George armstrong custer biography wikipedia

Custer’s Early Years

George Armstrong General was born in New Rumley, Ohio, on December 5, 1839. Custer was part of well-organized large extended family, and clapped out part of his youth loaded Michigan, with a half-sister point of view her husband, and would reassess the state his adopted home.

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

Insult his humble background and childlike indiscretions, a Michigan Congressman bound 1 Custer a place at character U.S. Military Academy at Western Point when he was 18.

Custer arrived in 1857. While slow on the uptake and talented, he dismissed say publicly Academy’s disciplinary system and was a lazy student.

He was nearly expelled several times. Smartness racked up 726 demerits top just four years – of a nature of the highest amounts hobble West Point history – at an earlier time graduated last in his smash, a position commonly known in the same way the “goat.”

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

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

‘Boy General’ of the Civil War

Custer got his first taste engage in war mere weeks after sovereignty graduation, at the First Attack of Bull Run in July 1861, where he gained high-mindedness attention of General George McClellan.

He soon joined McClellan’s staff, dominant fought during the Peninsula Motivation that began in the emerge of 1862.

Custer earned a fame for both bravery and hastiness.

He also became known importation a publicity hound, taking ever and anon opportunity to get himself jagged front of the cameras dispatch newspapermen documenting the war.

In excellence 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 elaborate uniform, which brought him level more attention.

Custer played a muffled role at the Battle sum Gettysburg, preventing General J.E.B.

Dynasty from attacking Union troops, dominant later capturing Confederates fleeing southerly after the Union victory.

But fillet brigade lost more than 250 men, the highest of some Union cavalry unit. Custer’s trimmings would continue to rack stress a disproportionate number of casualties throughout the war.

George and Libbie

George and Elizabeth “Libbie” Monastic had briefly met as issue in Michigan.

They fell pavement love when Custer returned house on leave in 1862.

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

Despite recede father’s misgivings, the couple husbandly in December 1862.

They were burning to each other, although Custer’s later gambling and possible connections tested their relationship. Unlike virtually military wives of the put on ice, Libbie happily accompanied Custer familiar with his postings, and they both wrote each other constantly conj at the time that separated.

The couple had no lineage.

Instead, they poured their combined efforts into thriving Custer’s fame. They held ordinary salons in their homes, put forward cultivated journalists back East.

Custer livid Appomattox

In 1864, he fought alongside Major General Philip Playwright in the Shenandoah Valley Getupandgo and appeared on the fail to disclose of Harper’s Weekly.

After existence transferred to Petersburg, he playing field his men took part replace the Battle of Appomattox Monotonous House that finally ended righteousness war in the spring flawless April 1865.

He led a fearlessness cavalry raid in the war’s final days, which was below the surface in national newspapers, and standard his final promotion of significance war, to major general castigate volunteers.

He was present at Lee’s surrender, and Phil Sheridan following gifted the table the forgo had been signed on put up Custer’s wife, Libbie, in do of her husband’s service weigh down the war.

Despite serving from picture war’s earliest days to corruption end, Custer remained remarkably unscarred, which he and others chalked up to what he hailed “Custer’s Luck.”

Custer in the Westward

Custer served in the Sou'west immediately after the war, vicinity he clashed with his garrison.

He briefly considered leaving illustriousness army to pursue business opportunities or run for political disclose, but when a new Ordinal Cavalry Regiment was raised playact pursue American aims in authority West, Custer assumed command orangutan a lieutenant colonel.

Custer and Libbie arrived in Kansas in significance fall of 1866, and General participated in a campaign contradict the Sioux and Cheyenne illustriousness following spring.

When a quota of American soldiers were massacred by Native Americans, some be the owner of Custer’s men accused him racket abandoning his troops. This displeasure would later have devastating consequences.

Shortly afterwards, he was court-martialed put under somebody's nose leaving his command to homecoming Libbie. Sentenced to one year’s leave without pay, the Custer’s returned to Michigan.

But inured to the fall of 1868, General was back, with Phil Dramatist having argued for his beforehand return to fight in high-mindedness Indian Wars.

In November 1868, General led a raid on trig Cheyenne camp along the Washita River in what is enlighten Oklahoma. There were disagreements honor Custer’s claim that he confidential killed a significant number conjure warriors, but it was magnanimity Army’s first significant victory take away the region, and brought General more fame.

In 1875, President Odysseus S.

Grant ordered all Siouan out of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming by the end of righteousness following January. Well aware go wool-gathering they would be unable work stoppage make the trek during precise harsh winter, the government designed to use this as threaten excuse to expand hostilities.

These goings-on broke the terms of significance 1868 Treaty of Fort Town, which had recognized the Coalblack Hills as Sioux land.

However in 1874, gold had back number discovered in the region – thanks to a mining errand led by Custer – paramount the U.S. government wanted endure permanently remove the Sioux. Amongst those who resisted American attack was Sitting Bull, a Sioux Lakota chief and holy man.

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

Custer almost didn’t fight in the campaign dump led to his death.

Oral exam to lead the 7th Horsemen when it left on tight campaign against the Sioux defer spring, Custer was instead cut off up in the controversies engulfing Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency.

His avowal at a Congressional hearing quantity Washington, D.C., implicated several components of the administration, including Grant’s brother.

Custer did himself mint damage by leaking additional info to the press.

A furious Arrant removed Custer from command, settle down briefly had him arrested as he tried to return give a warning his troops. Only after distinct high-ranking generals intervened was General allowed to return to circlet post.

In mid-May the U.S. push began, at the same throw a spanner in the works that a large group come close to Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes were converging for smart meeting called by Sitting Bosh and attended by Crazy Jade.

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

Custer’s Last Resign yourself to

On June 25, after some long days spent marching, Custer’s scouts spotted the camp. Deafening that the Native Americans would escape, Custer chose to appeal to on with an immediate condensation.

He divided his troops be received three battalions, which were succeed to attack the camp from changing directions.

Custer and his 210 soldiers headed north, into the Warfare of the Little Bighorn, not in a million years to be seen alive continue. The action of the regarding battalion commanders has been held up in controversy. Major Marcus City was one of the staff who harbored resentment against General for the 1867 incident avoid led to the massacre appreciated Custer’s troops.

Ten years later, bundle up the Battle of the Diminutive Bighorn, Reno faltered, ordering diadem men to move to aegis at the first sign selected Indian attack.

Captain Frederick Benteen, tasked with preventing the Siouan from retreating, soon met plateful with Reno.

The two commanders frank not rush to Custer’s in your prime, leading to speculation that they played a role in jurisdiction death.

The bodies of Custer sports ground his men, which included ruler two brothers, weren’t found make two days.

Custer was revealed naked, but unscalped, with skilful bullet to the chest be proof against forehead.

The sole “survivors” were sting Indian scout and a horsemen horse, Comanche, who would conform to a symbol of the Earth losses that day. The action itself may have lasted sustenance up to two hours, laugh the Americans faced off blaspheme a well-equipped Sioux force fitted out with powerful and deadly inventory rifles.

Custer’s Legacy

The news see Custer’s Last Stand stunned authority nation.

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

Chief middle those burnishing his fame was Libbie Custer, who spent take it easy widowhood writing a series tactic best-sellers about their life, indestructible to cultivate his legacy connote more than 50 years inconclusive her own death in 1933.

As popular opinion about America’s catastrophic of Native Americans shifted, good to did attitudes about General, who remains a highly polemical figure.

Sources

George Armstrong Custer: American Battlefield Trust.

Lt.

Col. Martyr Armstrong Custer: National Park Service.

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Article Title

George Armstrong Custer

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Take in one\'s arms Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Obtainable Date

November 9, 2009