George Armstrong Custer
1839–1876 · American · American Civil War / Indian Wars
Known for: Civil War hero whose entire command was annihilated at Little Bighorn—America's most famous military disaster
George Armstrong Custer graduated last in his West Point class and became one of the Union's most effective cavalry commanders during the Civil War, earning the rank of brevet major general at just 25. He was flamboyant, vain, and recklessly brave—riding into battle with flowing golden hair and custom velvet uniforms.
His attack on the Lakota and Cheyenne camp at Little Bighorn in 1876 without reconnaissance or waiting for reinforcements resulted in the annihilation of his entire command—268 soldiers killed. His 'Last Stand' became one of America's most mythologized events, transforming a reckless commander into a romantic hero.
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