Featured What is the deal with George Armstrong Custer?

hanna260

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Alright so I looked in the thread archives and didn't find anything this comprehensive but maybe some posters could point me to them? If this is already a thread... sorry!

Okay, so this is kind of embarrassing because I really should know this but... I know next to nothing about Custer (shoot me now). He was a cavalry commander during the ACW, he had cinnamon spiced ringlets in his hair, he was um... a tad flamboyant we could say, and him and the rest of his force died at Little Bighorn. That's about it. Oh... I do know one more thing. He inspires really strong feelings. Some people seem to love him, some people seem to hate him. Why is that? Can anyone tell me more information about him or recommend a book?
 
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Actually not. Custer was a real Brigadier (of Volunteers) and thus acted with the full authority. He later became a brevet BG of the Regulars, but that didn´t make a difference as he still was a BG of Volunteers. After the war ended his volunteer commission ended when he was mustered out, and so did the Brigadier's authority.
You are correct. Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
 
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I'm still not convinced about the Cheyenne. You know, the stories come much later and after anyone involved first hand was long dead. I know oral histories are very often accurate, and very often all there is - they can't be discounted. However...I have my problems with items coming from Indian Country! They are strongly political and have a distinct anti-white bias. Their version strongly implies kidnapping and rape - don't think Custer was that low! I'd like to see more research done and, anyway, they say there are blond descendants of Custer's kids - maybe one day they'll give a bit of DNA and we can see... Oh, wait, that wouldn't do, would it... I mean Sally Hemmings and Tom, after all, it could be a brother... :rolleyes: Actually, I wouldn't doubt Custer had an Indian girl friend somewhere along the line. Many men thought it was cheating only if the other woman was white. Sheridan had a whole slue of Indian women when he was out here and even invited his favorite back to Washington to visit - guess his wife was ok with that. :cautious:

It's an oral tradition, so it may or may not be accurate. There was an oral tradition among the Hemmings descendants that they were Jeffersons. Lo and behold, they are descended from a Jefferson. :smile: It may or may not be Thomas Jefferson, but it's a Jefferson.
 
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