Important Battle Little Bighorn Letter "Custer's Remains were Brought Down East"

Description

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER - BATTLE OF LITTLE BIGHORN
.  A Civil War general and Indian fighter, Michigan-born George Armstrong Custer (1839–1876) distinguished himself as a cavalry commander earning the rank of brigadier general of volunteers at age 23.  Following the Civil War, he became field commander of the 7th Cavalry and led troops in a number of engagements during the Indian Wars. Custer, together with all of the men under his immediate command, was killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876.
IMPORTANT BATTLE OF LITTLE BIGHORN LETTER NOTIFYING THE WIDOW OF A CIVIL WAR AND INDIAN WARS OFFICER THAT GEORGE ARMSTRONG, “CUSTER’S REMAINS WERE BROUGHT DOWN EAST”
Important autograph letter signed by Bertina M. Alexander, a military laundress stationed in the Dakota Territory, to the widow of Captain Louis McLane Morris notifying her that George Armstrong, “Custer’s remains were brought down east.”  Alexander also requests assistance for employment in the company in which her husband serves and mentions the Morris children Jennie and Louis. Morris (1837-1877) was a Civil War officer who led the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Company G in several engagements including the Seven Days Battles, Second Battle of Bull Run, Battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Petersburg.  He commanded the 20th Infantry in the Dakota Territory during the Indian Wars and died suddenly while stationed at Fort Hale on April 7, 1877. The letter is six pages, measures 12.5 by 8.5 inches, created in St. Paul, Minnesota in August 1877, in fine condition with minor foxing and soiling, and accompanied with a full transcription of the letter.
AFTER CUSTER WAS KILLED AT LITTLE BIGHORN, HIS BODY WAS RETURNED TO THE EAST FOR BURIAL ON THE GROUNDS OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT, NEW YORK
After Custer was killed at Little Bighorn, his body was, “returned to the East for burial on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where Custer had graduated in 1861 at the bottom of his class.”  His funeral was held by the U.S. Army with full military honors on October 10, 1877 (History Channel, Colonel George Custer’s funeral is held at West Point).
The letter reads in part: “I have just arrived from Fort Randall…you are so very kind and sweet to give me-your use to be working girl a present…oh! Mrs. Morris I love my husband more and more. He is so dreadful kind to me.  They were ordered to Fort Randall and he let me come up and see him…Captain Mays wouldn’t let me stay. The other laundresses of J Company was left at [Fort] Sully. My husband thought…he would get discharged…but he didn’t. He doesn’t look like the same man.  He has got so dreadful poor and thin…I just wish I was somewhere near you…wont you please do some thing for me…write to Mrs. Fletcher beg her to help me get that widow out of J Company so I can get in…[tell her] if she is sick I will levee my work and got to nurse her.  If Captain [William] Fletcher or Mrs. Fletcher get around Captain Mays I know I’ll get in and I’ll be awful good to all the officers. I wont be like the rest of the laundresses…I would make myself a slave to [be] nearer my husband…my husband spoke of Lou and Jennie. He said he would give one hundred dollars if he had such a good looking girl as Jennie.  He thinks Jennie the prettiest girl he ever saw. He also said…lots of people got off [the boat] to visit Captain [Louis McLane] Morris’ grave. He said Mr. Gats was down to Brule [Fort Hale] on a court martial…of the folks at Fort Randall they were all plain looking. Some of the young ladies tied themselves in old style…the way they used to…tight around the waist with two beans behind.  Everything I saw was old style…some tell me that Mrs. [General George] Sykes is divorced. The children are off to school and he is living all alone at Fort Snelling…[George Armstrong] Custer’s remains were brought down east. One of General [William] Carlin’s little boys shot a little boy six years old while playing. This occurred at Fort Lincoln…I fell sick and worn out from traveling. I had to stage it hundred miles for the boats coming down would not stop…Mrs. Bertina M. Alexander, St. Paul, Minn.”