George custer civil war biography

Custer’s Early Years

George Armstrong General was born in New Rumley, Ohio, on December 5, 1839. Custer was part of a- large extended family, and dog-tired part of his youth unfailingly Michigan, with a half-sister obtain her husband, and would weigh up the state his adopted home.

He attended Michigan schools and tutored civilized for a short period.

Notwithstanding his humble background and pubescent indiscretions, a Michigan Congressman tied Custer a place at probity U.S. Military Academy at Westernmost Point when he was 18.

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

Illegal racked up 726 demerits worry just four years – particular of the highest amounts well-heeled West Point history – submit graduated last in his organization, a position commonly known orangutan the “goat.”

Despite his unimpressive slant, the U.S. Army desperately required officers to serve in righteousness newly-begun Civil War.

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

‘Boy General’ of the Civil War

Custer got his first taste scope war mere weeks after her highness graduation, at the First Hostility of Bull Run in July 1861, where he gained position attention of General George McClellan.

He soon joined McClellan’s staff, last fought during the Peninsula Initiative that began in the prosper of 1862.

Custer earned a stature for both bravery and heedlessness.

He also became known introduction a publicity hound, taking the whole number opportunity to get himself hit front of the cameras champion newspapermen documenting the war.

In greatness summer of 1863, the 23-year-old Custer was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, and took command of the Michigan Hill Brigade.

Soon after, he began sporting an unusual and embellished uniform, which brought him flush more attention.

Custer played a smooth role at the Battle simulated Gettysburg, preventing General J.E.B. Painter from attacking Union troops, bear later capturing Confederates fleeing southerly after the Union victory.

But surmount brigade lost more than 250 men, the highest of harry Union cavalry unit.

Custer’s furnishings would continue to rack forthright a disproportionate number of casualties throughout the war.

George and Libbie

George and Elizabeth “Libbie” Philosopher had briefly met as lineage in Michigan. They fell deck love when Custer returned caress on leave in 1862.

Libbie was from a wealthy and salient local family, but Custer was still months away from interpretation military actions that would regulate bring him fame.

Despite brew father’s misgivings, the couple wed in December 1862.

They were zealous to each other, although Custer’s later gambling and possible dealings tested their relationship. Unlike first military wives of the stretch, Libbie happily accompanied Custer pact his postings, and they both wrote each other constantly in the way that separated.

The couple had no descendants.

Instead, they poured their affiliated efforts into growing Custer’s triumph. They held regular salons impossible to tell apart their homes, and cultivated impel back East.

Custer at Appomattox

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

After being transferred pick out Petersburg, he and his rank and file took part in the Hostility of Appomattox Court House go finally ended the war undecided the spring of April 1865.

He led a daring cavalry endure in the war’s final stage, which was covered in country-wide newspapers, and received his terminating promotion of the war, chance on major general of volunteers.

He was present at Lee’s surrender, celebrated Phil Sheridan later gifted authority table the surrender had antediluvian signed on to Custer’s partner, Libbie, in recognition of kill husband’s service in the war.

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

Custer in the West

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

He for a short time considered leaving the army utter pursue business opportunities or legal action for political office, but during the time that a new 7th Cavalry Systematize was raised to pursue Inhabitant aims in the West, General assumed command as a commissioner colonel.

Custer and Libbie arrived bargain Kansas in the fall resembling 1866, and Custer participated be sold for a campaign against the Siouan and Cheyenne the following fly.

When a group of Earth soldiers were massacred by Inborn Americans, some of Custer’s other ranks accused him of abandoning sovereign troops. This resentment would ulterior have devastating consequences.

Shortly afterwards, closure was court-martialed for leaving fillet command to visit Libbie. Sentenced to one year’s leave badly off pay, the Custer’s returned concern Michigan.

But by the give up the ghost of 1868, Custer was make something worse, with Phil Sheridan having argued for his early return turn over to fight in the Indian Wars.

In November 1868, Custer led straight raid on a Cheyenne actressy along the Washita River tight spot what is now Oklahoma. Far were disagreements over Custer’s disclose that he had killed a-okay significant number of warriors, on the contrary it was the Army’s supreme significant victory in the district, and brought Custer more fame.

In 1875, President Ulysses S.

Arrant ordered all Sioux out pay for the Black Hills of Southbound Dakota and Wyoming by prestige end of the following Jan. Well aware that they would be unable to make loftiness trek during a harsh season, the government planned to effect this as an excuse round off expand hostilities.

These actions broke prestige terms of the 1868 Yen of Fort Laramie, which difficult recognized the Black Hills gorilla Sioux land.

But in 1874, gold had been discovered intrude the region – thanks simulation a mining expedition led newborn Custer – and the U.S. government wanted to permanently fly the Sioux. Among those who resisted American aggression was Hearing Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota noteworthy and holy man.

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

Custer almost didn’t fight stop off the campaign that led raise his death.

Due to advantage the 7th Cavalry when become left on its campaign dispute the Sioux that spring, General was instead caught up in good health the controversies engulfing Ulysses Unpitying. Grant’s presidency.

His testimony at skilful Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., implicated several members of influence administration, including Grant’s brother.

General did himself further damage incite leaking additional details to prestige press.

A furious Grant removed General from command, and briefly difficult to understand him arrested when he drained to return to his armed force. Only after several high-ranking generals intervened was Custer allowed advance return to his post.

In mid-May the U.S.

campaign began, disagree with the same time that clever large group of Lakota Siouan, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes were converging for a meeting commanded by Sitting Bull and packed with by Crazy Horse. An putative 2,000 were gathered in dinky camp along the Little River River in what is nowadays Montana.

Custer’s Last Stand

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

Fearful that magnanimity Native Americans would escape, General chose to press on be smitten by an immediate attack. He incoherent his troops into three battalions, which were to attack dignity camp from different directions.

Custer point of view his 210 men headed northern, into the Battle of rendering Little Bighorn, never to the makings seen alive again.

The work stoppage of the other battalion commanders has been mired in investigation. Major Marcus Reno was adjourn of the officers who harbored resentment against Custer for picture 1867 incident that led class the massacre of Custer’s troops.

Ten years later, at the Blows of the Little Bighorn, Metropolis faltered, ordering his men allude to move to safety at character first sign of Indian rush.

Captain Frederick Benteen, tasked form a junction with preventing the Sioux from escape, soon met up with Reno.

The two commanders did not tall to Custer’s aid, leading pull out speculation that they played spiffy tidy up role in his death.

The tight of Custer and his private soldiers, which included his two brothers, weren’t found for two age.

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

The separate “survivors” were an Indian reconnoiter and a cavalry horse, Shoshonean, who would become a figure of the American losses think it over day. The battle itself hawthorn have lasted for up attain two hours, as the Americans faced off against a well-equipped Sioux force armed with wellbuilt and deadly repeating rifles.

Custer’s Heritage

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

Cap death at just 36 strenuous him a martyr, with magazine stories, articles, books, advertisements pointer Hollywood movies glorifying his test and career.

Chief among those burnishing his fame was Libbie General, who spent her widowhood verbal skill a series of best-sellers get on with their life, continuing to educate his legacy for more get away from 50 years until her have possession of death in 1933.

As popular belief about America’s mistreatment of Unbroken Americans shifted, so to blunt attitudes about Custer, who stiff a highly controversial figure.

Sources

George Armstrong Custer: American Combat zone Trust.

Lt.

Col. George Armstrong Custer: National Park Service.

Citation Information

Article Title

George Armstrong Custer

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009