General George A. Custer was born in New Rumley, Harrison County Ohio, on Dec. 5 1839. He spent most of his childhood with a half-sister in Monroe, Michigan.  After he enrolled at West Point, where he failed to make himself look good in any positive way.  Several days after graduating last in his class, he failed in his duty as officer of the guard to stop a fight between two cadets. He then graduated the U.S. military academy in June of 1861 and then went to Washington to work. He was in the First Battle of Manassas. His next mission given to him by General Winfield Scott gave him things to carry to General Irwin McDowell.  After this they put him in command of the Army of the Potomac, he was assigned lieutenant in the 5th cavalry. On Sept. 30 he began command of the 3rd division of cavalry and fought a good battle of Woodstock on Oct. 9. After this he was court-martialed and saved from punishment because of the need for officers with the start of the Civil War.
At the start of the Civil War he fought against his former classmate at West Point the Confederate General Rosser. "Let's kick their ass and get the Hell out of here." Custer drove them back 26 miles and he captured everything on wheels except one gun. His cavalry units played a critical role in forcing the retreat of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's forces; in thanks, General Philip Sheridan purchased and made a gift of the Appomattox surrender table to Custer and his wife. In a general order addressed to his troops at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865 General Custer said: "During the past six months, though in most instances confronted by superior numbers, you have captured from the enemy in open battle 111 pieces of field artillery, 65 battle-flags, and upward of 10,000 prisoners of War, including seven general officers. Within the past ten days, and included in the above, you have captured 46 field-pieces of artillery, and  37 battle-flags. You have never lost a gun, never lost a color, and never been defeated; and notwithstanding the numerous engagements in which you have borne a prominent part, including those memorable battles of the Shenandoah, you have captured every piece of artillery which the enemy has dared to open upon you." Custer did unexpectedly well in the Civil War. He fought in the First Battle of Bull Run and served with panache and distinction in the Virginia and Gettysburg campaigns. Although his units suffered enormously high casualty rates even if it was the Civil War, his fearless aggression in battle earned him the respect of his commanding generals and put him in the public eye. He then applied to the government for permission to accept from President Juarez the place of chief of Mexican cavalry in the struggle against Maximilian. President Johnson declined his leave of absence and Custer was appointed lieutenant-colonelcy of the 7th cavalry, he then joined his troops at Fort Riley.
After the Civil War in 1865 Fort Riley, Kansas was important in providing protection to the railroad lines being built across Kansas. The importance was realized in the summer and fall of 1866 when the Union Pacific Railroad reached Fort Riley and the 7th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Andrew J. Smith was grouped at the fort. On April 15, 1865 he was appointed the "Brevet" rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers. He was also put in command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division at Gettysburg and Yellow Tavern. He commanded the 3rd Cavalry Division in the Shenandoah Valley, Fisher's Hill and Five Forks. After the War, Custer had to revert to his old permanent rank of Captain. Then he went through the slow promotion process that usually happened in the small regular army. That's why Custer was always called "General Custer". In 1867 one of Custer's first official acts with the 7th Cavalry was to make a regimental song. He liked "Garry Owen" and that's why it was chosen. In March 1867, when Indian attacks became more violent, the 7th Cavalry was given its first opportunity to see what fighting Indians was all about. Under the command of General Hancock, they marched from Fort Riley to Fort Larned. They were joined by 6 infantry companies and a battery of artillery creating a task force of over 1400 men. "There are not enough Indians in the world to defeat the 7th Cavalry." In April 1867, a meeting was held between the Army and a few chiefs of the Plains Indians. The Army moved their troops closer to an Indians encampment and thought they were being attacked and fled under the cover of night. 
Custer and the 7th Cavalry, given the task of tracking the Indians down, he spent the whole summer in the attempt to find them. The only contact they made with the Indians were with small war parties which wouldn't stop harassing the troops. In this campaign, Custer left his command in the field and traveled back to Fort Riley to visit his wife. Upon arrival Custer was court-martialed and found guilty. He was sentenced to one year suspension from rank and pay. He went home to Monroe, Michigan where he waited out his suspension. On Sept. 24 1868, Custer's court-martial was take off and he went back to his troops on Bluff Creek. As soon as he arrived Indians attacked his camp. Custer and his troopers gave chase and followed the Indians trail back to Medicine Lodge Creek, and found no Indians at all.

They planned an attack. If the Indian Villages were hard hit and supplies destroyed they would have to return to their reservations or starve. During winter months the Indians would stay close to a good source of water and firewood for heat; they just had to find it. Sheridan's plan involved 3 columns: Colonel Andrew W. Evans with six troops of the 3rd Cavalry and two companies of the 37th Infantry were to go down the South Canadian River. The second column was seven troops of the 5th Cavalry under the command of Major Eugene A. Carr. They marched southeast from Fort Lyon, Colorado and meet Captain William A. Penrose and his column of five troops of cavalry. They stayed at Antelope Hills, along the North Fork of the Canadian River. The third column was to march from Fort Dodge under the command of General Sully and George A. Custer. Sheridan chose the 7th Cavalry and Custer to take the lead. Custer followed tracks to the Washita River. It was Chief Black Kettle's village, well within the boundaries of the Cheyenne reservation. on the 27th of Nov. in 1868, Custer charged and Black couldn't escape. Colonel Andrew W. Evans struck another Comanche village at Soldiers Spring on Christmas Day. The campaign was successful against the Cheyenne in the Oklahoma Territory.
In Feb. 1873 Custer got the good news that the 7th Cavalry was going to be together and sent north to Fort Rice in the Dakota Territory. His mission was to protect settlers in the region and the engineers of the Northern Pacific Railroad who were looking at a rail route across the Yellowstone River from the Sioux Indians. The completion of the railroad link provided an easy way of transportation for gold seekers and farmers to come to the area. The Sioux gave the migration problems. On June 20 1873, they moved into the Black Hills of Dakota to have protection from the railroad constructors. As a point of scouting activities a permanent stay was established at Fort Abraham Lincoln south of the Mandan from 1873-1876. Custer led his troops into the Black Hills and found gold. The government offered to buy the land but the Sioux wouldn't sell it. The Army allowed gold prospectors to come into the Reservations hills by the thousands. The Sioux left and joined Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in Montana who were resisting white government control.
The 7th Regiment left Fort Lincoln on the 17th of May in 1876, with Custer along with Arikara and Osage scouts leading the way. General Terry was to trap the Indians between Custer and Major General John Gibbon in the Little Big Horn Valley. Custer had been ordered to move a band of Indians toward the large cavalry force. Custer needed to pass all the way down the Rosebud Creek and cross over to the Little Big Horn Valley and move north, to prevent the Indians from escaping south. After making visual contact with the Indians on June 23, Custer ordered the column to turn west toward the Little Big Horn Valley. Arikara and Osage scouts identified a party of Sioux following them The Sioux fled when approached and Custer didn't want any of the Sioux to escape. The night of June 24, Custer told the plan for the next day. When they got to the Sioux on June 25 1876, Custer made a decision to attack and fight the Indians. On the verge of what seemed to him a certain and glorious victory for the U.S. and Custer he ordered an attack on the Indian village. "Hurrah boys! We've got them." Within a short period of time, Custer and his troops were annihilated by the full might of an estimated 5,000 Sioux Indians who were led by Chief Sitting Bull and Chief Crazy Horse.
Custer died in Montana, on June 25 1876 at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Custer's mistakes cost him his life but gained himself a lot of fame that won't be forgotten. His defeat at the Little Big Horn made his life of what would have been a forgotten 19th  century military figure into the talk about in songs, books and paintings. His widow Elizabeth B. Custer did what she could to make his reputation better. Writings of his life that portrayed him as a military genius but a good man. A picture showed Custer like a victim surrounded by bloodthirsty savages intent upon his death. Forgotten was that he started the battle by attacking the Indian village and that most of the Indians present had to surrender within a year of the greatest battlefield achievement.

Jose Cavazos

8th American History

Rossville Jr. High

Plains History Project

2004

Bibliography