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Day 11 - Random Love Post - Custer
Feb. 11th, 2019 08:06 pmCuster, you ask?
Yes. I am a student of history and I have been fascinated by George Armstrong Custer for a long time. He was a hero or a villain, or more truthfully, a little of both. He was a braggart who was reckless, brave, loyal, overbearing, a loving husband, devoted brother, animal lover, sportsman... He was a devoted brother and husband, famous for all the fun activities his family participated. His wife traveled to North Dakota to Fort Lincoln when he was assigned there. He loved his dogs and hunting and camping. He was never happy unless he was soldiering, but he always wanted his wife, Elizabeth, nearby.
He distinguished himself as one of the worst graduates West Point ever had, graduating near the bottom of his class and getting a record total of 726 demerits. He was a hero of the Civil War, distinguishing himself by leading his troops from the front. He was given his own cavalry when he went to fight 'Indians' in Kansas. During this time he was court-martialed for desertion when he left his post to find his wife, who he had not seen in several months. He was sent to find gold in the Black Hills when Grant needed a reason to encourage westward expansion and he found it in South Dakota. He was then assigned to Fort Lincoln and tasked with bringing the stray Native Americans into the reservations.
In June 1876, he led his troops to an encampment on the Little Bighorn River. They were outnumbered and ambushed by perhaps a thousand Sioux, Cheyenne and other tribes. All of the group that was with Custer died. It went down in history as the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
His wife, much as Jackie Kennedy did nearly a hundred years later, promoted the myth of her husband as a great American hero and was devoted to his legacy for the rest of her life. She wrote several books about him. History's view has changed over the years from hero to villain but I believe him to be a little of both. I have always found him interesting and still enjoy reading about him. I personally doubt I would have liked him as a person, but he is a colorful character to study.
Custer with his famous curls:
Custer and Libbie:
The place he died (my own photo):
Yes. I am a student of history and I have been fascinated by George Armstrong Custer for a long time. He was a hero or a villain, or more truthfully, a little of both. He was a braggart who was reckless, brave, loyal, overbearing, a loving husband, devoted brother, animal lover, sportsman... He was a devoted brother and husband, famous for all the fun activities his family participated. His wife traveled to North Dakota to Fort Lincoln when he was assigned there. He loved his dogs and hunting and camping. He was never happy unless he was soldiering, but he always wanted his wife, Elizabeth, nearby.
He distinguished himself as one of the worst graduates West Point ever had, graduating near the bottom of his class and getting a record total of 726 demerits. He was a hero of the Civil War, distinguishing himself by leading his troops from the front. He was given his own cavalry when he went to fight 'Indians' in Kansas. During this time he was court-martialed for desertion when he left his post to find his wife, who he had not seen in several months. He was sent to find gold in the Black Hills when Grant needed a reason to encourage westward expansion and he found it in South Dakota. He was then assigned to Fort Lincoln and tasked with bringing the stray Native Americans into the reservations.
In June 1876, he led his troops to an encampment on the Little Bighorn River. They were outnumbered and ambushed by perhaps a thousand Sioux, Cheyenne and other tribes. All of the group that was with Custer died. It went down in history as the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
His wife, much as Jackie Kennedy did nearly a hundred years later, promoted the myth of her husband as a great American hero and was devoted to his legacy for the rest of her life. She wrote several books about him. History's view has changed over the years from hero to villain but I believe him to be a little of both. I have always found him interesting and still enjoy reading about him. I personally doubt I would have liked him as a person, but he is a colorful character to study.
Custer with his famous curls:
Custer and Libbie:
The place he died (my own photo):