Killed by Indians at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, on June 25, 1876

Very rare unpublished variant Mathew Brady view taken on October 8, 1863, at Washington, D.C.

(1839-1876) Born in New Rumley, Ohio, he graduated in the West Point class of 1861. He was destined to become one of the most celebrated, yet controversial figures in all of American military history. Custer was brave, dashing and enterprising. He served on the staffs of Generals' George B. McClellan, and Alfred Pleasanton until the spring of 1863, distinguishing himself on dozens of occasions. On June 29, 1863, he jumped rank from 1st Lieutenant to Brigadier General, at the age of 23, and was assigned command of a cavalry brigade under General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick. Only a few days after his promotion, he fought at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he commanded the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. Despite being outnumbered, Custer defeated General J.E.B. Stuart's attack at what is now known as East Cavalry Field. From then until the end of the Civil War he fought with the utmost distinction in all of the cavalry engagements of the Army of the Potomac. In 1864, he served in the Overland Campaign and with General Philip H. Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah Valley, defeating General Jubal A. Early at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Va. In 1865, he destroyed or captured the remainder of Early's forces at the Battle of Waynesboro. His division blocked the Army of Northern Virginia's final retreat and he received the first flag of truce from the Confederates. He was also present at General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9th. Custer became a famous Indian fighter in the post war United States Army and was massacred with his entire command of the 7th U.S. Cavalry on June 25, 1876, at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, in Montana Territory, against a coalition of Native American tribes. Custer was killed along with every soldier of the five companies of the 7th U.S. Cavalry that he led. This event became known as "Custer's Last Stand." When the main column under General Alfred Terry arrived two days later, the army found most of the soldiers' corpses stripped, scalped, and mutilated. The bodies of George A. Custer and his brother Tom were wrapped by the Union burial squad in canvas and blankets, then buried in a shallow grave, covered by the basket from an Indian travois which was held in place by rocks. When Federal troops returned a year later, the brothers' grave had been scavenged by animals and the bones were scattered. "Not more than a double handful of bones were picked up." George Armstrong Custer's remains were then taken east and re-interred with full military honors at the West Point Cemetery, at the United States Military Academy, on October 10, 1877. The Little Big Horn battle site was designated as a National Cemetery in 1886.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Half view wearing a double breasted frock coat with rank of brigadier general. "General Custer" is written in period ink on the front of the card. Back mark: E. & H.T. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York, From Photographic Negative in Brady's National Portrait Gallery. This is a very rare variant view that is not published in the superb reference work, "Custer in Photographs," by D. Mark Katz. It is a slightly vignetted view of Katz view, "K-21." The original carte de visite was taken on October 8, 1863, by Mathew Brady & Co., at Washington, D.C. Excellent condition. Extremely desirable General Custer wartime unpublished variant view showing off his long flowing curly locks that go over the collar of his uniform coat.

Custer Family Trivia: Besides George Armstrong Custer, age 36, two of his younger brothers were also killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. They were 31 year old Thomas Custer, a two time Medal of Honor recipient, who was later reburied at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and their youngest brother, 27 year old Boston Custer, who was buried at Woodland Cemetery in Monroe, Michigan. Henry Armstrong Reed, was the son of the elder Custer sister Lydia and her husband David Reed. Young Henry was only 18 years old when he met his fate at the Little Big Horn. The teenager served under his uncle George A. Custer and was probably the youngest soldier in the 7th U.S. Cavalry. The fifth Custer family member killed at the Little Big Horn was James Calhoun, the brother-in-law of George A. Custer. James Calhoun was married to Margaret Custer, another sister of the Custer brothers. James and Margaret had been married for just a little over four years before his tragic death.