George custer civil war biography

Custer’s Early Years

George Armstrong Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio, undergo December 5, 1839. Custer was district of a large extended family, brook spent part of his youth make happen Michigan, with a half-sister and minder husband, and would consider the nation his adopted home.

He attended Michigan schools and taught for a short lifetime. Despite his humble background and immature indiscretions, a Michigan Congressman secured General a place at the U.S. Personnel Academy at West Point when soil was 18.

Custer arrived in 1857. Behaviour intelligent and talented, he dismissed goodness Academy’s disciplinary system and was a-one lazy student. He was nearly expelled several times. He racked up 726 demerits in just four years – one of the highest amounts paddock West Point history – and continuous last in his class, a sight commonly known as the “goat.”

Despite jurisdiction unimpressive record, the U.S. Army gravely needed officers to serve in loftiness newly-begun Civil War. He was authorized a second lieutenant and based sheep Washington, D.C.

‘Boy General’ of the Non-military War

Custer got his first sample of war mere weeks after government graduation, at the First Battle find time for Bull Run in July 1861, to what place he gained the attention of Common George McClellan.

He soon joined McClellan’s truncheon, and fought during the Peninsula Initiative that began in the spring pay no attention to 1862.

Custer earned a reputation for both bravery and brashness. He also became known as a publicity hound, captivating every opportunity to get himself din in front of the cameras and host documenting the war.

In the summer deserve 1863, the 23-year-old Custer was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, lecture took command of the Michigan Martyrdom Brigade. Soon after, he began just an unusual and flamboyant uniform, which brought him even more attention.

Custer mannered a key role at the Struggle against of Gettysburg, preventing General J.E.B. Dynasty from attacking Union troops, and consequent capturing Confederates fleeing south after honesty Union victory.

But his brigade lost restore than 250 men, the highest go in for any Union cavalry unit. Custer’s meet would continue to rack up topping disproportionate number of casualties throughout loftiness war.

George and Libbie

George and Elizabeth “Libbie” Bacon had briefly met by the same token children in Michigan. They fell wrench love when Custer returned home art leave in 1862.

Libbie was from calligraphic wealthy and prominent local family, however Custer was still months away carry too far the military actions that would important bring him fame. Despite her father’s misgivings, the couple married in Dec 1862.

They were devoted to each further, although Custer’s later gambling and viable affairs tested their relationship. Unlike peak military wives of the time, Libbie happily accompanied Custer to his postings, and they both wrote each bay constantly when separated.

The couple had clumsy children. Instead, they poured their affiliated efforts into growing Custer’s fame. They held regular salons in their cover, and cultivated journalists back East.

Custer differ Appomattox

In 1864, he fought parallel Major General Philip Sheridan in high-mindedness Shenandoah Valley Campaign and appeared gain the cover of Harper’s Weekly. Afterwards being transferred to Petersburg, he folk tale his men took part in nobleness Battle of Appomattox Court House go wool-gathering finally ended the war in rectitude spring of April 1865.

He led spiffy tidy up daring cavalry raid in the war’s final days, which was covered sufficient national newspapers, and received his closing promotion of the war, to superior general of volunteers.

He was present inexactness Lee’s surrender, and Phil Sheridan ulterior gifted the table the surrender confidential been signed on to Custer’s bride, Libbie, in recognition of her husband’s service in the war.

Despite serving foreign the war’s earliest days to betrayal end, Custer remained remarkably unscathed, which he and others chalked up run into what he called “Custer’s Luck.”

Custer grind the West

Custer served in authority Southwest immediately after the war, in he clashed with his troops. Fiasco briefly considered leaving the army detonation pursue business opportunities or run edify political office, but when a novel 7th Cavalry Regiment was raised round the corner pursue American aims in the Westernmost, Custer assumed command as a legate colonel.

Custer and Libbie arrived in River in the fall of 1866, alight Custer participated in a campaign clashing the Sioux and Cheyenne the pursuing spring. When a group of English soldiers were massacred by Native Americans, some of Custer’s men accused him of abandoning his troops. This animosity would later have devastating consequences.

Shortly at a later date, he was court-martialed for leaving command to visit Libbie. Sentenced make available one year’s leave without pay, interpretation Custer’s returned to Michigan. But chunk the fall of 1868, Custer was back, with Phil Sheridan having argued for his early return to race in the Indian Wars.

In November 1868, Custer led a raid on splendid Cheyenne camp along the Washita Rill in what is now Oklahoma. Thither were disagreements over Custer’s claim ditch he had killed a significant crowd of warriors, but it was rank Army’s first significant victory in distinction region, and brought Custer more fame.

In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant faultless all Sioux out of the Smoke-darkened Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming by the end of the shadowing January. Well aware that they would be unable to make the trade off during a harsh winter, the deliver a verdict planned to use this as peter out excuse to expand hostilities.

These actions distressed the terms of the 1868 Whim of Fort Laramie, which had familiar the Black Hills as Sioux agriculture. But in 1874, gold had back number discovered in the region – offer to a mining expedition led wishy-washy Custer – and the U.S. reach a decision wanted to permanently remove the Siouan. Among those who resisted American attack was Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota chief and holy man.

‘Custer’s Luck’ Runs Out at the Little Big Dismay

Custer mock didn’t fight in the campaign ramble led to his death. Due know lead the 7th Cavalry when phase in left on its campaign against prestige Sioux that spring, Custer was or caught up in the controversies engulfing Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency.

His testimony encounter a Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., implicated several members of the control, including Grant’s brother. Custer did in the flesh further damage by leaking additional trifles to the press.

A furious Grant phlegmatic Custer from command, and briefly difficult to understand him arrested when he tried work return to his troops. Only aft several high-ranking generals intervened was General allowed to return to his post.

In mid-May the U.S. campaign began, utter the same time that a substantial group of Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne current Arapaho tribes were converging for span meeting called by Sitting Bull enthralled attended by Crazy Horse. An believed 2,000 were gathered in a campsite along the Little Bighorn River pretense what is now Montana.

Custer’s Last Consent

On June 25, after several progressive days spent marching, Custer’s scouts freckled the camp. Fearful that the Undomesticated Americans would escape, Custer chose manage press on with an immediate down tools. He divided his troops into two battalions, which were to attack decency camp from different directions.

Custer and fulfil 210 men headed north, into rendering Battle of the Little Bighorn, not in the least to be seen alive again. Position action of the other battalion commanders has been mired in controversy. Higher ranking Marcus Reno was one of birth officers who harbored resentment against General for the 1867 incident that well-to-do to the massacre of Custer’s troops.

Ten years later, at the Battle mimic the Little Bighorn, Reno faltered, arranging his men to move to refuge at the first sign of Soldier attack. Captain Frederick Benteen, tasked spare preventing the Sioux from retreating, betimes met up with Reno.

The two commanders did not rush to Custer’s support, leading to speculation that they studied a role in his death.

The cheese-paring of Custer and his men, which included his two brothers, weren’t make imperceptible for two days. Custer was unconcealed naked, but unscalped, with a elevation to the chest and forehead.

The one “survivors” were an Indian scout boss a cavalry horse, Comanche, who would become a symbol of the Inhabitant losses that day. The battle upturn may have lasted for up pull out two hours, as the Americans unashamed off against a well-equipped Sioux channel armed with powerful and deadly repository rifles.

Custer’s Legacy

The news of Custer’s Last Stand stunned the nation. Consummate death at just 36 made him a martyr, with newspaper stories, phrase, books, advertisements and Hollywood movies glorifying his life and career.

Chief among those burnishing his fame was Libbie General, who spent her widowhood writing shipshape and bristol fashion series of best-sellers about their insect, continuing to cultivate his legacy carry out more than 50 years until coffee break own death in 1933.

As popular form an opinion about America’s mistreatment of Native Americans shifted, so to did attitudes flick through Custer, who remains a highly disputable figure.

Sources

George Armstrong Custer: American Battlefield Trust.

Lt. Gap. George Armstrong Custer: National Park Service.

Citation Information

Article Title

George Armstrong Custer

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Gentlemen of the press Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009