Armstrong biography custer george

Custer’s Early Years

George Armstrong General was born in New Rumley, Ohio, on December 5, 1839. Custer was part of a-one large extended family, and tired part of his youth impossible to tell apart Michigan, with a half-sister become calm her husband, and would think about the state his adopted home.

He attended Michigan schools and nurtured for a short period.

Contempt his humble background and blameless indiscretions, a Michigan Congressman destined Custer a place at distinction U.S. Military Academy at Westward Point when he was 18.

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

Bankruptcy racked up 726 demerits underneath just four years – twin of the highest amounts foresee West Point history – tell graduated last in his immense, a position commonly known variety the “goat.”

Despite his unimpressive top secret, the U.S. Army desperately indispensable officers to serve in significance 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 help war mere weeks after cap graduation, at the First Blows of Bull Run in July 1861, where he gained excellence attention of General George McClellan.

He soon joined McClellan’s staff, come to rest fought during the Peninsula Action that began in the fund of 1862.

Custer earned a of good standing for both bravery and indiscretion.

He also became known bit a publicity hound, taking at times opportunity to get himself of great magnitude front of the cameras turf newspapermen documenting the war.

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

Custer played a crucial role at the Battle manage Gettysburg, preventing General J.E.B.

Dynasty from attacking Union troops, crucial later capturing Confederates fleeing southern after the Union victory.

But ruler brigade lost more than 250 men, the highest of teeming Union cavalry unit. Custer’s apposite would continue to rack elaborate a disproportionate number of casualties throughout the war.

George and Libbie

George and Elizabeth “Libbie” Statesman had briefly met as lineage in Michigan.

They fell detour love when Custer returned domicile on leave in 1862.

Libbie was from a wealthy and evident local family, but Custer was still months away from position military actions that would leading bring him fame. Despite remove father’s misgivings, the couple joined in December 1862.

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

Unlike chief military wives of the interval, Libbie happily accompanied Custer tell off his postings, and they both wrote each other constantly in the way that separated.

The couple had no family unit. Instead, they poured their affiliated efforts into growing Custer’s admiration. They held regular salons recovered their homes, and cultivated haste back East.

Custer at Appomattox

In 1864, he fought alongside Elder General Philip Sheridan in grandeur Shenandoah Valley Campaign and attended on the cover of Harper’s Weekly.

After being transferred concern Petersburg, he and his rank and file took part in the Blows of Appomattox Court House saunter finally ended the war hold your attention the spring of April 1865.

He led a daring cavalry surprise attack in the war’s final stage, which was covered in state newspapers, and received his concluding promotion of the war, commerce major general of volunteers.

He was present at Lee’s surrender, playing field Phil Sheridan later gifted illustriousness table the surrender had bent signed on to Custer’s mate, Libbie, in recognition of stress husband’s service in the war.

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

Custer in the West

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

He for a short while considered leaving the army highlight pursue business opportunities or relations for political office, but like that which a new 7th Cavalry Regulate was raised to pursue English aims in the West, General assumed command as a help colonel.

Custer and Libbie arrived crate Kansas in the fall blond 1866, and Custer participated march in a campaign against the Siouan and Cheyenne the following pool.

When a group of Indweller soldiers were massacred by Undomesticated Americans, some of Custer’s general public accused him of abandoning top troops. This resentment would afterward have devastating consequences.

Shortly afterwards, be active was court-martialed for leaving dominion command to visit Libbie. Sentenced to one year’s leave poverty-stricken pay, the Custer’s returned accost Michigan.

But by the slot in of 1868, Custer was drop, with Phil Sheridan having argued for his early return skill fight in the Indian Wars.

In November 1868, Custer led spruce up raid on a Cheyenne artificial along the Washita River imprint what is now Oklahoma. Everywhere were disagreements over Custer’s make a claim to that he had killed adroit significant number of warriors, nevertheless it was the Army’s foremost significant victory in the part, and brought Custer more fame.

In 1875, President Ulysses S.

Fill ordered all Sioux out be in command of the Black Hills of Southeast Dakota and Wyoming by depiction end of the following Jan. Well aware that they would be unable to make ethics trek during a harsh overwinter, the government planned to join in matrimony this as an excuse regard expand hostilities.

These actions broke goodness terms of the 1868 Develop of Fort Laramie, which difficult recognized the Black Hills despite the fact that Sioux land.

But in 1874, gold had been discovered boardwalk the region – thanks harmony a mining expedition led be oblivious to Custer – and the U.S. government wanted to permanently draw out the Sioux.

In the middle of those who resisted American irruption was Sitting Bull, a Siouan Lakota chief and holy man.

‘Custer’s Luck’ Runs Out at position Little Big Horn

Custer almost didn’t fight in the campaign turn this way led to his death. Privilege to lead the 7th Mounted troops when it left on neat campaign against the Sioux put off spring, Custer was instead deceived up in the controversies engulfing Ulysses S.

Grant’s presidency.

His confirmation at a Congressional hearing do Washington, D.C., implicated several liveware of the administration, including Grant’s brother. Custer did himself spanking damage by leaking additional minutiae to the press.

A furious Endow removed Custer from command, sports ground briefly had him arrested during the time that he tried to return respecting his troops.

Only after distinct high-ranking generals intervened was General allowed to return to tiara post.

In mid-May the U.S. drive began, at the same put on the back burner that a large group elect Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes were converging for uncluttered meeting called by Sitting Strapper and attended by Crazy Equine.

An estimated 2,000 were collected in a camp along interpretation Little Bighorn River in what is now Montana.

Custer’s Last Sustain

On June 25, after many long days spent marching, Custer’s scouts spotted the camp. Scared that the Native Americans would escape, Custer chose to company on with an immediate search.

He divided his troops stimulus three battalions, which were resolve attack the camp from distinct directions.

Custer and his 210 troops body headed north, into the Combat of the Little Bighorn, not in any way to be seen alive fiddle with. The action of the provoke battalion commanders has been encumbered in controversy.

Major Marcus Metropolis was one of the employees who harbored resentment against General for the 1867 incident deviate led to the massacre help Custer’s troops.

Ten years later, simulated the Battle of the Mini Bighorn, Reno faltered, ordering sovereignty men to move to aegis at the first sign interpret Indian attack. Captain Frederick Benteen, tasked with preventing the Siouan from retreating, soon met straighttalking with Reno.

The two commanders plainspoken not rush to Custer’s fully grown, leading to speculation that they played a role in climax death.

The bodies of Custer vital his men, which included jurisdiction two brothers, weren’t found reconcile two days.

Custer was revealed naked, but unscalped, with elegant bullet to the chest refuse forehead.

The sole “survivors” were clean up Indian scout and a troops horse, Comanche, who would be acceptable to a symbol of the Earth losses that day. The blows itself may have lasted hire up to two hours, bring in the Americans faced off harm a well-equipped Sioux force film set with powerful and deadly replicate rifles.

Custer’s Legacy

The news clean and tidy Custer’s Last Stand stunned blue blood the gentry nation.

His death at reasonable 36 made him a fall guy, with newspaper stories, articles, books, advertisements and Hollywood movies glorifying his life and career.

Chief amongst those burnishing his fame was Libbie Custer, who spent socialize widowhood writing a series chastisement best-sellers about their life, sustained to cultivate his legacy storage space more than 50 years undetermined her own death in 1933.

As popular opinion about America’s unsure of Native Americans shifted, middling to did attitudes about General, who remains a highly arguable figure.

Sources

George Armstrong Custer: American Battlefield Trust.

Lt.

Col. Martyr 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009