★ ★  Custer, George A.

George Armstrong Custer
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Born:
December 5, 1839

Birthplace: New Rumley, Ohio

Father: Emanuel Henry Custer 1806 – 1892
(Buried: Woodland Cemetery, Monroe, Michigan)​

Mother: Marie Ward 1807 – 1882
(Buried: Woodland Cemetery, Monroe, Michigan)​

Wife: Elizabeth “Libby” Bacon 1842 – 1933
(Buried: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York)​

Marriage: February 9, 1864 in Monroe, Michigan

Children: None

Signature:
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Education:

June 1861: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (34th last)
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Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 2nd Cavalry Regiment​
1861: Drilled Volunteers in Washington, D.C.​
1861: Served in the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1861: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​
1862 – 1864: 1st Lt. United States Army, 5th Cavalry Regiment​
1862: Served in the Siege of Yorktown, Virginia​
1862 – 1863: Captain and Aide – de – camp in Union Army​
1862: Aide to Major General George B. McClellan​
1863: Aide to Major General Alfred Pleasanton
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1863 – 1866: Brigadier General Union Army Volunteers Cavalry​
1863: Cavalry Brigade Commander at Battle of Gettysburg​
1863: Brevetted Major for Gallantry at Battle of Gettysburg​
1863 – 1864: Served with the Cavalry in Central Virginia​
1864: Cavalry Brigade Commander in Richmond Campaign​
1864 – 1866: Captain United States Army, 5th Cavalry Regiment​
1864: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Yellow Tavern​
1864: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Winchester, Virginia​
1864: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry at Winchester
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1865: Brevetted Brig. General for Gallantry, Battle of Five Forks, VA.​
1865: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry ending the War​
1865: Cavalry Division Commander in the Union Army​
1865 – 1866: Major General of Union Army Volunteer, Cavalry​
1865: Commander of Cavalry, Division Southwest Military Division​
1865: Cavalry Commander Military Division of the Gulf​
1865 – 1866: Chief of Cavalry, Department of Texas​
1866: Mustered out of Volunteer Service on February 1st

Occupation after War:

1864 – 1866: Captain United States Army, 5th Cavalry Regiment
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1866 – 1876: Lt. Colonel United States Army, 7th Cavalry Regiment​
1866 – 1867: Frontier Duty at Fort Riley, Kansas​
1868: Suspended from the Army August 12th – October 7th
1868: Served in the Action at Washita​
1869 – 1870: Leave of Absence from the Army​
1871: Served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​
1872: Garrison Duty at Louisville, Kentucky​
1873: Garrison Duty at Elizabethtown, Kentucky​
1873: Served on the Yellowstone Expedition​
1874: Served on Black Hills Expedition
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1876: Went before United States House of Representatives Committee​
1876: Served on the Sioux Expedition​
1876: Killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn River, Montana​

Died: June 25, 1876

Place of Death: Little Big Horn, Montana

Age at time of Death: 37 years old

Original Burial Place: Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Montana

Current Burial Place: On October 10, 1877 the remains of Bvt. Maj. Gen. George Armstrong Custer were buried with full military honors in the cemetery near the Old Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. A large granite monument marks the grave.


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Last edited by a moderator:
What exactly did he do that got him suspended in 1868?

He was supposed to head to Fort Dodge to reinforce the Garrison there. But upon hearing his wife was getting to close to another man, not only decided not to go to the Fort himself, but also abandoned his troops entirely so he could stop this potential affair.
 
Always had an interest in Custer and especially Little Big Horn. Funny thing is my birth date is 25 Jun.

I could be wrong , but if I recall when I watched Custer’s Last Stand (PBS American Experience) it said that after Lincoln, he was the most photographed person of that time period.
 
He was supposed to head to Fort Dodge to reinforce the Garrison there. But upon hearing his wife was getting to close to another man, not only decided not to go to the Fort himself, but also abandoned his troops entirely so he could stop this potential affair.
I was always under the impression both husband and wife were very much in love and loyal with each other........but as pompous and arrogant as George was, it wouldn't surprise me if his wife felt otherwise regarding their shared love, especially during his lengthy deployments apart from themselves. Marital discord was/is a commonplace when man and wife were/are seperated like that during a time of deployments regardless of the era.
 
@gentlemanrob @ Buckeye Bill. Thanks for the photos. If I ever get to Monroe Michigan I am going to look that statue up.

John

Make sure to visit the Monroe History Museum in down town Monroe if you ever get to Monroe. You can see many Custer item to include his dressing gown from when he was a baby. But also some of his swords and knives.
 
I was always under the impression both husband and wife were very much in love and loyal with each other........but as pompous and arrogant as George was, it wouldn't surprise me if his wife felt otherwise regarding their shared love, especially during his lengthy deployments apart from themselves. Marital discord was/is a commonplace when man and wife were/are seperated like that during a time of deployments regardless of the era.

They were, but in the book I mentioned, its made clear she was a very big flirt. It may have been just friendly banter with nothing untoward, but got interpreted as something more by his friend that was accompanying her.
 
I was always under the impression both husband and wife were very much in love and loyal with each other........but as pompous and arrogant as George was, it wouldn't surprise me if his wife felt otherwise regarding their shared love, especially during his lengthy deployments apart from themselves. Marital discord was/is a commonplace when man and wife were/are seperated like that during a time of deployments regardless of the era.
One of Custers nicknames was "Autie", Libble used this as a term of endearment for her husband.
 
Always had an interest in Custer and especially Little Big Horn. Funny thing is my birth date is 25 Jun.

I could be wrong , but if I recall when I watched Custer’s Last Stand (PBS American Experience) it said that after Lincoln, he was the most photographed person of that time period.
Probably the most photographed person of the 19th century. Frederick Douglas is said to be the most photographed person of the 19th century. The book 'Custer in Photographs' by D. Mark Katz shows 158 photos of Custer. I attempted to find online as many as I could and post then in serial form here at CWT. I and a couple other folks added a few that are not in the book. This would make the total to be 166 or so. (I don't have time to look look at the twelve threads to get an exact count).

If I'm correct he is ahead of Douglass who has 160 photos. The first photo of Custer was taken in 1857 and the last in 1876. Only 19 years between the first and last. The earliest photo of Douglass was taken in 1841 and the last in 1895. 54 years between the first and last.

 
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