The Ballad Of William Sycamore [1790-1871] Comments
My father, he was a mountaineer,
His fist was a knotty hammer;
He was quick on his feet as a running deer,
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Wonderful poem and my mother's favorite. I have a quibble, however. William Sycamore's dates are represented as 1790-1871, but he says his youngest son 'died with Custer.' Custer's Last Stand was in June of 1876, so the son's death precedes that of the father even though the father claims that the letter that brought the news burned his hand. Why do facts have to get in the way of a good story? Wm
Obviously, the youngest son died while serving with General George Armstrong Custer, during one of the General's Civil War battles: Gettysburg (1863) , the Battle of Yellow Tavern (1864) , or the Third Battle of Winchester (1864) . It could have been any of those battles, or it could have any other battle Custer engaged in during the Civil War (1861-1865) .
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7/24/2025 4:53:27 PM # 1.0.0
Obviously, William is referring to one of the General Custer's Civil War battles: Gettysburg (1863) , the Battle of Yellow Tavern (1864) , or the Third Battle of Winchester (1864) . The son died serving with Custer.