A most interesting pair of letters, for a Custer collector, from Godfrey, the last surviving officer of the Little Big Horn when he died in 1932, to William A Graham, author of what was considered the definitive work on the battle, discussing the book, the battle, other survivors and touching upon Mrs. Custer and her feelings about publication of Graham's book, which was published in 1926.

Edward Settle Godfrey, was born at Kalida, Ohio, October 9, 1843, he served as a Private, Company D, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry from April 12, 1861. He subsequently entered West Point and graduated in the Class of 1867. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant. 7th United States Cavalry, June 17, 1867 and was promoted through the grades to Brigadier General, January 17, 1907. He was brevetted Major, February 27, 1890, and awarded the Medal of Honor for "most distinguished gallantry" at Bear Paw Mountain against Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians, September 30, 1877. Godfrey served in all the campaigns and Indian fights of his regiment, under Lieutenant Colonel (Brevet Major General) George A. Custer, until Custer's death. Godfrey originated the Cossack and Rough Riding maneuvers for the Army Cavalry and was a member of the Board which devised drill regulations for Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry for the Army. He served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and in the Philippines during the Insurrection there. Godfrey was the author of Cavalry Fire Disciplines; Custer's Last Battle; as well as Some Reminiscences, Including an Account of General Sully's Campaign Against the Southern Plains Indians; Some Reminiscences Including the Washita Battle of November 26, 1868.

During the Little Big Horn campaign, Edward S. Godfrey was a Lieutenant in Captain Benteen's force, which, with Major Reno's troops, was operating in support of Colonel Custer's main body. When scouts reported an Indian village in an unexplored country, Godfrey was Lieutenant in Command of Troop K at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Custer divided his command into three "battalions," Reno was ordered to begin an attack on the village; Custer was to proceed up the river to reinforce Reno; while Benteen had orders to scout to the left and deal with bands of Indians he encountered. Major Reno had only 112 men, and, finding in his front a greatly superior body of the enemy, halted, took cover, and finally retreated across the river. Godfrey severely criticized the tactics of Reno, holding that if he had engaged the Indians their concentration on Custer might have been prevented. Reno had his defenders, among them General W. S. Edgerly, (who is mentioned in one of Godfrey's letters) who was also a Lieutenant in Benteen's command. Judge Advocate Graham also championed Reno. However in spite of a distinguished Civil War record Reno was dismissed from the army.

Godfrey writes to Graham:

December 28, 1921

"The abstract has been with me some days and this am the sketches arrived. Please accept my thanks. I have not yet finished reading the abstract but what I have read shows quite a number of typographical errors - In a couple of instances, so far, it seemed as if the abstract should be elaborated a bit as the evidence seems abrupt and for the casual reader would need reinforcement. As to publication - There are, so far as I know, only four of the witnesses alive now, Edgerly, Varnum, Hare and myself. Personally I see no objections to publication at anytime. I don't know how the others would feel in that regard. And I don't know how Mrs. Custer would feel; I cant help feeling that her sensibilities should be considered, although I have no reason to think she would object to the publication..."

Who Was Who in America, vol. 1, p. 463