other wilder wolves which prowled the camp at night.
"The whole camp seemed like an animated " zoo," and each soldier or officer who owned a prized treasure boasted that his was superior to all others. There were besides wolves, prairie-dogs, raccoons, porcupines, wildcats, badgers, young antelopes, buffalo-calves, and any number of mongrel dogs."
Elizabeth Bacon Custer. Following the Guidon
The coons were interesting in they delighted the General, both black and raccoon, as Eliza reported the General laughing with great delight in taking all the possessions of the tent and washing them in a basin, and at one time taking all the General's money and rolling each bill into a wad.
I place these insights into the public understanding as this type of history is lost in what a military camp was like in the amusements which were kept and offered.
Tom Custer kept rattlesnakes in wooden boxes. It was all each man having the best of pets and informing all of the others that their pets were the best.
Whatever could be caught was brought into the camp, and the massive wall tents the Custer's had were still filled to overflowing with dogs and wild things.
agtG
