The Real Custer

Copyright © 2014 by James S. Robbins

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, website, or broadcast.

First ebook edition ©2014

eISBN 978-1-62157-236-7

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

Robbins, James S., 1962-

The real Custer : from boy general to tragic hero / James S. Robbins.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

1.
  
Custer, George A. (George Armstrong), 1839-1876. 2.
  
Generals--United States--

Biography. 3.
  
United States--History--Civil War,

1861–1865--Biography. 4.
  
United States--History--Civil War,

1861–1865--Campaigns. 5.
  
Indians of North America--Wars--1866–1895. 6.
  
Indians of

North America--Wars--Great Plains. 7.
  
United States.

Army--Biography.
  
I. Title.

E467.1.C99R67 2014

973.8'2092--dc23

[B]

2014006108

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To E. L. R.

CONTENTS

       
Introduction

       
P
ART
1: B
EGINNINGS

1.
    
“My Voice Is for War!”

2.
    
Custer the Goat

3.
    
The Brotherhood Broken

       
P
ART
2: C
USTER
G
OES TO
W
AR

4.
    
“A Slim, Long-Haired Boy, Carelessly Dressed”

5.
    
“I Promise That You Shall Hear of Me”

6.
    
“Conspicuous Gallantry”

       
P
ART
3: T
HE
B
OY
G
ENERAL

7.
    
Gettysburg

8.
    
The “Daring, Terrible Demon” of Battle

9.
    
The Buckland Races

10.
  
The Dahlgren Affair

11.
  
Little Phil

12.
  
Into the Valley

13.
  
“Let the Sword Decide the Contest”

14.
  
Custer's Counterinsurgency

15.
  
“Custer Is a Trump”

16.
  
“Fighting like a Viking”

17.
  
“Custer against the World”

18.
  
“Like the Charge of a Sioux Chieftain”

       
P
ART
4: F
ALL FROM
G
RACE

19.
  
The “Long-Haired Hero of the Lash”

20.
  
The “Swing around the Circle”

21.
  
Court-Martial

       
P
ART
5: R
EDEMPTION

22.
  
Washita

23.
  
Custer on the Plains

24.
  
The Great Buffalo Hunt

25.
  
Battle on the Yellowstone

       
P
ART
6: T
HE
F
INAL
A
CT

26.
  
Custer's Gulch

27.
  
Grant's Revenge

28.
  
“Don't Be Greedy”

29.
  
A Ridge Too Far

30.
  
“He Will Never Fight Anymore”

       
Conclusion

       
A Note on Sources

       
Notes

       
Index

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

George Armstrong Custer

The Innate Idea

Benny Havens

Custer's Charge at Aldie

Custer at “Woodstock Races”

General Custer at His Desk in His Library

The Seventh U.S. Calvary Charging in Black Kettle's Village at Daylight (Battle of Washita)

The Last Battle of Gen. Custer

A Suspended Equestrienne

Mathew Brady,
George Armstrong Custer
.

INTRODUCTION