★ ★ 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:

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​

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1861: Drilled Volunteers in Washington, D.C.​

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1861: Served in the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​

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1861: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​

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1862 – 1864: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, 5th​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1862: Served in the Siege of Yorktown, Virginia​

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1862 – 1863: Captain and Aide – de – camp in Union Army​

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1862: Aide to Major General George B. McClellan​

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1863: Aide to Major General Alfred Pleasanton

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1863 – 1866: Brigadier General Union Army Volunteers Cavalry​

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1863: Cavalry Brigade Commander at Battle of Gettysburg​

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1863: Brevetted Major for Gallantry at Battle of Gettysburg​

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1863 – 1864: Served with the Cavalry in Central Virginia​

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1864: Cavalry Brigade Commander in Richmond Campaign​

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1864 – 1866: Captain United States Army, 5th​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1864: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Yellow Tavern​

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1864: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Winchester, Virginia​

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1864: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry at Winchester

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1865: Brevetted Brig. General for Gallantry, Battle of Five Forks, VA.​

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1865: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry ending the War​

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1865: Cavalry Division Commander in the Union Army​

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1865 – 1866: Major General of Union Army Volunteer, Cavalry​

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1865: Commander of Cavalry, Division Southwest Military Division​

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1865: Cavalry Commander Military Division of the Gulf​

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1865 – 1866: Chief of Cavalry, Department of Texas​

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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​

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1866 – 1867: Frontier Duty at Fort Riley, Kansas​

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1868: Suspended from the Army August 12th​ – October 7th​​

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1868: Served in the Action at Washita​

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1869 – 1870: Leave of Absence from the Army​

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1871: Served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​

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1872: Garrison Duty at Louisville, Kentucky​

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1873: Garrison Duty at Elizabethtown, Kentucky​

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1873: Served on the Yellowstone Expedition​

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1874: Served on Black Hills Expedition

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1876: Went before United States House of Representatives Committee​

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1876: Served on the Sioux Expedition​

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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.

 

[Cavalier]

@ Buckeye Bill. @ major bill. Thanks for the heads up on the Museum in Monroe. I appreciate that.

Being a big Custer fan I think I have seen most of his photos but not all of course. I have not seen the book mentioned above, though I would love to. Just an opinion, but in none of them that I have seen does he appear to "resemble a circus rider gone mad" as Col. Lyman expressed it. Lyman should have seen Marshal Murat, General Cardigan, or any European hussar for that matter, if he thought Custer was a gaudy dresser. I believe Custer once stated he wanted to be recognized by his men in the heat of battle as the reason for that.

Regarding his personality, I never got the impression that Custer was either pompous or arrogant from my reading about him. To me he seems like the kind of guy it would be fun to hang around with.

The one thing you can guarantee about Custer, when he was alive and now long dead, is controversy.

John

 

[scone]

Never been a fan … - Libby made him more famous than he ever was … And the Nation followed . He wanted a MOH like his brother, that's just me talking though.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

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.

Google Search

Very interesting, of course Custer was a showman and publicity hound.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Never been a fan … - Libby made him more famous than he ever was … And the Nation followed . He wanted a MOH like his brother, that's just me talking though.

I agree, I know this sounds hypocritical, but I've always found him intriguing but never a fan.

His lack of humility and gaudy uniforms are a put off, I doubt I would have liked him personally or serving with / under him.

But I find his service in the Civil War interesting, and I really enjoy learning about Little Big Horn.

Respectfully,
Kyle Kalasnik

 

[scone]

I really enjoy learning about Little Big Horn.
Respectfully,
Kyle Kalasnik

I don't really know the civil war years But like you why split the troops and leave the pack animals … the had time it was not like it would be gone tomorrow .. Scouts failure may be or just a rush to get in the papers... I respect him as a soldier and would pay may my respects but if I recall he was killed earlier than the stand site …

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

I don't really know the civil war years But like you why split the troops and leave the pack animals … the had time it was not like it would be gone tomorrow .. Scouts failure may be or just a rush to get in the papers... I respect him as a soldier and would pay may my respects but if I recall he was killed earlier than the stand site …

Like you said "rush to get in he papers" he was chomping at the bit for a promotion. Possible political aspirations as well?

Custer was also worried that the 7th Cav was spotted / reported and didn't want to village to get away or possibly meet one of the other main columns (BGen Crook and Col John Gibbon commanded) of the expedition, and Custer not receive the credit.

He also refused extra troops from the 2d Cav and a Gatling Gun detachment to reinforce his regiment, the 7th Cav. Of course this calls for speculation, would it have made a difference? Or would the Gatlings slowed him down so much that the Battle of Little Big Horn never even had happened?

I find it a very interesting campaign.

 

[scone]

Like you said "rush to get in he papers" he was chomping at the bit for a promotion.

Custer was also worried that the 7th Cav was spotted / reported and didn't want to village to get away or possibly meet one of the other main columns of the expedition, and Custer not receive the credit.

I find it a very interesting campaign.

He was out numbered regardless end may be same … But although I never been I do know lay of land played a big issue in it all

Native Americas had guns of all calibers after a fire years ago Neo graphic had a story on spent bullets brass by the warriors was a awesome read ..

 

[klongstreet]

The thing that struck me seeing a photo of Libby, was her eyes, even in older photo's she was a beautiful woman, those eyes held that twinkle.

 

[Pollaco]

I've known for a long time that his brother Tom was at Little Big Horn but I just read last night that another brother was present as well. Boston , I believe his name was. Along with a brother- in- law and a nephew.

 

[wausaubob]

I think he failed to update his knowledge of what was going on with the Indians. And his criticism of the Indian Agency system, which was a Democratic theme, was ill considered, if those agents were capable of getting modern rifles to the Indians. The Indians were aware of the modern rifles and were going to get them. They weren't stupid.

 

[Cavalier]

@ Harms88 A book you might find useful in regards to all of Custers civil war service is The Most Desperate Acts of Valor by Daniel Davis.

John

 

[Mike Serpa]

Very interesting, of course Custer was a showman and publicity hound.

Yes, and I wonder why it's difficult to find a photo of him looking directly at the camera. Especially from his commission as a BG until his death. There are more photos of him wearing buckskin than the fancy velvet general's uniform. Yet we remember the ostentatious and not the mundane.

Why did Jose Mora take six photos of Custer? Was Mora selling copies of them to make money? Did Custer seek photographers or did the photographers seek Custer? I don't know the answers to these questions but celebrity sells photos in the modern would. Or why do paparazzi/o/a exist?

 

[James N.]

I've known for a long time that his brother Tom was at Little Big Horn but I just read last night that another brother was present as well. Boston , I believe his name was. Along with a brother- in- law and a nephew.

@gentlemanrob @ Buckeye Bill. Thanks for the photos. If I ever get to Monroe Michigan I am going to look that statue up.

John

You might find many other related things to do there:

George and Libbie Custer's Monroe, Michigan | Ladies Tea - War from a Feminine Perspective

Statue representing General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Gettysburg, erected by the State of Michigan and dedicated in 1910 by President William Howard Taft. I recently traveled to Detroit, Mich., for an event with my old traveling companion Mike; back in high school we had been...

civilwartalk.com

 

[James N.]

An apt description of my last girlfriend......I mean.....uhhh.....

I bet that him and Stuart would have gotten all just fine. They had thr same personalities.

Have you ever seen the awful ca. 1940 potboiler Santa Fe Trail with Errol Flynn as Stuart, Ronald Regan as Custer, Olivia De Haviland as their fictional mutual love interest, and Raymond Massey as John Brown? If not, you really should...

 

[James N.]

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.

I thought so too, but it appears they might both have been beaten by Frederick Douglass, who at least had the advantage over them of living longer and not getting killed prematurely.

 

[James N.]

I don't really know the civil war years But like you why split the troops and leave the pack animals … the had time it was not like it would be gone tomorrow .. Scouts failure may be or just a rush to get in the papers... I respect him as a soldier and would pay may my respects but if I recall he was killed earlier than the stand site …

The heavily-laden pack horses traveled much more slowly than the rest of the column; to protect them an entire company (MacDougal's) and details of three men from each of the other eleven companies were assigned to accompany them! Custer never assumed he had loads of time; rather it was assumed that if discovered, the Indians would indeed "be gone tomorrow." THAT was the reason for the rush - Custer feared his command had already been discovered and decided to attack immediately before they could flee as they usually did.

 

[Cavalier]

James N. Thank you very much for all of that! Very cool stuff indeed! I hope I may get a chance to visit there. I had no idea there would be so much still standing.

 

[Harms88]

Have you ever seen the awful ca. 1940 potboiler Santa Fe Trail with Errol Flynn as Stuart, Ronald Regan as Custer, Olivia De Haviland as their fictional mutual love interest, and Raymond Massey as John Brown? If not, you really should...

I did as a teenager. It's currently on my wish list on Vudu also with other such old films as Band of Angels, They Died with Their Boots On and Major Dundee.

 

[FZ11]

The heavily-laden pack horses traveled much more slowly than the rest of the column; to protect them an entire company (MacDougal's) and details of three men from each of the other eleven companies were assigned to accompany them! Custer never assumed he had loads of time; rather it was assumed that if discovered, the Indians would indeed "be gone tomorrow." THAT was the reason for the rush - Custer feared his command had already been discovered and decided to attack immediately before they could flee as they usually did.

This^^^^^^^. + Custer's detachment of Benteen towards the left was in accordance with Terry's orders not to let the Indians escape to the South. Custer probably died toward the end of his battle.

 

[Kurt G]

One of Custers nicknames was "Autie", Libble used this as a term of endearment for her husband.

Custer was called "Autie" by his family when he was a child . The word comes from his youthful attempt to pronounce his middle name .