OUSTER, GEORGE A. 



DAKOTA. 



210 



tvlini she accompanied Mr. Macready on a tour 

 in i In- Northern States, in the course of which 

 S!M- undertook the higher range of tragic parts 

 wit 1 1 ^reat success. In 1845 she went to Eng- 

 land, and inado her first appearance at the 

 Princess's Theatre as Uianca in Milman's trag- 

 ed v v of "Fazio." Her reception was enthusi- 

 astic, and for eighty-four nights she appeared 

 in a variety of characters, including Lady 

 Mill-bath, Julia, in " The Hunchback," Mrs. 

 1 la Her, Beatrice, Lady Teazle, and Juliana in 

 the '' Honeymoon." Her sister having joined 

 her, they acted for several years at the Hay- 

 market Theatre, and in various towns of Great 

 Britain. In 1849 she revisited the United 

 States, and assumed the part of Meg Merrilies 

 in the play of " Guy Mannering," which, with 

 Queen Katharine, Lady Macbeth, liianca, etc., 

 constituted the roles in which she gained her 

 greatest celebrity. After another tour in Eng- 

 land she returned to America, and, having 

 accumulated a fortune, took a formal leave 

 of the American stage. She subsequently 

 acted in England, and again in the United 

 States in 1857-'58, after which she returned 

 to Rome, where she had previously resided. 

 In 1860 she again acted in New Yor*k, and ap- 

 peared on several occasions for the benefit of 

 the Sanitary Commission. In 1871, after a 

 residence in Europe, she resumed her career 

 in the United States as a reader, besides ful- 

 filling several dramatic engagements. Her 

 final performances in New York at Booth's 

 Theatre were signalized by great social and 

 literary demonstrations. Her career closed in 

 Boston at the Globe Theatre, on May 15, 1875. 

 Her estate was estimated at $600,000. 



OUSTER, GEORGE A., was born at New Rum- 

 ley, Harrison County, Ohio, December 5, 1839; 

 killed in a battle with the Sioux, on the Little 

 Big Horn. June 25 or 26, 1876. He graduated 

 at West Point in 1861, and was made second- 

 lieutenant of a company of the United States 

 Cavalry, with which he was present at the first 

 battle of Bull Run. After the appointment of 

 McClellan to the command of the army, Lieu- 

 tenant Ouster was chosen as a staff-officer by 

 Brigadier-General Kearney. He soon left this 

 position and marched with his company, 

 which was in that part of the Army of the 

 Potomac which moved upon Manassas after 



its evacuation by the Confederates. Here he 

 made his first cavalry charge upon a Coufc-dcr- 

 ate force, which ho drove across Muddy Creek. 

 When the Army of the Potomac settled down 

 before Yorktown, Ouster was detailed as 

 assistant engineer of the left wing under Sum- 

 ner. He planned and erected the earthworks 

 nearest the enemy's lines, and accompanied the 

 advance under General Hancock in pursuit of 

 the enemy from Yorktown. When the army 

 reached the Chickahominy, he was the first to 

 cross the river, and was soon after made 

 captain and one of General McClellan's aides. 

 In this capacity he served during most of the 

 Peninsular campaign, and took part in all its 

 battles. He was also engaged in the campaign 

 which ended in the battles of South Mountain 

 and Antietam. For a time after the retire- 

 ment of General McClellan from the command 

 of the army, Custer was not in active service. 

 He was next engaged in the battle of Chan- 

 cellorsville, and soon after became aide to Gen- 

 eral Pleasanton, then commanding a division of 

 cavalry. In this capacity Custer distinguished 

 himself as a dashing cavalry-officer in a num- 

 ber of hot contests. He was made brigadier- 

 general of cavalry, and rendered important 

 service in the battle of Gettysburg, where he 

 routed Hampton's cavalry, and had two horses 

 shot under him. He took part in the battle of 

 the Wilderness in 1864, and in the same year 

 his brigade led the column in Sheridan's raid 

 toward Richmond. He rejoined Grant's army 

 on the Pamunkey. He rendered important 

 service in the battle of Fisher's Hill, after 

 which he remained in command of a division 

 until after Lee's surrender. He led his divis- 

 ion in the battle of Cedar Creek with such 

 bravery and success that he was brevetted 

 major-general of volunteers. When the Con- 

 federates fell back to Appomattox, Custer led 

 the advance of General Sheridan's command. 

 In July, 1866, Custer was made lieutenant- 

 colonel of the United States Cavalry, with the 

 brevet rank of major-general, and was there- 

 after engaged in frontier service. (For an 

 account of the operations in which he lost his 

 life, see AEMY.) General Custer was one of the 

 most courageous and dashing cavalry leaders in 

 the service. His achievements during the war 

 were of the most brilliant kind. 



DAKOTA. The Legislature assembled in bi- 

 ennial session January 9, 1877. There has been 

 a steady increase in population and wealth in 

 the Territory. The crop of 1875 was unprece- 

 jlent.-dly large, and while that of the succeed- 

 ing year was not so great, owing to its partial 

 destruction by locusts, there was enough to 

 supply all wants, and make another crop. Mill- 

 ions of bushels of wheat were also shipped to 

 Eastern markets. 



The only drawback to agriculture in Dakota 

 seems to be the grasshoppers, or migratory 

 locusts, that come in swarms, and generally in 

 the latter part of June, or early in July, when 

 they come at all, and devour the corn and 

 other crops. As probably the best protection 

 against the devouring insects, there are recom- 

 mended to the farmers fall ploughing, early seed- 

 ing of grain in the spring, and the cultivation 

 of those crops least likely to be injured by the 



