Belknap's Lies

On April 25, 1876, George Custer wrote Elizabeth from New York with bad news. He was caught up in a situation neither saw coming. “My Precious Sunbeam,” his letter began, “I cannot express my amazement, disappointment. I am stopped, ordered to return to Washington. I had obtained my formal discharge…. I had had several interviews with the Managers of the Belknap Board, representing the urgency of my duties at Fort Lincoln, and had finally received a reluctant consent to my departure. Yesterday a Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate brought me a summons to appear before that body on Wednesday next, as witness in the Impeachment of the Ex-Secretary of War.” Belknap was a dishonest man. He had ripped off the government and Custer knew what he had done. Belknap lied about Custer and no one was in George’s corner except Elizabeth. It would take a while for the truth to come out, but in the meantime and George and Elizabeth would suffer. President Grant had appointed Belknap to the post of Secretary of War and refused to believe he would lie about anything. He was wrong. George still paid. Truth never dies, but lives a wretched life. Elizabeth and her husband learned that firsthand, and by the way, so has my brother. The truth in his case is about to come out too. I’ve waited such a long time for this. I’ve got new changes coming to my website in the fall that I’m excited about. If all goes well, one of the new items I’ll be adding to the site will be a western short to promote the books. I’ve always wanted to make a western movie and I think this is the closest I’ll ever come to it. It’s been a dream of mine as far back as I can remember.  I’d die happy just knowing I was able to participate in such a project.