Custer: The Controversial Life of George Armstrong Custer

I found this biography to be very interesting because I am a relative of George Armstrong Custer. He is my fourth cousin three times removed. The author Jeffry Wert made extensive use of primary sources often quoting from letters written by Custer. This biography helps uncover the real Custer since a lot of mythology has surrounded him. Many of the movies about Custer were not very accurate portrayals of this man. The author devotes a lot of time on Custer's Civil War record which was a great record. As a Brigadier General and later as a Major General he would lead the charge of his men in the cavalry. This was very unusual for a General to lead a cavalry charge. It is surprising that he was not killed in the Civil War since he was show more leading all these charges. He was wounded once with some shrapnel in his foot. His men in the Civl War were very loyal to Custer. Over all Custer had a most impresssive record in the Civil War.
After the Civil War Custer commanded the Seventh Cavalry in their battles with Native Americans. Unfortunately, two of his officers disliked Custer and this feeling spread somewhat to the other men. At the Battle of the Little Big Horn Custer split his command into three parts. When Custer and the 225 men with him were attacked by Native Americans, Custer sent a message back to Major Reno, Reno refused to come to Custer's aid. Custer and his 225 men were killed, but the 400 men in the other two parts of his command survived.
The author did a great job in presenting an objective portrayal of Custer and his controversial life. This was quite a challenge since more has been written about Custer than any other American except Abraham Lincoln. show less