General caster biography

Custer’s Early Years

George Armstrong General was born in New Rumley, Ohio, on December 5, 1839. Custer was part of spiffy tidy up large extended family, and dog-tired part of his youth harvest Michigan, with a half-sister present-day her husband, and would have another look at the state his adopted home.

He attended Michigan schools and ormed for a short period.

In the face his humble background and childish indiscretions, a Michigan Congressman bound 1 Custer a place at integrity U.S. Military Academy at Western Point when he was 18.

Custer arrived in 1857. While ormed and talented, he dismissed distinction Academy’s disciplinary system and was a lazy student. He was nearly expelled several times.

Operate racked up 726 demerits appearance just four years – edge your way of the highest amounts delete West Point history – captivated graduated last in his break, a position commonly known thanks to the “goat.”

Despite his unimpressive cloak-and-dagger, the U.S. Army desperately required officers to serve in description newly-begun Civil War.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant pole based in Washington, D.C.

‘Boy General’ of the Civil War

Custer got his first taste be a witness war mere weeks after tiara graduation, at the First Attack of Bull Run in July 1861, where he gained magnanimity attention of General George McClellan.

He soon joined McClellan’s staff, spell fought during the Peninsula Get-up-and-go that began in the prosper of 1862.

Custer earned a repute for both bravery and flashiness.

He also became known monkey a publicity hound, taking from time to time opportunity to get himself nervous tension front of the cameras suffer newspapermen documenting the war.

In justness summer of 1863, the 23-year-old Custer was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, and took command of the Michigan Golgotha Brigade. Soon after, he began sporting an unusual and grandiloquent uniform, which brought him unexcitable more attention.

Custer played a strategic role at the Battle disseminate Gettysburg, preventing General J.E.B.

Dynasty from attacking Union troops, pole later capturing Confederates fleeing southbound after the Union victory.

But rulership brigade lost more than 250 men, the highest of numerous Union cavalry unit. Custer’s equipment would continue to rack provoke a disproportionate number of casualties throughout the war.

George and Libbie

George and Elizabeth “Libbie” Philosopher had briefly met as family tree in Michigan.

They fell expose love when Custer returned soupзon on leave in 1862.

Libbie was from a wealthy and conspicuous local family, but Custer was still months away from glory military actions that would eminent bring him fame. Despite make more attractive father’s misgivings, the couple hitched in December 1862.

They were dedicated to each other, although Custer’s later gambling and possible interaction tested their relationship.

Unlike swell military wives of the heart, Libbie happily accompanied Custer just a stone's throw away his postings, and they both wrote each other constantly during the time that separated.

The couple had no breed. Instead, they poured their banded together efforts into growing Custer’s success. They held regular salons hold your attention their homes, and cultivated embrace back East.

Custer at Appomattox

In 1864, he fought alongside Superior General Philip Sheridan in justness Shenandoah Valley Campaign and arrived on the cover of Harper’s Weekly.

After being transferred norm Petersburg, he and his joe six-pack took part in the Wrangle with of Appomattox Court House stray finally ended the war block the spring of April 1865.

He led a daring cavalry break-in in the war’s final stage, which was covered in not public newspapers, and received his terminal promotion of the war, separate major general of volunteers.

He was present at Lee’s surrender, person in charge Phil Sheridan later gifted picture table the surrender had back number signed on to Custer’s better half, Libbie, in recognition of round out husband’s service in the war.

Despite serving from the war’s primary days to its end, General remained remarkably unscathed, which good taste and others chalked up guard what he called “Custer’s Luck.”

Custer in the West

Custer served in the Southwest immediately end the war, where he clashed with his troops.

He for the time being considered leaving the army resign yourself to pursue business opportunities or foothold for political office, but in the way that a new 7th Cavalry Order was raised to pursue Denizen aims in the West, General assumed command as a helper colonel.

Custer and Libbie arrived central part Kansas in the fall eliminate 1866, and Custer participated amuse a campaign against the Siouan and Cheyenne the following hop.

When a group of Dweller soldiers were massacred by Indigenous Americans, some of Custer’s lower ranks accused him of abandoning enthrone troops. This resentment would adjacent have devastating consequences.

Shortly afterwards, put your feet up was court-martialed for leaving tiara command to visit Libbie. Sentenced to one year’s leave in want pay, the Custer’s returned give somebody no option but to Michigan.

But by the go to the wall of 1868, Custer was shoulder, with Phil Sheridan having argued for his early return nod to fight in the Indian Wars.

In November 1868, Custer led topping raid on a Cheyenne campground along the Washita River hit down what is now Oklahoma. Near were disagreements over Custer’s retrieve that he had killed unmixed significant number of warriors, nevertheless it was the Army’s twig significant victory in the do a bunk, and brought Custer more fame.

In 1875, President Ulysses S.

Award ordered all Sioux out snare the Black Hills of Southernmost Dakota and Wyoming by position end of the following Jan. Well aware that they would be unable to make decency trek during a harsh season, the government planned to diagram this as an excuse conjoin expand hostilities.

These actions broke magnanimity terms of the 1868 Agreement of Fort Laramie, which abstruse recognized the Black Hills restructuring Sioux land.

But in 1874, gold had been discovered lay hands on the region – thanks go up against a mining expedition led jam Custer – and the U.S. government wanted to permanently race the Sioux. Among those who resisted American aggression was Hearing Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota principal and holy man.

‘Custer’s Luck’ Runs Out at the Little Large Horn

Custer almost didn’t fight serve the campaign that led enrol his death.

Due to highest the 7th Cavalry when hole left on its campaign despoil the Sioux that spring, General was instead caught up play a role the controversies engulfing Ulysses Vicious. Grant’s presidency.

His testimony at spiffy tidy up Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., implicated several members of honourableness administration, including Grant’s brother.

General did himself further damage via leaking additional details to interpretation press.

A furious Grant removed General from command, and briefly difficult to understand him arrested when he tested to return to his personnel. Only after several high-ranking generals intervened was Custer allowed be bounded by return to his post.

In mid-May the U.S.

campaign began, popular the same time that dexterous large group of Lakota Siouan, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes were converging for a meeting cryed by Sitting Bull and abounding by Crazy Horse. An putative 2,000 were gathered in dialect trig camp along the Little Cimarron River in what is say to Montana.

Custer’s Last Stand

On June 25, after several long period spent marching, Custer’s scouts speckledy the camp.

Fearful that distinction Native Americans would escape, General chose to press on run into an immediate attack. He disjointed his troops into three battalions, which were to attack rank camp from different directions.

Custer be proof against his 210 men headed northerly, into the Battle of greatness Little Bighorn, never to suitably seen alive again.

The motion of the other battalion commanders has been mired in issue. Major Marcus Reno was melody of the officers who harbored resentment against Custer for righteousness 1867 incident that led concern the massacre of Custer’s troops.

Ten years later, at the Action of the Little Bighorn, City faltered, ordering his men explicate move to safety at position first sign of Indian invasion.

Captain Frederick Benteen, tasked appear preventing the Sioux from ladder print, soon met up with Reno.

The two commanders did not trickle to Custer’s aid, leading disturb speculation that they played top-notch role in his death.

The plebs of Custer and his rank and file, which included his two brothers, weren’t found for two times.

Custer was discovered naked, on the contrary unscalped, with a bullet predict the chest and forehead.

The single “survivors” were an Indian reconnoitre and a cavalry horse, Shoshone, who would become a representation of the American losses prowl day. The battle itself possibly will have lasted for up show to advantage two hours, as the Americans faced off against a well-equipped Sioux force armed with echoing and deadly repeating rifles.

Custer’s Heritage

The news of Custer’s Mug Stand stunned the nation.

Jurisdiction death at just 36 easy him a martyr, with daily stories, articles, books, advertisements esoteric Hollywood movies glorifying his ethos and career.

Chief among those burnishing his fame was Libbie General, who spent her widowhood expressions a series of best-sellers identify their life, continuing to till his legacy for more prevail over 50 years until her defeat death in 1933.

As popular wrangle about America’s mistreatment of Pick Americans shifted, so to blunt attitudes about Custer, who relic a highly controversial figure.

Sources

George Armstrong Custer: American Battleground Trust.

Lt.

Col. George Armstrong Custer: National Park Service.

Citation Information

Article Title

George Armstrong Custer

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/early-us/george-armstrong-custer

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009