Sculpted by Gary Casteel
 
1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
Born on December 5, 1839, in New Rumley, Ohio, George Armstrong Custer was sent to live with an older half-sister and brother-in-law in Monroe, Michigan, at an early age and spent much of his youth bouncing between the two states. After graduating from McNeely Normal School (later Hopedale Normal College) in Ohio in 1856, he taught school before attending West Point, graduating last in his class in June 1861. 
 
At the start of the Civil War, he entered the army as a second lieutenant and saw action at the First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861).  He later joined the staff of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, and developed contacts with many senior commanders.  In 1863, at age 23, Custer became a brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers, leading the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, which consisted of four regiments from his adopted home state.  Later nicknamed the “Boy General,” Custer distinguished himself in numerous encounters, including during the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), the Battle of Yellow Tavern (May 11, 1864), and the Third Battle of Winchester (September 19, 1864), which led to his rise to division command and promotion to major general before he turned age 25.  During the closing days of the war, his relentless pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia and Gen. Robert E. Lee helped to hasten their surrender at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9, 1865.
 
At the end of the Civil War, the citizen soldiers of the U.S. Volunteers disbanded.  Custer reverted to the rank of captain in the regular army, though he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became acting commander of the newly formed 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment.  In 1866, Custer and his 7th Cavalry reported to western Kansas to take part in Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock’s expedition to awe hostile Plains Indians with the military strength of the U.S. Army in the hopes of entering peace negotiations.  On June 25, 1876, he led his 210 men to death in one of the most controversial battles in U.S. history, the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  
 
The marker was placed in 1890, and is located on Last Stand Hill on the Little Bighorn Battlefield.